Strensall Common SSSI

Friday 14th July 2023

Leader: Keith Gittins

The site covers 579 hectares and is owned by the Ministry of Defence and managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

We met our excellent leader Keith Gittins and he explained the choice of a Friday visit, as this is a `maintenance` day for the Army, therefore no live firing takes place on a Friday.

As the weather forecast was for heavy rain later in the day, he proposed that we made straight for an area of ponds, some distance away. Unusually for a BBG meeting we were soon out of the car park at a steady pace.

We first came to an area known for Marsh Gentians, but we were too early to see them. Nearby was a small enclosure to protect Creeping Willow, this being the food plant of the Dark Beauty Moth. We had a brief view of a Marbled White butterfly.

Since our last visit in 2018, the MOD have fenced off the Military Training Area, complete with electronically locked gates – being Friday these were all open. We shortly came to a series of boardwalks (also new since 2018). There were plenty of marshland plants here. We were able to compare Marsh Bedstraw with the scarcer Fen Bedstraw. Also here were Narrow-leaved Buckler Fern, Bulbous Rush and Slender Rush. Round-leaved Sundew, happily with its white flowers, was found in a nearby ditch.

Upon arrival at Kidney Pond we immediately found Tubular Water-dropwort which was in abundance and the bonus of Velvet Bent. We then walked through a substantial marsh and were able to compare Short-fruited Willowherb with the more sought after Marsh Willowherb, together with Water Forget-me-not whilst being surrounded by the leaves of Marsh Cinquefoil. At the side of the marsh we found a few Bottle Sedges and a small patch of Marsh St. John`s Wort just coming into flower.

We then moved on to Pillwort Scrape. Sadly Pillwort is now extinct at this scrape but there were many delightful plants – the attractive Bog Pimpernel, Water-purslane, Marsh Foxtail, Marsh Cudweed and Tufted Forget-me-not (a nice comparison with the previous Water Forget-me-not) . There was also an outstanding display of Marsh Speedwell. Normally I am excited to find one of these and was amazed that there were well over a hundred here. Marsh Stitchwort was a welcome sight, together with Brackish Water-Crowfoot (Stace = Rare) (Ranunculus baudotti), an unusual find inland as it is normally found in brackish pools near the sea.

We then had lunch nearby during which we all had to put on over-trousers and raincoats!

In the afternoon we took a different route back towards the car park, going through a meadow and inevitably through a long marshy area. Plants seen were a single Trailing St. John`s Wort in flower, several patches of Sheep Sorrel, a few Oval Sedge and another for comparison – Lesser Stitchwort. Marsh Speedwell were again in abundance.

Our final pond also had a vast amount of Marsh Cinquefoil. We stopped to look at a willow overhanging the water, as this is the only Yorkshire site (found in 2019) for Willow Emerald Damselfly. We were able to see the eggs on this willow, from which the larva drop into the water.

On conclusion of the walk we gave grateful thanks to Keith Gittins for sharing his extensive knowledge of the site. We had all had a very good day and the torrential rain didn`t come until the drive home – we felt we had beaten the weather!

Text by Anthony G

Photographs by Nyree F