Sefton Coast, Merseyside

Ainsdale and Birkdale LNR and Green Beach, Sefton Coast, Merseyside

Saturday 15^th June 2019

Leaders: Josh Styles and Phil Smith

It started drizzling when we reached our meeting point in the car park at the Ainsdale Discovery Centre but our spirits weren’t dampened by the weather and Josh Styles’ enthusiasm was infectious. By the time we had looked at all the plants near the car park, including pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) the drizzle had stopped.

We had a look at the differences, as pointed out by Jesse, between the bracts of three species of mouse-ear; sea mouse-ear (Cerastium diffusum), common mouse-ear (Cerastium fontanum agg.) and little mouse-ear (Cerastium semidecandrum).

We were surprised to see flat sedge (Blysmus compressus) growing on the edge of a car park, normally seen in good quality habitats in the Yorkshire Dales.

Walking along the Kenilworth Road LWS we saw the very rare smooth rupturewort (Herniaria glabra), knotted clover (T.striatum) and clustered clover (T. glomeratum). Some of us commented on the attractive leaves and acid yellow flowers of annual wall-rocket (Diplotaxis muralis).

After lunch the sun came out and we met Phil Smith for our afternoon looking at the green beach. Phil described the idea behind developing the green beaches and the three habitats; sand dunes, freshwater and saltmarsh habitats and the number of species colonising over a short period of time, such as jointed rush (Juncus articulatus), a pioneer species of freshwater habitats.

Amongst the many species were sea mayweed (Tripleurospermum maritimum) and long bracted-sedge (Carex extensa); an upper saltmarsh plant.

Whilst listening to the natterjack toads calling we saw orchids including early marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata var. coccinea), southern marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa), a lovely group of bee orchids (Ophrys apifera), whilst marsh helleborine (Epipactis palustris) was not quite in flower yet.

Dune fescue (Vulpia fasciculata) with rust-coloured flower spikes made an impressive display amongst kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria).

Phil pointed out Salix x friesiana, a very rare hybrid between osier and creeping willow. Josh showed the differences between common spike-rush (Eleocharis palustris) and slender spike-rush (E. uniglumis) and helpfully later on we saw few-flowered spike-rush (E. quiqueflora). Other rarities seen were tubular water-dropwort (Oenanthe fistula) and variegated horsetail (Equisetum variegatum).

Josh spotted a possible intergeneric hybrid between dune fescue and red fescue (F. rubra). Samples will be sent off for a positive identification.

It was a fantastic trip seeing an almost overwhelming number of taxa and it was such a treat to be led by such amazing botantists.

Text by Kay, photographs by Susan and Kay