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Wednesday 4 July 2012

Stargate and the Spetchells

Had my first visit to The Spetchells  awhile ago started off at Stargate a reclaimed Gravel Pit / Landfill site looking for Broad bodied Chaser a pleasant enough day with sunny spells 2 Four Spot Chasers and numerous Damselflies first Common Blue of the year and some nice spikes of Bee Orchids also Common Spotted and I think Northern Marsh Orchid, no sign of the BBC ( but in the longer sunny spells of the afternoon they where reported  again.)
Th Spetchells  are spoil heaps of chalk from a chemical works that operated till the 60's , if these are the waste the actual production much have been huge the sides are steep and the top is fairly flat they must contain millions of tons of chalk, I found plenty of Marjoram, Yellow Rattle ,Bird's foot Trefoil, etc: some Wild Strawberry,and numerous plants not in flower at the time , the sun came out for awhile and it was very hot up on the top , I would like to visit this again but perhaps with someone that know's Botany .

 Bee Orchid a stunning flower


 These where along the path , huge areas of Himalayan Balsam, and Giant Hogweed along the river 

 Common Blue with a wing deformity 


 A couple of day flying Moths this one common
 Don't know this one  could not get any nearer to it
 Speckled Wood


2 comments:

Johnnykinson said...

Nice to see you've got B.O. again.

Bee Orchids !!!!!!

Northumbrian Birding said...

Cheers John not been to Cobalt yet to check those out yet !
Brian