2004 Northamptonshire 12th September One Day Meeting
Three people from the London area joined me at Daventry Country Park an area of exposed shoreline where I had in 2003 carried out some willow clearance. Because of the high rainfall the number of species was limited but this management of the shoreline produced this year Limosella aquatica (mudwort), Gnaphalium uliginosum(marsh cudweed), Rorippa palustris (marsh yellowcress), and Veronica catenata (pink water speedwell) amongst other plants. Myosoton aquaticum (water chickweed) was present by the main path to the car park.
Next stop was Ravensthorpe Reservoir which is a popular place for anglers. Again the water levels were high but species found included Rumex maritimus (golden dock), R. palustris (marsh dock), Bidens tripartita (trifid bur-marigold) and Persicaria hydropiper (water pepper). With Wellington boots I was able to get to good patches of Eleocharis acicularis (needle spike-rush) and Littorella uniflora (shoreweed). The latter could be a new record as it was only recorded from two sites in the Flora of Northamptonshire 1995.
Last port of call was Harlestone Firs just outside Northampton. This area was heathland years ago but it is now conifer woodland popular with dog walkers and others. However a cleared area by the sawmill in the centre of the firs is turning up some good plants. Species that were seen on our visit included Veronica officinalis(heath speedwell), Ulex minor (dwarf gorse) and Hypericum humifusum (trailing St John's wort). Another cleared but replanted area of the wood produced abundant Ceratocapnos claviculata (climbing corydalis).
Thank you to the three people who turned up and joined on this interesting day in Northamptonshire.
BRIAN LANEY