Salterns Walk

The Saltings Field at Beeding is a medieval antiquity site close to the river Adur a couple of miles north of Shoreham.


From here we walked a little way along one of the side streams that hold far more interest than than the barren banks of the river proper.
Butterflies seen included about 30 Gatekeeper, 2 Red Admiral, 10 Meadow Brown and single Small Tortoiseshell. Close the stream a large Damselfly with very dark wings flew out of sight behind a brick building. I took this to be the Banded Demoiselle; Calopteryx splendens. (On reflection I am less sure and inclined to prefer Beautiful Demoiselle, C.virgo). Other blue damselfies were commonly seen at a distance beyond identification range. The highlight was as a male Emperor Dragonfly came over the stream and settled onto grass within range of a photo opportunity.
Plants in the stream included Sagittaria sagittifolia, the Arrowhead. Also identified was the Branched bur-reed, Sparganium erectum. The naturalised Canadian Pondweed, Elodea canadensis was also much in evidence.
Crickets and Grasshoppers leapt away from underfoot in the taller grass areas, in a clump of Bramble with unripe blackberries a Dark Bush Cricket was partially concealed by it's drap colouration until it moved and revealed the underside of a bright yellow/green abdomen.
Most of the Blackberries on the large expanse of Bramble were undeveloped but a clump was found with ripe fruit.

(click on images to enlarge)