Inside Croydon Wildlife Walk- Roundshaw Downs

A successful visit this morning to Roundshaw Downs with the Inside Croydon Readers group. Roundshaw Downs is part of the North Downs and the habitat is mainly Chalk Grassland with areas of scrub and a small area of Woodland. 

The weather was overcast and fairly cool with a brisk breeze. There were plenty of Skylarks singing and we managed to find a few Chalk Grassland specialities such as Small Blue Butterfly, Pyramidal Orchid, Greater Yellow Rattle, Knapweed Broomrape and good range of other plants and insects.

 Small Blue- we found two in the Paddocks

 Common Blue- a few of these. Other butterflies seen included 3 Painted Lady, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Small White, Brimstone and Ringlet. Day flying moths included Yellow Shell, Burnet Companion and we also found a Heart and Dart.  

 Pyramidal Orchid was the plant highlight of the day. Other chalkland species included Greater Yellow Rattle and Yellow Rattle, Wild Marjoram, Kidney Vetch, Agrimony, Wild Mignonette, Wild Carrot, Hedge Bedstraw, Grass Vetchling and Knapweed Broomrape. 

 Grass Vetchling 

 Broomrape sp. (Knapweed Broomrape is a species listed  for Roundshaw Downs)

Sparrowhawk with what looks like a Great Tit. We also had Hobby, Kestrel and Roger saw a Red Kite. Other bird species included plenty of Skylarks, Whitethroats, the odd Blackcap, Swifts, Song Thrush, Starlings, good numbers of House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff and a few other common woodland species. 

 Inside Croydon Editor Steven Downs and Inside Croydon Readers Group 

 We also bumped into the local Quakers who offered lunch and exchanged a few wildlife sightings 

One from the Beddington Farmlands moth trap last night- Small Elephant Hawkmoth, a new one for the year