Contact
On This
Page
Winter 2000/01
Autumn 2000
Summer 2000
Spring 2000
Your sightings
Wildlife
Observations 1999
Nature
Notes (RH/AH)
This page was modified in
June 2002 |
Here you will find News and Information about the Wildlife
that has
been sighted around the Reserve and other events arranged by the
group
News 2001 | News
2002
Winter 2000/01
25th February
A dusting of snow covered the ground in Lancing overnight, making just
enough for children to have snowball fights and build very small
snowmen
before the sun had melted it all away.
In the Chalkpit a small Adder
(Vipera berus) measuring about 18 inches, came out to bask in the
grass
where the snow had disappeared and warmed in the shelter from the cool
wind.
Flowers of Sweet
Violet
(Viola odorata) are appearing in small clumps.
21st February
A two hour walk around the much less muddy Nature reserve (TQ 180 065)
which includes the old chalk pit today, revealed encouraging bird
activity.
Robin, Chaffinch, Great-tit (by far the loudest), Blue-tit,
Long-tailed Tit (small party about 4), Magpie, Wren, Skylark
(heard), Jay (I haven't found any Oaks on the reserve), Woodpigeon
- small flock.
Blackthorn flowerbuds are still tight, Gorse
flowering
well, Elder leaves breaking, Arum maculatum (Cuckoo
Pint,
Lords and Ladies) leaves showing, why are some leaves blotched, others
not ?. Common Spotted Orchid leaves just showing, Daphne
laureola
Spurge
Laurel in flower.
Jews Ear fungus, (Auricularia auricula) I think, not
fresh.
Evernia prunastri Lichen, attached to Ash tree.
February 6th
After yet more rain access paths to the Ring are extremely muddy and
only passable wearing boots or wellies.
If you visit please take care. Keep a look out for notable
wildlife,
if you see something-share it.
January 2001
This morning, 15th January I heard a Skylark, I saw a Jay, close by
were several Magpie. Among the Beech woods were Wood pigeon, Blue
tit, Great tit, a pair of Blackbirds, at least one Robin.
The early yellow flowering Gorse or Furze, Ulex europaeus, was showing
and made a welcome sight on a cold, frosty morning
December
Visits to the 'clump' have not been practical recently, the pathways
are very waterlogged.
Next Event Day : December 17th
Autumn 2000
Thursday 26th October
On a short look around 'The Clump' in warm
but fading
sunshine, bird activity included Great-tit and Goldcrest.
Leaves are fading and falling, rapidly building a thick carpet on
woodland
floor.
This is the trees method of conserving
moisture
and food in the cooler autumn days, the leaves are released to the
floor
where insects, worms and bacteria digest them - deposit the minerals
and
acids back to the soil where the trees will re-absorb them next year.
Golden Pholiota fungi
continues to spring up around the bases of one or two Ash (Fraxinus
excelsior)
trees.
Beech-mast, the fallen triangular
shaped nut
of this tree covers the ground under the mature trees and is eagerly
being
collected up and fed on by groups of Grey Squirrel.
It also feeds many of the other birds,
mammals and
insects of the Clump.
The
Dewpond
is well-filled and will provide drinking and bathing water for the wild
residents.
Forthcoming event
October 14th
A Coffee Morning is arranged at The Holy Family Catholic Church in
North Road Lancing from 10am to 12 noon.
All will be welcome, new members may enrol, existing members are
encouraged
to renew overdue subscriptions - £1 adults, 25 pence
juniors
September 30th
Autumn fungi are coming thick and fast now, several clumps
of the Parasol
mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) have been found under the Beech trees
and
in a sheltered spot in grass close to the Dewpond. Most were in good
condition
but a few appeared to have been maliciously damaged.
[Note:Some fungi are edible and some are
highly
poisonous, never collect fungi for consumption without expert knowledge]
September 26th
A return search in the woods has revealed
some autumn
fungi, they have not yet been positively identified.
Individual specimens of the Comma , Red
Admiral and Speckled Wood Butterfly
were seen on a previous visit three days ago.
On a fine sunny morning after a night of
heavy rain
in mid-september, I took a walk through the woods around "the clump" in
search of autumn fungi, but I was apparently too early, very few were
to
be found.
Arriving back at the dewpond I met Veronica,
one
of the founder members of the Friends of the Ring. She is a regular
visitor
with her dogs. A knowledgable wildlife enthusiast; she showed me where
the uncommon Carline Thistle(Carlina vulgaris) was growing. The
flowers have the appearance of being dry and faded when in fact it is
in
full bloom.
Summer 2000
August 20th
Task Day; four Friends, including two new
members
were later joined by myself; Ray Hamblett on a warm, sunny Sunday
morning,
to carry out the path clearing tasks. New growth of Bramble and
Hawthorn
can quickly close up pathways and compete with growth of young trees.
I stopped by the bench adjacent to the
Dewpond and
spoke to the man sat there with his dog. He described the young Tawny
Owl chicks as he heard them calling to it's parents. He went on to
describe an encounter with a pair of animals with white neck fur. They
fitted the description of the Stoat (Mustela erminea) in it's
summer
coat of brown with white undersides [In winter it is entirely white]
The
animal is a predator of Rabbit which is common on the clump and
preyed on by Hawks and Owls.
Meadow Bown butterflies are still active and
an
occassional Clouded Yellow
Butterfly
is sighted.
August 8th
Grass meadow hums with sound of grasshoppers
including
this Long -winged Conehead.
I couldn't resist including this John Keats
Poem:
On the Grasshopper and Cricket
The poetry of earth is never dead:
When all the birds are faint with the hot
sun,
And hide in cooling rees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead
That is the Grasshopper's. He takes the lead
In summer luxury; he has never done
With his delights, for when tired out with
fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
The poetry of earth is ceasing never:
On a lone winter evening, when the frost
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there
shrills
The Cricket's song, in warmth increasing
ever,
And seems to one in drowsiness half lost,
The Grasshopper's among some grassy hills.
Autumn fungi are beginning to appear,
click the link
to go to the gallery.
July 30th
The chalk pit area in July is washed with
the fragrance
of Buddleia davidii, this is possibly the best area on the Ring
for butterfly spotting. On this visit at the end of July there were
good
numbers of Speckled Wood,
Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.
I saw three Commas', I think two males may have been competing
over
a female.
Got quite excited when one, then two Marbled
White fluttered in, I tried but couldn't get a picture of
them.
In a shady area near the Nettles patch a Dragonfly
appeared briefly, I couldn't identify it's species.In amongst the
grasses
are some nice meadow flowers such as Red Clover, GreaterKnapweed,Small
Scabious and Wild Parsnip
One small area has a number of Round-headed
Rampion
known as "The Pride of Sussex".
In the same area is a little plant called Squinancywort,
one of the Bedstraw Family.
At the begining of the summer this spot is
favoured
by Pyramid Orchids.
<<back to main Lancing Ring
page
|
Spring 2000
The woodland path
approach to the
ring to the east the leisure centre (TQ188156) has Ash, Beech,
Birch, Sycamore trees. Ivy clings to many of the trees, Cow
Parsley
and Nettle seem the dominant herbaceous plant species. There
are
also large numbers of Arum maculatum.This is an indicator
species
of rich soil.
Send me your
sightings
If you would like to add your wildlife sightings to this
page please
send the details to:
Ray Hamblett
57 North Farm Road
Lancing
BN15 9BT
Phone 01903 766449
E-mail : ray.hamblett1@ntlworld.com
Details of membership
Wildlife
Observations 1999
Details provided by Judy and Ruth of Ring
Road,
Lancing
-
3 Fox cubs on Steepdown
-
A Hare sighted on 19 May
-
Quail calling on 26 May and 22 June
-
Grass snakes on 26 June and 14 July
-
2 Deer (roe-bucks ?) on 7th and 15th of September
-
A Weasel on 1st October
-
Stonechats (at least two broods)
-
White throats
-
Grey partridges
-
Kestrels
-
Meadow pipits all bred on Steepdown this summer but two pairs of
Lapwings
failed
|
