During the past year, local naturalist Jackie Murray has been visiting the Spinney’s Meadow and noting down any plants of interest that she has noticed, as well as butterflies and birds. Although she did not explore the area thoroughly (so as to minimise the amount of trampling and damage that she might do), Jackie has nevertheless spotted an impressive number of flowering plants and grasses in the meadow area over the season. (In addition there are doubtless many more species that either weren’t in flower when she visited or were too far from her route through the long grass for her to see.)
Many thanks for your interest and input, Jackie!
Meadow: Species survey 2021
Flowers seen in the Meadow 2021
Latin name Common name Date first noted
Agrimonia eupatorium Agrimony 6/7/21
Anacamptis pyramidalis Pyramidal orchid 14/6/21
Arum maculatum Cuckoo-pint 14/4/21
Bellis perennis Daisy 14/4/21
Blackstonia perfoliata Yellow-wort 6/7/21
Centaurea nigra Common knapweed 6/7/21
Centaurium pulchellum Lesser centaury 6/7/21
Dactylorhiza fuchsii Common spotted orchid 14/6/21
Daucus carota Wild carrot 6/8/21
Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted hair-grass 6/7/21
Dipsacus fullonum Wild teasel 6/7/21
Euphrasia ?nemorosa Eyebright sp. 6/8/21
Glechoma hederacea Ground ivy 6/5/21
Helianthemum nummularium Rockrose 6/7/21
Holcus lanatus Yorkshire fog 6/7/21
Hypericum perforatum St. John’s-wort 6/7/21
Hypochaeris radicata Cat’s-ear 14/6/21
Knautia arvensis Field scabious 6/7/21
Leucanthemum vulgare Moon daisy 14/6/21
Lotus corniculatus Bird’s-foot trefoil 14/6/21
Malva moschata Musk mallow 6/7/21
Medicago sativa ssp. sativa Lucerne / Alfalfa 6/8/21
Odontites vernus Red bartsia 6/8/21
Ononis repens Common restharrow 6/7/21
Orphrys apifera Bee orchid 14/6/21
Primula veris Cowslip 14/4/21
P. vulgaris Primrose 19/3/21
Plantago media Hoary Plantain 14/6/21
P. radicata Ribwort plantain 14/6/21
Ranunculus acris Creeping buttercup 14/6/21
R. ficaria Lesser celandine 19/3/21
Rhinanthus minor Yellow-rattle 14/6/21
Trifolium dubium Lesser trefoil 14/6/21
T. pratense Red clover 23/5/21
T. repens White clover 14/6/21
Veronica chamaedrys Germander speedwell 14/6/21
Vicia sativa Common vetch 14/6/21
V. tetrasperma Smooth tare 6/7/21
Viola riviniana Dog violet 19/3/21
Grasses seen in the Meadow 2021
(some of the most noticeable species – a very incomplete list!)
Brachypodium sylvaticum False brome 6/7/21
Briza media Quaking grass 14/6/21
Dactylis glomerata Cock’s-foot 6/7/21
Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted hair-grass 6/7/21
Holcus lanatus Yorkshire fog 6/7/21
Phleum pratense Timothy 6/7/21
Butterflies seen in the Meadow 2021
(Not a full study, just species observed while monitoring plants)
Common blue
Green-veined white
Large white
Marbled white
Meadow brown
Peacock
Small heath
Small skipper
Small tortoiseshell
Small white
Specked wood
(In addition there are many day-flying moths, but only Six-spot burnet was identified)
Birds seen in the Meadow 2021
Blackbird
Blue tit
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Collared dove
Crow
Great tit
House sparrow
Jackdaw
Kestrel
Lesser whitethroat
Long-tailed tit
Magpie
Pheasant
Red kite
Robin
Rook
Skylark
Song thrush
Whitethroat
Wood pigeon
Wren