Saturday 21 July          Kithurst Hill         

Report of the Field Outing to Kithurst Hill on Saturday 20th July

After a hot, sunny day on Friday 19th, it was actually a relief that Saturday started cooler and cloudier. But would the anticipated butterflies be about? We shall see.

Six members gathered in the car park at the top of the Downs. (What a good outcome that this useful parking area is still available after the threat of closure. It is now maintained by Horsham District Council.) We started out firstly to the nearby meadow area. It was delightful to find that the year’s warm and damp conditions had produced a wonderful carpet of wildflowers, although not so many insects and butterflies were immediately apparent. With reference to books, guides and several different Apps, as well as members’ knowledge, great fun was had in verifying our identification decisions.

In addition to Yellow rattle, we noted Marjoram, Hogweed, Greater knapweed, Ragwort, Hedge bedstraw, Lady’s bedstraw, Red clover, Birds foot trefoil, Clematis, Common valerian, Rest harrow, Field scabious, Small scabious, Agrimony, Hemp agrimony , Nettle-leaved bellflower, Black medick, Red bartsia, Tansy, Rough hawkbit, Goatsbeard, Self heal, Wild parsnip, Perennial sow thistle, Meadow sweet, Angelica, Heath groundsel and Eye bright in this area. We had also recorded Skylark, Goldfinch, Buzzard, Raven, Wood pigeon, Great spotted woodpecker and Red kite by this time, in addition to Marbled white, Gate keeper and Large white.

An hour had gone by and a rain shower threatened so we moved on westward, back through the car park, passing a pair of perched Yellow hammers and onto the South Downs Way. En route to the Camel’s Hump, we identified Mugwort, Great willowherb, Red campion, Basil, Upright hedge parsley, Lesser stitchwort, Yarrow, Spear thistle, Tufted vetch, Doves foot cranesbill, Fleabane, Rosebay willowherb and a beautiful patch of Common Thyme. A lone Swift flew overhead.

At the Hump, a Bronze Age Barrow, we could rest and enjoy the fantastic view to the north over the Amberley Wetlands. Surrounding us were specimens of Round-headed rampion, a special Sussex plant. Also enjoyed were Harebell, Crosswort, Common rock rose and the lemon yellow Mouse-eared hawkweed. Small skipper danced about. One member quoted from a Chi Nats report written in 1976 about an outing to this same place. 1976 was a notably hot summer and Corn bunting was recorded then.  But we had to drag ourselves up and make our way back to the car park taking the route through the field immediately to the north of the Way. Immediately, we were treated to a Common Blue ( the only Blue of the day.) Then followed some statuesque Musk thistle as well as Speedwell, Thyme leaved sandwort, Chicory, Herb robert, Great burdock, Hedge woundwort, Rough chervil and Enchanters nightshade. Starlings and Linnets were the extra birds added to our impressive list of about 86 species. Hopefully, more butterflies would be seen on a sunnier day. Refer to the full list made on IRecord on the day in order to see the location of each sighting. For how to access / use IRecord see home page of the Chi Nats website.

Thank you to attendees for their friendly company and happy sharing of knowledge.

Gill Hance
  

Round headed-Rampion - the Pride of Sussex