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Walking Boots |
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We had chosen to have our June meet on Hayling at Gunner Point on a very hot sunny day. Ten members of the Waterside Natural History Society led by Jill Bascombe met in the car park. Fortunately there was a strong sea breeze.
The development of Gunner Point has mainly occurred during the last 150 years, due to the movement of shingle along the shoreline. The plant life has been growing steadily and has possibly become the most important vegetated shingle beach in Hampshire.
As we walked along there were the white flowers and curly leaves of the sea kale plant and the tall eye-catching flower spikes of the Viper’s Bugloss growing en masse. The main dune forming species of Marram Grass which has a root system able to extend up to thirty feet a year was growing in large clumps.
There were smaller ground hugging plants, the English stonecrop and the starry flowers of the biting stonecrop or wallpepper. Gunner Point is also host to the largest population of the Little Robin plant which is fairly rare apart from Hampshire and is a member of the geranium family.
We saw patches of wild thyme and as a contrast in height tamarisk and elderflower shrubs. Many birds were seen, amongst them Sandwich terns fishing out to sea. Swallows and swifts were darting about, other sightings included a whitethroat, a pair of linnets, a meadow pipit, cormorant and a peregrine.
Skylarks were glimpsed overhead as they hovered far above against the blue sky and the cirrus clouds, their trilling song filling the air. There were several butterflies, including meadow browns, a gate keeper, small heath and an emperor dragonfly. It had been an interesting and enjoyable visit. The lasting memory will be of the skylarks and their melodious song.
There was a very informative and localised talk this month on the New Forest Life 3 Project. It’s a four year initiative that aims to restore the wetlands. It is a rare and important habitat in Europe and consequently 40% of the cost is funded by the European Union. The rest is funded by New Forest Life 3 Project partners. The aims are to restore 600 hectares of wetland habitat reducing flooding and eventually providing additional grazing for commoner’s animals. We’re very grateful to Simon Weymouth for giving up his time to come.
The next outdoor meeting will be on Sunday 17th. July at Bentley Woods (Grid Ref. SU 25 2929) to see Butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies and flowers. Strong footwear advised. Meet at Oak Road car park, Dibden Purlieu, for a 10 a.m. start.
The next indoor meeting is on Monday 25th. July when Jonathon Huet will talk on “Ancient Woodlands”, at St. Andrew’s Centre, Dibden Purlieu Starting at 7.30.pm.
Contact Felicity Beard 023-8089-7660 or Jill Bascombe 023-8084-5883 for further information. |
