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Spring has sprung on Troopers Hill
--- Posting from our now closed Forum ---
At the Greendown hedge the blackthorn was in blossom 
.
Crossing to Sally's Glade the pussy willow was in all stage from soft furry to wild-haired Muppet.
The wild plum (correct me if it's cherry) had beautiful blossoms each with a maroon centre.
.
Crossing next door to the Field a Norway Maple had dropped several blossoms and was a picture in yellow.
Enjoy,
Susan
Posted by Susan, Mar 23, 2011 1:00 am
Oh and does anyone know what's attacking the holly by the entrance below Greendown? 
Posted by Susan, Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:31 am
Wonderful pics, Susan!
- and, probably, Holly Leaf miner fly, see
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/pro ... px?pid=531
the ones in our garden have it too.
Bryn
Posted by Bryn, Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:42 pm
Thanks, Bryn. I think you are absolutely correct. I found the Natural History Museum has a photo of the holly leaf miner as a pupa. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/common-species/phytomyza-ilicis/index.html and armed with its Latin name, Phytomyza ilicis, I was able to check whether it had been recorded on Troopers Hill before. I looked at surveys listed on the Wildlife page http://www.troopers-hill.org.uk/wildlife.htm of this website.
The holly leaf miner did not appear in any of the reports that we have so I will ask "web master" whether we can have species lists on the website where they have been identified outside official surveys.
All the best,
Susan
Posted by Susan, Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:19 pm
More spring stuff - I forgot to include my photos of new leaves unfurling on the hazel in the hedge on Greendown - sorry, I missed taking a photo of the catkin stage. Is there anyone out there who can add that one?
This morning I saw the catkins were out on the hornbeam trees in Troopers Hill Field - it looks a picture at the moment with the yellow of the Norway maple trees covered in yellow blossom contrasting with the hornbeam coming into leaf.
Apologies for my shopping bag creeping into the picture. 
I noticed the poplars in the wood dropped loads of bright red catkins a few weeks ago but hadn't noticed the ones on the Field doing it - maybe different types of poplar have different catkins or maybe they are all blown into the allotments.
Posted by Susan, Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:01 pm
I had a call from Jules today to say we had a bank of violets in bloom on Troopers Hill. This is a bank that was cleared of cotoneaster, cherry trees, hawthorn and holm oak to prevent further spread of the trees into the special heath and grass land. All sorts of plants seem to be growing in this patch now but the violets were looking particularly good. I think they may be a garden escapee type, which may not necessarily be a good thing to have on the Hill, but I am not a violet expert and they are looking pretty and the insects seem to like them. Photos below.
Posted by Susan, Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:50 pm
..and there was a clump of dead nettles nearby. I am sure if this was not such a common plant we would all be planting it in our gardens. I find it a very attractive plant.
Posted by Susan, Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:00 pm
.. and the cherry trees planted by pupils from Summerhill School in Troopers Hill Field are blossoming
Posted by Susan, Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:21 pm
