Pig Bush - 28th June

A cloudy morning with a little sun. Highlights were Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Silver-studded Blue, Silver-washed Fritillary, Royal Fern, Meadow Thistle and Early Marsh Orchid.

We set out across the heath hoping to see the Woodlark that Roger had seen and heard before the rest of us arrived. We saw some Petty Whin by the path, but the only birds singing were Wren and Woodpigeon in the woods by the car park. As we got out over the open heath there were several Meadow Pipit singing too. We passed Lousewort, Milkwort, Eyebright, Lesser Hawk-bit, Heath bedstraw, Heath Speedwell and Common Centaury before we got to the marshy area by the stream. Here there was a Reed Bunting singing in the reeds and Blackcap and Wren from the nearby scrub. At the edge of the boardwalk we found a small plant of Royal Fern and there were several Early Marsh Orchids. These were of the rare white form and were beautiful. There were also some other marsh orchids out in the very wet area, probably Southern Marsh Orchid, but we couldn’t get close enough to see them properly. There were other wet heathland plants here too – Bog Asphodel, Bogbean, Lesser Spearwort and Meadow Thistle. We also saw the first of this morning’s few Large Skipper butterflies here.
A little while further on and we got to a small patch of open oak woodland near the railway line. This was alive with birds, all being rather elusive and only giving fleeting glimpses, but we saw 2 Spotted Flycatcher, a Redstart, Treecreeper, Nuthatch and a Song Thrush here. The next patch of heath was very Brackeny, but we did see Stonechat here. We then walked through a larger area of oak woodland and saw Chaffinches and Robin, but little else, apart from a Red Admiral. As we walked through wooded heathland back towards the car we saw several Silver-studded Blue, Meadow Browns, Heath-spotted Orchid and Round-leaved and Oblong-leaved Sundews. We also managed to get a close up view of a Meadow Grasshopper that we caught. Just before we got back to the cars a large orange butterfly was spotted on some Bramble flowers. The first Silver-washed Fritillary of the year.
Simon Curson