Strawberry Clover, wasteland weeds like Shepherd's-purse, Spear Thistle and Lesser
Burdock as well as the interesting casuals. Away from the buildings and present landfill
areas, there are sloping hillsides of buried waste that have now been grassed over, where
Brown Hares live and Skylarks fly overhead. While there, we can also see the way the
site is ran, and get a feel for its busy-ness with huge waste lorries going all over the
place on temporary roads made out of compacted rubbish. The whole area gives the
feel of modern efficiency in everything to do with waste management.
As I complete this piece we have just witnessed a real, traditional equinoctial gale,
accompanied by tree and other debris all over the place, and squalls of hail. A few
people in the Midlands died from flying bits hitting them, but it was slightly less severe
here.
Wildlife notes from an Essex parish
M.W. Hanson 3 Church Cottages, Church Road, Boreham, Essex CM3 3EG
It's late March and fingers crossed it looks like spring has finally arrived - tire Blackthorn
is at last in full flower and hopefully we've seen the last of the " winter " weather -
winters seem to drag on for months now with nothing but a prolonged grey nothingness,
neither particularly cold or warm. I suspect this however is good for our wildlife
particularly the smaller birds whose populations used to get devastated by harsh winters
like those experienced in 1963. I wonder if it also aids the survival rates of some
invertebrates, in particular I'm thinking of those species that inhabit rot-holes in trees. I
suspect that living and surviving a mild winter in a rot-hole is a lot easier than a harsh
winter when I think the rot-hole contents could have been frozen for weeks on end.
Around Boreham now there are many plants in flower, over the last couple of days I
have recorded the following - Coltsfoot, Kingcup, Shepherds Purse (actually well in
seed now as well), Dandelion, Daisy, Primrose, Cowslip (in my garden, but the wild
one), Sweet Violet, Dog Violet, Field Pansy, Common Field Speedwell, Red, Henbit
(just about), Spotted and White Dead-nettles, Petty Spurge, Cow Parsley (only just),
Doves-foot Cranesbill and Lesser Celandine. The latter seems to be all over the place
this year even in the middle of meadows. In my view it can become a very invasive
species.
The birds have been quite interesting - a new gravel pit in Boreham between Boreham
House and Stonehams Lock on the Chelmer and Blackwater has attracted Mute Swan,
Moorhen, Mallard, Lapwing (flock of 15 or so), Snipe, Shelduck (5) and six (three pairs
8 Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 44, May 2004