Following lunch taken in a variety of places we made our way to Burton Leonard limestone quarry. We experienced squally showers en route and extremely windy conditions interspersed with periods of calm and sunshine towards the end of the day. The limestone grassland was a treasure trove of plants. Twayblade, an early flowering orchid, was present in considerable numbers. The hillside was covered in Burnet Rose with one or two flowers emerging. The Common Spotted orchids were just starting to flower. Other notable plants included Salad Burnet, Dog's Mercury, Hoary Rock Cress, Quaking Grass but no Rock Rose. 70 flowering plants were recorded on this site. The birds, although present evidenced by bird song, were not easy to identify as they made their short flights between bushes and trees in extremely windy conditions. 17 bird species were recorded including Swift, Dunnock,and Goldfinch. Alas no butterflies!
We returned to the picturesque village of Burton Leonard down a country road lined with Cow Parsley with vistas of the rich agricultural grassland of North Yorkshire.
A satisfying day out enjoyed by a party of 12. Thanks to Sue for driving and Joan and Eric for leading our walks.
Margaret