This is hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), by some accounts the UK’s most poisonous plant.
Continue reading “Hemlock water dropwort”Hemlock water dropwort
Scooping poop
Please pick up after your dog.
We hate to nag but last weekend was particularly bad; there were complaints from several people:
Continue reading “Scooping poop”
Common spotted orchids from DKG
Froghoppers
Red-and-black froghopper
This is a red-and-black froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) photographed by DKG on Sunday morning in Village Green. There are ten different species of froghopper in the UK and while the red-and-black froghopper is not the most common, it is widespread.
Continue reading “Froghoppers”Common blue
A new species for our 2019 butterfly list: a common blue (Polyommatus icarus) identified and photographed on the next page by Ian Bushell.
Turn the page here
The first common spotted orchid of the year, photographed by Ian Bushell. Send in your own orchid photographs to friendsofscp@outlook.com and we will publish them all.
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More here:
Incident@Lambrok
Incident@Lambrok is how the Environment Agency titled its report on the week-long torrent of heavily sedimented, chlorinated water that Wessex Water let flood from a broken water main, through the Lambrok down to the Biss, taking in Southwick Country Park and its precious freshwater biota on its way.
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The yellow iris are in flower!
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Probably a white tailed bumblebee worker (Bombus lucornum) in meadow buttercup; it is sometimes difficult to tell.
Continue readingKeeping children safe
During the Easter holiday there were little children seen playing in the park, apparently unattended by any adult. In particular, two little boys, maybe six or seven years old, were seen playing all by themselves on the bank of the stream by the wooden bridge. The weather had been very wet and the water level was high, certainly high enough to drown a small boy.
Continue reading “Keeping children safe”Barbarea vulgaris
Barbarea vulgaris also called bittercress, herb barbara, rocketcress, yellow rocketcress, winter rocket, and wound rocket
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Judy’s dynamic warm up group; new runners out in the park for the first time with their coach, Judy. Well done all!
DKG is back with pictures of a roe doe and her newborn fawn.
All sorts of water fly spend the very large majority of their lives living on a stream bed as larvae called nymphs. These are the species we are worried about at the moment as a burst water main upstream pours sediment-laden water into the Lambrok for the third day.
Continue readingBurst water main
The Lambrok is filled with the sediment from a burst water main further upstream near Southwick Court, where the footbridge crosses into Spring Gardens. Wessex Water cannot fix it until Tuesday; they are waiting for a new part to be delivered.
The Environment Agency has made Wessex Water turn down the water pressure so that less sediment is being washed into the stream. Hopefully there will not be too much damage to our Lambrok’s biota; we are particularly worried about the waterfly nymphs that live on the gravel stream bed.
FoSCP
Tadpoles
Common frog tadpoles (Rana temporaria) in the little pond under the Decorated Bridge.
Continue reading “Tadpoles”Ragged robin
Ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi) growing next to the little tributary stream, between the Decorated Bridge and the Dog Pond.
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There are lots of common red soldier beetles (Rhagonycha fulva) around. Fortunately there are also lots of aphids, a favourite source of food.
Continue readingPink hawthorn
In the middle of the park, the hawthorn blossom is pink; not uniformly pink but definitely pink in places. It seems to be confined to the hedges at the bottom end of Sleepers Field right through to the hedge at the top of the little triangular field that doesn’t have a name. It’s very pretty.
Continue reading “Pink hawthorn”The latest Church Lane update
The decision on RPS’s application to build 65 houses on the field south of Church Lane has been delayed again, until July 31st. We expect that this is, in part, to allow the Secretary of State’s Inspector, Stephen Lee, to make his decision and final report on Wiltshire’s Housing Site Allocation Plan.
Continue reading “The latest Church Lane update”
The Wildlife Wheel is ageing beautifully. The weathered and cracked wood is supporting a whole landscape of lichens that are colouring in the carvings. Here is a gallery of its creatures:
How to feed your nestlings
A robin in the willows by Fiveways; it has a mouthful of invertebrates for a nearby nest of hatchlings. It doesn’t want to reveal its nest site so is waiting quietly for the photographer to go away but in waiting, is providing an excellent view of its catch.
Read on for the gory details…and no drones
On two occasions in the last week or so people have been seen flying drones in the park. On both occasions, dangerously close to walkers, the car park and the main road.
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A bee on a bramble leaf, photographed by DKG on a hot May morning.
Continue readingNo quad bikes
Mail from Park Watch
friends ofscp@outlook.com
Just wanted to report the riding of a quad bike in the field by Lambrok. One adult Male riding with a small toddler included.
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 