7th May 2008 Malvern Group walk starting from opposite the Knapp & Papermill Reserve entrance, Alfrick Pound (GR SO 752 521). Approx. 3 miles. Through Brookpatch, then left onto Sandlin Lane, round sharp left-hand bend then left to cross old hopfield parallel to the Suckley road, left to cross road at Ashfield, then down meadow past old black poplars to cross Leigh brook. Along brook skirting round Combe Hill coppice, then across meadows to Hopton Lane. Right then left, skirting Hopton Court to Leigh brook again, then along brook past Brook Cottage, keeping to right-hand side of brook through meadows and old orchard to Sandy Lane, then left to Suckley road opposite reserve entrance. Several areas of rough undisturbed old orchard , woodland and scrubby meadow, good wildlife habitats.
Birds heard (Brookpatch): cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), robin (Erithacus rubecula), whitethroat (Sylvia communis ?), blackbird (Turdus merula), garden warbler (Sylvia borin), willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus). Also long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus), blue tit (Parus caeruleus), great tit (Parus major), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), skylark (Alauda arvensis), mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus), blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), stock dove (Columba oenas), kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).
Birds seen: kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), buzzard (Buteo buteo), kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).
Butterflies: speckled wood (Pararge aegeria), small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), peacock (Inachis io), holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines).
Wildflowers: bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), ramsons (Allium ursinum), cowslip (Primula veris), false oxlip (Primula x polyantha), herb robert (Geranium robertianum), shining cranesbill (Geranium lucidum), black medick (Medicago lupulina).
Misc.: black poplars (Populus nigra ssp. betulifolia), midland hawthorn (Crataegus leavigata), common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), wood (?) melick (Melica uniflora?),
16th July 2008 St Wulstan’s Nature Reserve, Upper Welland (SO782413) - Malvern Group ramble. Some open reclaimed brownfield site, meadow, edge of woodland, scrub, damp areas. Good habitat for butterflies.
Flowers/plants seen: yarrow (Acillea millefolium), bindweed, clover (white, probably Trifolium repens), buttercup, bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), St John’s wort, hawkweed, lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum), Dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria), ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), hairy tare (Vicia hirsuta), tufted vetch (Vicia cracca), teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), rose bay willow herb (Chamerion angustifolium), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), tormentil (Potentilla erecta), marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre), herb ennet (Geum urbanum), herb robert (Geranium robertianum), cleavers (Galium aparine), hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica), agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), melilot , broad-leaved willow herb (Epilobium montanum), enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana), old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba), common knapweed (Centaurea nigra).
Butterflies: 2 gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus), 1 small skipper (Thymelicus flavus), meadow browns (Maniola nurag), marbled whites (Melanargia (galathea) (incl. one feeding on clover).
Birds: peregrine falcon (Falco pergrinus).