South-east Yorkshire, v.c. 61

This proved a rather dismal, damp day, and we were grateful to John Hayton of South Fordon Farm for inviting us to park in his farmyard. The morning was spent exploring the East Dale, where we admired a considerable population of Green-winged Orchid Anacamptis morio flowering on the west-facing slope of the upper dale. [Photo - H. Kitson]

A few plants of Clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata and non-flowering Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense were also noted. A limited examination of the North Dale in the afternoon was notable only for a single isolated patch of Sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia flowering in quite short turf.[Photo - R. Lewis]

Following up last year's visit, we aimed to explore this time the more northerly area bordering the river Derwent. The distance from the cars, plus the preceding very wet Spring, prevented as much exploration of this wet woodland as we had hoped, but with those with persistence and/or wellingtons were rewarded with flowering Wood Club-rush Scirpus sylvaticus [found by Bill Dolling - photo R. Lewis]) and Marsh Hawk's-beard Crepis paludosa, both of which are scarce in the vice-county.

The drier woodland on the slopes en route was very overgrown due to canopy loss from Ash Dieback, but the rides supported a fair variety of ground flora, including five species of sedge, Pale Lady's-mantle Alchemilla xanthochlora, Hairy Wood-rush Luzula pilosa, and Giant Bellflower Campanula latifolia.

With the weather finally turned to warm sunshine, Martin Stringer hosted us at his farm near Nunburnholme. In his garden he maintains populations of some once-common cornfield weeds which are now vanishingly rare, among them Shepherd's-needle Scandix pecten-veneris and Corn Buttercup Ranunculus arvensis.[Photos - R. Lewis]

The low-lying areas of the farm, formerly arable, have been managed as meadows for many years now, and support a range of native plants including Saw-wort Serratula tinctoria, Adder's-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and Narrow-leaved Water-dropwort Oenanthe silaifolia.

In exploring this small site courtesy of Natural England, we had the extra expertise of Louise Hill, recorder for vc63. In the western section we found the bog pools increasingly covered by birch woodland, and specimens of plants mentioned in the 1988 citation, such as Marsh cinquefoil Comarum palustre, Marsh Pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Mat-grass Nardus stricta and Cotton-Grass Eriophorum angustifolium, scarce.

The more open acid grassland of the eastern half (photo) had good quantities of Heath Bedstraw Galium saxatile, Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix and Devil's-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis. A variety of grasses and rushes were present, including Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulea and Velvet Bent Agrostis canina.[Photo - R. Lewis]

Halifax Estates once again gave permission to record on their land, this time in monad SE8254, immediately north of where we recorded last year. Rank, ungrazed grassland was the order of the day, among which remnants of an interesting chalk flora were occasionally found, such as Ploughman's Spikenard Inula conyzae, Small Scabious Scabiosa columbaria and Hairy Rock-cress Arabis hirsuta. The water level in the spring-fed pool bordering SE8253 was much higher than on last year's visit, and the marginal flora was sparse - though including a single huge plant of Lesser Water-parsnip Berula erecta. [Photo - R. Lewis]

The broad vehicle track up the dale was lined with a fine display of thistles - especially Nodding, Carduus nutans and Welted, Carduus crispus - and at one point with Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna, on whose leaves Bill Dolling noticed the tiny Belladonna Flea-beetle Epitrix atropae.

An unprompted request from the landowner for a flora survey led to the late scheduling of a visit to this large estate on the Holderness coast. Covering the eastern part in rather poor weather we found only recent plantation woodland, enriched cattle pasture and ruderal flora. We plan to return earlier next year for a better look.