Two
Botanical Strolls
Trinity
Hill and Waterford Farm
On 6th August five hardy souls gathered at the Trinity Hill car park in light drizzle and low cloud. We looked at the three heathers — Ling, Bell Heather and Cross-leaved Heath – that colour the heath at this time; all were in flower although the Ling, as usual, was behind the rest. We saw plenty of Western Gorse, in full flower now, when the Common Gorse is resting. Less conspicuous were Deer’s Grass, a small sedge that covers great areas of peaty moorland, and the fine-leaved grass, Bristle Bent, that is characteristic of south-western moors and heaths.
The weather brightened enough to lure out a Common Lizard to bask on the top of a post, and across the road we saw Bilberry, and even found a late flower as well as a few berries to taste. We nearly trod on a brood of very late day-old Pheasants, and admired the by now clear view over the Axe Valley.
On 20th August better weather lured about 10 people to Waterford Farm where by kind permission of Stuart Heald we walked over the low-lying meadows to look at the plans of the ditches. Sadly the recent rains had brought the river down in flood so that the ditches had been somewhat scoured, and the river was too high and turbid to allow views of the water plants. However we found plenty to look at: two kinds of Duckweed, Common and Greater; Trifid and Nodding Bur-Marigold, Flowering Rush, Fennel Pondweed, Whorled Water Milfoil, and many others.
A very pale Buzzard briefly raised hopes of an Osprey, and a Green Woodpecker by the farm and a Wood Sandpiper by a flood pool added ornithological interest. By the river we saw both Banded and Beautiful Damselflies. A nice morning, if wet underfoot!