Gateshead Birder Flora Page

2010 Notable Records and first flowers

June 2010

Rhinanthus minor (Yellow-rattle), Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet), Prunella vulgaris (Selfheal), Silene x hampeana (Pink Campion (S. dioica x latifolia) and the 3rd-5th had Capsella bursa-pastoris (Shepherd's-purse), Petroselinum crispum (Garden Parsley), Galium aparine (Cleavers), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Sinapis arvensis (Charlock), Tragopogon pratensis (Goat's-beard), and Malva sylvestris (Common Mallow) in the Derwenthaugh area.

Petroselinum crispum (Garden Parsley) at Derwenthaugh [George Simpson]

Birtley and Shibdon produced Smooth Meadow-grass (Poa pratensis), Agrostis capillaris (Common Bent), Agrostis stolonifera (Creeping Bent), Arrhenatherum elatius (False Oat-Grass), Cirsium arvense (Creeping Thistle), Trifolium repens (White Clover), Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile), White Campion (Silene latifolia), Sedum acre (Biting Stonecrop), Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Iris) and Lapsana communis (Nipplewort) on the 6th/7th

May 2010

Paddock Hill Woods on the 1st had the following in flower Dactylis glomerata (Cock's-foot), Ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea), Ajuga reptans (Bugle), Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), Three-nerved sandwort (Moehringia trinervia)and Red Campion (Silene dioica) with Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), Hybrid bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massartiana) and Cochlearia danica (Danish Scurvygrass) in flower at Lamesley and Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense) near Ryton
The 2nd had Apple (Malus domestica), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra) in flower at Shibdon Pond and Allium ursinum (Ramsons) at Ouseborough Wood and Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), Dovesfoot Cranesbill (Geranium molle), Water Avens (Geum rivale)and Cardamine amara (Large bittercress) at Beda Hills. Lords & Ladies (Arum maculatum) was noted on 6th at Shibdon and Prickly Sowthistle (Sonchus asper) there the next day.

Lords & Ladies (Arum maculatum) at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Acer campestre (Field Maple), Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse-chestnut), Winter Cress (Barbarea vulgaris), Crosswort (Cruciata laevipes), Broom (Cytisus scoparius subsp. scoparius), Fumaria officinalis (Common Fumitory), Fagus sylvatica (Beech), Doronicum pardalianches (Leopard's-bane), Wood Cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum), Woodruff (Galium odoratum), Lotus corniculatus (Common Bird's-foot-trefoil), Ranunculus repens (Creeping Buttercup) and Garden Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana) were all noted 11th-13th in the Derwenthaugh/Blaydon/Shibdon area.

Common Bird's-foot-trefoil [George Simpson]

The 7th-19th produced Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), Medicago lupulina (Black Medick), Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan), Pentaglottis sempervirens (Green Alkanet), Sambucus nigra (Elder), Reseda lutea (Wild Mignonette) and Vicia hirsuta (Hairy Tare). in the Derwenthaugh and Myosotis sylvatica (Wood Forget-me-not), Myosotis arvensis (Field Forget-me-not), Vicia sepium (Bush Vetch) in the Birtley areas.
Horse radish (Armoracia rusticana), Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) in the Shibdon area on 19th/20th when Mouse-ear Hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum) and Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) was noted at Blaydon and Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) rediscovered at Westfield.

Water Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides), Sorbus intermedia (Swedish Whitebeam), Trifolium pratense (Red Clover), Common Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium ), Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Rosa canina (Dog-rose), Symphytum officinale (Common Comfrey) , Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag ),Eleocharis palustris (Common Spike-rush), Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) and Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) all in flower on 23rd-24th and the 28th producing Rubus fruticosus agg. (Bramble), Anisantha sterilis (Barren Brome), Bromus hordeaceus (Soft-brome), Wall Barley (Hordeum murinum). A good record two days ealier at Tanfield Railway was Sand Spurrey (Spergularia rubra). Potentilla anserina (Silverweed), Galium aparine (Cleavers), Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine), Urtica dioica (Common Nettle) and Geum urbanum (Wood Avens) in the Lamesley/Birtley area on 30th.
Carex pendula (Pendulous Sedge), Calluna vulgaris (Heather), Dactylorhiza purpurella (Northern Marsh-orchid), Elytrigia repens (Common Couch), Ilex aquifolium (Holly), Populus x canadensis 'Robusta' (Hybrid Black Poplar), Populus alba (White Poplar), Populus tremula (Aspen), Papaver rhoeas (Common Poppy), Salix viminalis (Osier), Salix fragilis (Crack-willow) and Rumex acetosa (Common Sorrel) were also seen in flower during the month in the borough

April 2010

The Railway Bridge at Derwenthaugh again had Asplenium trichomanes subsp.quadrivalens (Maidenhair Spleenwort) , Asplenium adiantum-nigrum (Black Spleenwort), and Hartstongue Fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium ) all growing there on the 4th. Wood Anemones (Anemone nemoralis) putting on a grand show at Paddock Hill on 2nd together with Wood-sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) and Ivy-leaved Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) . Barren Strawberry (Potentilla sterilis) was in flower the Derwent valley on the 4th. Shibdon had Cowslip (Primula veris) , Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata) and Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria).

Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata) [George Simpson]

Field Woodrush (Luzula campestris) noted at Blaydon on the 8th when Common Mouse-Ear (Cerastium holosteoides), Downy Birch (Betula pubescens) and Betula pendula (Silver Birch) also noted. On 9th Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) seen in flower at Blaydon. Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and Wild Plum (Prunus domestica) noted at Birtley reedbeds on 11th. Another prunus, Wild Cherry (Prunus avium ) was seen at Shibdon on 14th. Honesty (Lunaria annua) noted at Lamesley on 18th. The first Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta ) were noted on 21st (4 days later than last year). The Clara Vale/Westfield area on 22nd produced Primrose (Primula vulgaris), Carex caryophyllea (Spring-sedge), Greater Tussock Sedge (Carex paniculata) and Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana) with Garlic-mustard (Alliaria petiolata ) at Shibdon. Shibdon/ Derwenthaugh the next day had had Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Smith’s Pepperwort (Lepidium heterophyllum), Common Scurvygrass (Cochlearia officinalis) and Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) with Brassica napus subsp. oleifera (Oil-seed Rape) nearby.

Marsh Marigold at Shibdon [George Simpson]

The same area the following day also had Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor), Thlaspi arvense (Field Penny-cress), Common Mouse-Ear (Cerastium holosteoides), Vicia sativa subsp. segetalis (Common Vetch) and Acer platanoides (Norway Maple) and with Geranium pyrenaicum (Hedgerow Crane's-bill),

Geranium pyrenaicum (Hedgerow Crane's-bill) at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), Tulipa gesneriana (Garden Tulip), Perennial Wall-rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), Cuckoo-flower (Cardamine pratensis), Wood Forget Me Not (Myosotis sylvatica), Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea ), Festuca rubra (Red Fescue), Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet Vernal-grass), Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata) and Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) 27th-30th.

Cuckoo-flower (Cardamine pratensis) at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Also noted in flower during the month were - Cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), Thale Cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant), Wavy bitter-cress (Cardamine flexuosa), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) and Field Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis)

March 2010

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) in flower on 1st and Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) on the 10th. The 13th has Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium) with Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) and Dog`s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis) the next day. Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) was in flower at Shibdon on 16th. The 19th got the first Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifer) in flower, also at Shibdon.
The 22nd found Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium), Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) and Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) in flower Flora. Hairy Woodrush (Luzula pilosa) and Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina ) noted on 27th-31st

February 2010

Common Field Speedwell (Veronica persica) in flower on 9th . Hazel (Corylus avellana), Goat Willow (Salix caprea), Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Dandelion (Taraxacum aggregate) and Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) were seen late in the month between the snow

January 2010

2 species in flower early in month (in the snow) - Oxford Ragwort (Senecio squalidus) and Gorse (Ulex europaeus). Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) at Derwent on 28th.

Gateshead Birders