This walk was led by Dick Alder, with guests from ENHS (Ross, Lynn, Chris, Kath and Brian). It was intended to be a three-hour circuit of the perimeter of Byfleet, looking at the wildlife. In fact, after four hours we were only half way round!
We began at St Mary’s churchyard, where the grass had been left unmown, allowing meadow flowers to grow, much to the delight of Ross and Lynn. Butterflies also enjoyed the scene, including comma, speckled wood, orange tip, small copper, and small white. We then proceeded to Manor Farm, which until recently was one large expanse of intensive market garden. Now, development has been allowed on the former processing areas, while the remaining 60 acres has been given to Surrey Wildlife Trust. They are restoring the old, small fields with newly planted hedgerows and meadow grasses, and in two years’ time grazing is expected to begin. Skylarks have already returned, as we witnessed.
Following the banks of the Wey, we reached Plough Bridges, where we crossed over the road to enter the woodland behind Weymede. This area is part of the new Brooklands Country Park, which is due to open later this year. Work has already been completed on footpaths through the woods, leading out onto the area between the river and the old runway, which constitutes the bulk of the new park.
Finally, we took a quick look at the little pond beside Sopwith Way, which proved to have a rich flora, including an intriguing population of Dactylorhiza orchids which were similar to but did not quite key out as either common spotted or southern marsh orchid, and were suspected to be hybrids. Ross and Lynn therefore went back later and took a range of photographs, from which Ann Sankey (Surrey county plant recorder) confirmed that they were indeed the hybrid, Dactylorhiza x grandis.
All told, the prospects for Byfleet’s wildlife look better than they have for many years. Some compensation for the burden of the M25…
Dick Alder