On
a pleasant morning after heavy overnight rain, 13 members led by Pam started a
walk through Setthorns Inclosure. The name Setthorns is derived from the practice of sowing acorns with thorn
seed, to help prevent young plants being grazed. There was plenty of bird song,
and Angela pointed out the call of a
Bullfinch, which we then saw perched above us.
After
leaving the main track we picked our way down a very wet and muddy path, and
took the opportunity to refresh our identification of lichens, one short branch
had Parmelia caperata, Usnea, and Evernia prunastri (Oak Moss) growing on it. At the bottom of the
path we had a good view of two Siskins and a Dunnock, which were on the ground
around the puddles. Here the shoots of Bluebells were also showing.
We
then turned onto one of the main tracks
leading up to the turning for Hill Tops and Pine Top caravan site. Along
the way we saw 2 Buzzards soaring overhead, then a Jay, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit,
Song Thrush and more Siskin, hearing the cooing of a Stock Dove in the
background. As we walked through the extensive caravan park we came across a
small herd of Shetland ponies resting between the vans, along with several fat
Grey Squirrels scurrying around. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming and
was also seen.
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| Yellow Brain |
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| Two Victorian bridges |
On
reaching the disused railway track known as Castleman’s Corkscrew, which
originally ran from Southampton to Dorchester via the New Forest, we turned
right to follow the track. Several Hart’s-tongue Ferns were growing at the base
of the steep tree lined embankments, also Hard Ferns were present. We then
passed under 2 fine Victorian brick built bridges before coming into the open
to look at a bright yellow orange fungus, Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica, growing on gorse. Interestingly further on
Wall-rue, a small lime loving fern was growing on the lime mortar between the
old brick work.
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| Turkeytail |
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| Bracken Map |
Finally
we turned back into the inclosure taking a close look at wood stacks to find
the lichen Cladonia and noting the
many variations in the bracket fungus Turkeytail Trametes virsicolor growing beside Bitter Oysterling Panellus stipticus.
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| Bitter Oysterling |
Other Birds:- Magpie, Jackdaw, Robin, Chaffinch,
Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tit,
Goldfinch and Carrion Crow.
Butterflies:- Brimstone.
Other fungi:- Bracken Map Rhopographus filicinus and Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum (PP)
Photos © Richard Coomber