Saturday June 19th : Assisted Chris Huggins, the Country Park Ranger, with a wild flower walk at Mill Meadows, in TQ6894. Six members of the Mill Meadows Support Group attended and despite the weather, which varied between early March and late March, depending on whether the sun came out of hiding or not, we had an enjoyable walk. The site's star attraction at this time of year is a fine display of Common Spotted Orchids. One of the volunteers had counted 5260 spikes a week or so ago but, unfortunately, grazing cattle had broken through a nearby fence line in the interim and although quickly removed they had made the most of this opportunity to stuff their bellies with blooms, leaving swathes of flowerless spikes behind. Good numbers still remained on view, though, while it was also pleasing to see Yellow Rattle in a native setting, rather than so obviously planted, as it has been in many areas. Other species of note included Ragged Robin and Devil's-bit Scabious but we had less luck with Sneezewort, Harebell, Spiked Sedge, Heath Grass and Ivy-leaved Crowfoot, all of which have been recorded here in recent years. Of particular interest to me were several plants of Corky-fruited Water Dropwort, a species that, Ken Adams assures me, is turning up here, there and everywhere in Essex nowadays but which had never come my way before and is a new species for this site. In total we recorded around 130 species during our two hour stroll and these will now be added to the Botany Group's Third Essex Flora database.
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