Sheepleas Walk: Flower Observations 11 June 2005

Sheepleas is a 300 acre site, designated an SSSI, just south of the Horsleys, on the chalk slopes of the North Downs.  It contains meadows, notably the Cowslip field at the east end, and woodland, essentially dry but with a potentially wetter area below, and on the north side of, the Shere Road car park.

Compared with two months earlier when there were healthy Cowslips and Bugle in profusion, the flowers were often stunted, particularly the relatively few orchids, due to lack of rain.

From the Shere Road car park we took the path eastwards towards the picnic and viewpoint area, before dropping down into the valley and meadows.  In the first section Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale) provided some attractive colour.  Other flowers noted here included:

Elder

Germander speedwell

Teasel

White bryony

Dog-rose

Common mouse-ear

Garlic mustard

Marsh thistle

Ribwort plantain

Herb-Robert

Field forget-me-not

Daisy

Creeping buttercup

Small-flowered cranesbill

Spear thistle

Bird's-foot trefoil (Geranium pusillum)

In the early part of the descent there were handsome, if sinister, small clumps of Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and evidence of chalky soil in the presence of Dwarf thistle, Rock rose and Wild thyme, although the last was surprisingly sparse.

Passing through the wooded stretch before the end meadow, Broad-leaved willow-herb, Figwort, White campion and Creeping thistle were noted.  In this meadow there were Common spotted orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii), but they were sadly few and small.  Other flowers here were Lady's bedstraw, Fairy flax (Linum catharticum), Ox-eye daisy, Horseshoe vetch and Yellow-wort, a familiar and beautiful chalkland flower.

The return route to the car park was by a track largely through woodland, on the north side of the reserve.  There were few flowers on the way and nothing new until the area near and below the car park. Here were residues of many Common twayblade, as well as Sanicle, Great mullein and some remaining Bugle.

DAVID MORGAN

Sheepleas Walk: Other Observations 11 June 2005

Quite a few insects were about, Common Blue butterflies in one meadow, Brown argus in another, one Orange-tip, and several Speckled wood in shady areas.  Day-flying moths included Cinnabars, Pyrauta aurata (Mint-moths), Adela (Longhorn moths) and Yellow shell. Among beetles, one all-red Cardinal, a Green tortoise, and larvae of the Figwort beetle.  The little pools of water trapped in the leaves of Teasels proved interesting, yielding a range of drowned insects, including four species of moth.  Brian Spooner identified a number of galls, but there was an utter dearth of fungi in this period of drought.

DICK ALDER