A stroll in Hornchurch Country Park

efog hornchurch 150531 5551artOn Sunday 31st May Paul led us on an approximately 3 mile nature walk around Hornchurch Country Park. This was a former RAF base used in the 1st & 2nd World Wars, and was an important Spitfire base protecting London in the Battle of Britain, hence the model Spitfire used as a climbing exercise near the Squadron’s Approach entrance. efog hornchurch 150531 5566artNow, thankfully, it is a haven of peace and serenity, given over to wildlife and the enjoyment of the public. The Ingrebourne River meanders through the Park and the Ingrebourne Valley Nature Reserve and the wildflowers, plants, trees, insects and birdlife was varied and plentiful. Paul, our leader, was the source of a wealth of knowledge and information. We were lucky to hear a Cuckoo and to see a Bee Orchid, amongst other birds and plants.

efog hornchurch 150531 5558arWe reached Ingrebourne Hill, a man-made summit, and Paul guided us through taking accurate compass bearings (not always as easy as it sounds) of various distant landmarks in Essex, Kent and London. Pam’s dog, Robbie, found a new (and much bigger) friend up there to play with as we concentrated on our compasses.

Afterwards some of us enjoyed a pub lunch before heading home.

This is one of the things I love about this club – this is somewhere fairly close at hand which I would not normally have visited but how worthwhile, enjoyable and informative our outing here proved to be.

Lynne E., 4th June 2015

Paul Ferris, Fred, Jenefer, Lynne, Maz, Pam, Peter, Trevor

...some trees that we looked at:
Ash
Aspen
Elder
Field Maple
Hawthorn
Poplar
Silver Birch

...some flowers:
Bee Orchid
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Blackthorn
Black Medick
Buttercup
Californian Poppy
Chard
Comfrey
Common Vetch
Cow Parsley
Cranesbills (including Cut-leaved)
Dog Rose
Dogwood
Fennel
Grass Vetchling
Hairy Tare
Hoary Cress
Hop Trefoil
Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon (Goatsbeard)
Mallow
Mugwort
Ox-eye Daisy
Poppy
Red Campion
a Spurge (Euphorbia)
Shepherd's Purse
Stinging Nettle
Tufted Vetch
White Campion
White Bryony
White Dead-nettle

...and some birds that we saw or heard:
Blackcap
Canada Goose
Chiffchaff
Common Whitethroat
Coot
Cuckoo
House Martin
House Sparrow
Lapwing (Peewit)
Sedge Warbler
Skylark
Starling
Swift
Willow Warbler
Wood Pigeon

Paul Ferris, 5th June 2015