Field Meeting

Leader: Frances Abraham (Sussex Botanical Recording Society member)After 15 months with no Field Meeting due to Covid-19 restrictions, it was a great pleasure for 16 members to meet up again. Visitors are not permitted yet.Ebernoe Common is a National Nature Reserve, owned and managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust,   It is a Low Weald woodland and […]

Leader: Andy Swan (HNHS Member)Andy gave a brief history of the Common, particularly the impact of Canadian Army Camps in WW1 and WW11, whereby mortar from buildings and materials for roads have altered the pH allowing calcareous-loving plants to survive and plants brought in to maintained gardens have spread. Examples of these are Carline Thistle, […]

eader: Scotty Dodd (Entomologist)Myrtle Farm was a new venue for the Society.  The farm owners had requested that numbers be limited but were kind enough to allow an afternoon visit too.With 16 acres of pasture and 10 acres of woodland the aim is to promote a more natural landscape and increase biodiversity, habitats and carbon […]

Leader: Phil Darley (HNHS Member)The rare butterfly in the south of England, the Wood White, made its first emergence of the summer brood on the very day of this field meeting.During the hot, sunny morning many species of butterfly were in high numbers and very active:  Small Heath, Marbled White, Purple Hairstreak, Gatekeeper and Large […]

Leader: Murray Marr accompanied by Friends of Midhurst Common.Murray has studied the history of the Common in detail, has made maps going back to 1550 and kindly produced a leaflet for our 12 members.200 years ago Scots Pine was introduced on the bare heath as ornamental planting and with little grazing and being self-seeded has […]

Leader:  Jane Willmott (Reserve Manager)Sussex Wildlife Trust took over the Common in 2010 and removed many rhododendron plants and pine trees to bring it back to open heathland.  The large pond was probably used for shooting.The Common is renowned for its spider population.  Found were: a tiny, white-flowered sundew (previously not recorded here) and a bright-orange female of […]

Leader: Martyn Phillis (HNHS Member)Weather conditions were very promising at the start of our walk. A warm, still evening with 90% cloud cover was ideal to bring out the insects, and following them, the bats.Soprano pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus were the first to emerge, shortly after sunset. High amongst the tall conifers, north-west of the pond, they flitted […]

Leader: Paul Stevens (Sussex Amphibian & Reptile Group Committee member)With more than 20 years’ experience of recording amphibians and reptiles, Paul led members across part of Heyshott Common, which is on the other side of the road from Ambersham Common.He had carried out a full survey of the site during the previous week and had […]

Leader: Andy Swan (HNHS member)Three traps were set up, tree trunks had been smeared and wine ropes dipped in a special concoction. After a slow start lots of pug moths were found, several different species of thorns and then a Brimstone Moth and a Barred Sallow.  Two Copper Underwing alighted on tree trunks.The traps remained out […]

Leader: Andy Swan (HNHS Member)The conditions were near-ideal.  Descending to Cooper’s Stream identified were: Chanterelle, Hedgehog Mushroom and large number of “Jellybabies.” In more open areas were: a large Orange Birch Bolete and the Parasitic Bolete which grows from old Common Earthballs, but is found only very sporadically.Colourful finds were:  Amethyst Deceiver, Fly Agaric, Yellow […]