Saturday, 16^th July : Eastham Rake Woods and Hooton, Wirral Way

Leaders : Sheila and Peter Mason

11 people braved the weather forecast to meet at Eastham Rake and proceeded to Lowfields Woods, noticing on the way a sturdy spread of Enchanter’s Nightshade, Circaea lutetiana. Horse Chestnut trees were showing signs of disease (Leaf Blotch fungus, Guigardia aesculi or Leaf Miner moth, Cameraria ohridella perhaps), which was reported to the Ranger. Fallen trees made the woodland paths unnegotiable and we entered the fields from the estate via the M53 tunnel. A former orchid field was now heavily colonised by Common Fleabane, Pulicaria dysenterica and mauve and white Marsh Thistle, Cirsium palustre and only a few Common Spotted Orchids, Dactylorhiza fuchsii were there. This was compensated by a very fine stand of Marsh Woundwort, Stachys palustris just through the tunnel. This used to be considered the best variety of Woundwort for its healing properties. Another white thistle, this time Creeping Thistle, Cirsium arvense was common here. A propensity for white varieties here at first led us to believe we had a white Tufted Vetch, Viccia cracca but after some discussion no conclusion was reached other than that it was not Tufted Vetch. Likewise a St John’s Wort appeared not to fit any description, although its 2-lined stem suggested Hypericum perforatum.

These fields have been left to grow wild and successful colonising plants grow in abundance, filling the area with colour. We noted Pineappleweed, Matricaria discoidea; Hairy Tare, Vicia hirsuta; Wild Angelica, Angelica sylvestris; Lesser Stitchwort, Stellaria graminea; Bog Stitchwort, Stellaria uliginosa; Hoary Ragwort, Senecio erucifolius; and Red Bartsia, Odontites vernus.

The pond, seriously covered in duckweed, had no dragonflies on this occasion. Abundant Common Spotted Orchids, Branched Burweed, Sparganium erectum, Lesser Bulrush,Typha angustifolia and Water Plantain, Alisma plantago-aquatica were in flower.

Time was pressing so we walked quickly through fields to Hooton Station (facilities included picnic tables!) just in time to miss a heavy downpour.

After lunch we walked down the Wirral Way, noting Yew saplings beginning to take over rough ground with Rosebay, Chamerion angustifolium, Great Willowherb, Epilobium hirsutum, Hemp Agrimony, Eupatorium cannabinum, Common Toadflax, Linaria vulgaris, and Hedge Woundwort, Stachys sylvatica. Waste land behind the path which proved well worth investigating on our last visit, is now buried in huge mounds of earth, but with the Broad-leaved Helleborine, Epipactus helleborine still in evidence on the verge of it. While the numbers of the Helleborine were well down this year, some of the specimens we found were growing strongly. Clumps of a vigorous Hawkweed was thought to be Hieracium vagum, the urban Hawkweed of Northern England. Hairy Brome, Bromus ramosa, grew well under the trees and Water Figwort, Scrophularia auriculata, was found in the ditch beside the path. The pond by Heath Lane bridge was almost dried up but still supported Water Lilies, Nymphaea alba, and Yellow Flag Irises, Iris pseudocorus and Lesser Bulrush, Typha angustifolia and Salix alba were growing strongly. A solitary Golden Melilot, Melilotus altissima was also there. Without some attention, the way to the pond will soon become impenetrable.