PRICKLES AND POPPIES

"That damned elusive Pimpernel" was how the undercover hero was described in the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel, as he tried to rescue aristocrats from the guillotine during the French revolution. A stroll in the sunshine round Willoughby car park on Saturday 2nd revealed one or two delights. On some recently disturbed ground, it wasn't too hard to find the "elusive" scarlet pimpernel with the small red flowers open wide to the sun. The plant is actually quite common on the bare ground on Mersea, as it is on the mainland.

In the cooler corner where the ground may be a bit damper, there were a handful of common spotted orchids getting ready to flower. This was the biggest specimen pictured above, which took a bit of finding amongst the tall grass. The pale pink flowers should be out in another two or three weeks time.

Flourishing on some bare soil was this large clump of common fumitory pictured below, a typical plant of waste ground and arable field margins. Supposedly if the roots are pulled up, the strong acrid smell is similar to the fumes of nitric acid and this "smoke of the earth" gives the plant its name.
It has only been in the last week that the bright red flowers of poppies have sprung up in various corners of the Island. Always eye-catching, these common plants are always a favourite with many people. They are at their most striking in a farmer's field if the herbicide misses a section, which allows them to flourish. Elsewhere we have to make do with small patches where the soil has been recently disturbed.
The diggers have been working on the corner at Waldegraves trying to build up the sea defences. The churned up soil has spurred the poppies into action where they can make the most of the lack of competition from other plants. When the diggers move out of the way, they will have a fantastic view out to sea.

It was perfect weather for enjoying the beach and many families were taking advantage of the sea, sand and sunshine. For those with an interest in the plant-life, it was really encouraging to find good numbers of sea holly plants dotted along the beach. Their very distinctive prickly leaves have a bluey-green colour and some of the bigger plants had flowers in their very early stages.

Beach lovers who enjoy lying on the sand need to know which plants could give them an uncomfortable time. Obviously the sea holly but this lone slender thistle pictured below, looks a bit vulnerable to being flattened. Slender thistle is found in a handful of sites close to the beach on the Island and currently is showing lots of tiny, compact pink flowers. One clump of flowers at the park was being enthusiastically picked over by a pair of goldfinches the other day.
The bright sun, fresh sea breeze, lots of folk and the high tide limited the variety of other wildlife on show. In Willoughby, mistle thrush, greenfinch, house martins and lots of young squawking starlings were noted along with speckled wood and holly blue butterflies.
A pied wagtail skipped amongst the beach-huts whilst out at sea small groups of oystercatchers flew past.