Marley Farm, near Bingley

Wednesday 14th May

Leaders: Martin Stone & Meg Stone

On a sunny warm evening, a group of us met to look at various habitats at Marley Farm, which includes ancient woodland, birch and hawthorn scrub, remnant moorland, wet grassland and bog, including Transfield Marsh, which is a Local Wildlife Site.

After a brief introduction from Martin and Meg Stone, we walked in to sheep-grazed permanent pasture which they’re hoping to restore to species-rich grassland through the Sustainable Farming Initiative scheme. Walking through the fields we recorded species including occasional oval sedge (Carex leporina), common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris). Further on we saw great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and lesser trefoil (Trifolium dubium) on a grassy bank. Walking up the hill we saw field wood-rush (Luzula campestris), tormentil (Potentilla erecta) and thyme-leaved speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia), which gradually became a woody glade with hazel (Corylus avellana), silver birch (Betula pendula) and lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina) along a beck.

We explored a pond containing blunt-leaved bog-moss (Sphagnum palustre) and broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans). Bruce also showed us some bulbous rush (Juncus bulbosus). In Transfield Marsh we found marsh valerian (Valeriana dioica) in flower, as well as common sedge (Carex nigra) and the leaves of marsh hawksbeard (Crepis palustris) which are pink at the bottom of the stem (a feature in Poland’s Vegetative Key). We walked to another boggy area with marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), then another boggy area with a lovely show of bugle (Ajuga reptans) in flower and yellow pimpernel (Lysimachia nemorum) on the bank.

Then we walked towards the acid grassland and found pill sedge (Carex pilulifera) and Bruce showed us heath wood-rush (Luzula multiflora) in flower. We walked back through the council-owned woodland and back to the meeting place. It was a lovely, enjoyable evening.

Text by Kay

Photographs by Sky & Kay