Berry Camp Branscombe

I've been out and about locally quite a lot in the last week but just haven't found the time to blog. I've got quite a backlog again! On Saturday I took a walk along the cliff-tops to the west of Branscombe around the Berry Camp area. This is an area of chalk grassland with the remains of either an Iron Age hill fort or possibly Roman camp. Unfortunately for the flora the whole area is quite extensively grazed by cattle but there are some nice plants to be found on the steeper more inaccessible areas and on the cliff edge.

View from Berry Camp to the west, Sidmouth in the distance.

Weld - Reseda luteola

Black Horehound - Ballota nigra

Wood Sage - Teucrium scorodonia

Lady's Bedstraw - Galium verum

Common Spotted Orchid - Dactylorhiza fuchsii with Female Thick-legged Flower Beetle - Oedemera nobilis

Common Spotted Orchid

Heath Groundsel - Senecio sylvaticus

Pasture above Littlecombe Shute, too steep for most of the cows.

Steeper parts had lots of flowers.

Bird's Foot Trefoil -  Lotus corniculatus

Showing here why it's often known as 'Bacon and Eggs'

Eyebright - Euphrasia sp.

Due to the purplish,crowded, fleshy leaves and habitat I'd have a guess at Euphrasia tetraquetra

 Small Scabious -  Scabiosa columbaria

 

   Common Restharrow - Ononis repens

Common Rockrose -  Helianthemum nummularium

Hoary Plantain -  Plantago media

Pyramidal Orchid - Anacamptis pyramidalis

There weren't many birds about apart from lots of Rooks, Herring Gulls and a few Ravens. A small flock of Goldfinches feeding on Musk Thistles were a charming sight though.