March 5th is chilly and sunless with possible freezing weather still to come but the bund is covered in green shoots from a range of plants which will flower later in the year. This time last year it was still bare earth.
There is plenty of Red Dead Nettle and what we think is Scentless Mayweed foliage all along the bund. We’ve also seen the leaves of Common Daisies and Ox Eye Daisies, Yarrow, Salad Burnet, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Dandelion, Clover, Silverweed, Plantains, Buttercups, Scurvy Grass, Cranesbill Geraniums and plants from the Vetch family. You can read about Tufted Vetch, Meadow Vetchling and Common Vetch in our Flowers section.
When we went to look at where the Sea Rocket came through for the first time last year, we found another mystery plant. We think this is Greater Honeywort which is a pollinator favourite but more usually seen in gardens. Its seed may have been carried here by a bird. If it survives it will have striking looking dark purple blossoms.
Sadly , we also found a dead hare – possibly killed by a dog – and a dead starfish. We are guessing a gull carried it up from the shore and then lost it.
The final surprise was a small collection of what looked like Mower’s Mushrooms. This is a member of the Little Brown Mushroom class apparently. Mushrooms in this group are challenging to ID.
It’s so encouraging to see all the green foliage already covering the bund. A few weeks of sunshine are going to make all the difference!