Corfe Common 26th July

Highlights were Pale Butterwort, Marsh Lousewort and Chamomile.

It was with some trepidation that we started this walk, as the forecast had been for rain! We started at the car park behind Corfe Village with no rain, just plenty of wind. We walked through a field of horses and onto the Common. The dry areas of the Common are acid grassland. There are large patches of Bracken and some scrub with Bramble and Honeysuckle clambering up it. The open areas of grassland held some lovely flowers – Betony, Tormentil, Harebell, Common Knapweed, Autumn Hawkbit, a little Yarrow, Red Bartsia and Meadow Buttercup. After a while we found several patches of Chamomile, quite rare outside the New Forest. We were also surprised to see some of the Betony, just a few plants, were white flowered ones.
We walked further on, to a small stream. Here there was Water Mint and Lesser Spearwort. A little further downstream we found a real gem of a flush. This wet area had several scarce species. Maureen found Marsh Lousewort, Bernie found Pale Butterwort and Helen found Bog Pimpernel. There was also a little Sneezewort and Marsh St. John’s Wort. Then the rain started. We bravely continued our walk. More Betony, Harebell and Knapweed and a few plants of Lousewort to compare with the Marsh Lousewort. Bernie found a single Common-spotted Orchid that had just about finished flowering. John was pleased to see 3 Carrion Crows fly past – some birds at last. As the rain got much harder we decided to head back along the road. We saw Great Willowherb, Tufted Vetch, Melilot and Common Fleabane growing along the roadside as we walked back. Thus ended the wettest Project Fred walk so far this year – at the end of July!!
Simon Curson