Winchester walk 30 August

The weather was cool and cloudy. Highlights were Ivy Broomrape and Orange Balsam.

We set off down the river Itchen. The first scarce plant we saw was Ivy Broomrape in some of the flower beds at the southern end of the park. A little further down and the river runs through wilder meadow habitat and there was plenty of Musk, Purple Loosestrife, Himalayan Balsam, Comfrey, Great Willowherb, Fleabane, Hemp Agrimony and Orange Balsam on the river edges. There were also a few Brown Trout that we saw in the river.
At one of the bridges we saw many Brown Trout and some Rudd. At another of the road bridges going over the river was stopped and there were several Swallow flying under the bridge, to and from their nests, and Moorhen and Little Grebe on the river, as well as a Blackcap, Blue Tit and Great Tit in nearby bushes. The path then runs through some woodland beside the straightened river. Little was flowering now, but we did see some Nipplewort and Hogweed. We then walked up St. Catherine’s Hill through the chalk grassland. There were many plants flowering. Mostly there was Common Knapweed, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Betony, Harebell and Autumn Hawk-bit. In amongst this there was Small Scabious, Eyebright, Common Rock-rose and Wild Basil. We also saw several Meadow Brown butterflies.
The walk back was less eventful, but we did see House Martin, several patches of Watercress and we ate Stinging Nettle and Elder berries to sustain us!
Simon Curson