Common Wood

Since the original survey of 168 species, lodged with the County Museum , a number of further species found at Common Wood have been added.   From 1989 to the present day, members of Wycombe Wildlife Group have been visiting Common Wood on a regular basis  and written records have been kept.   Though the birds and fungi noted have revealed few new species, 18 species of butterfly and five moths,  which were not originally included , have been added, plus 10 further plants, bringing the total species to well over 200.

Though the original  site description still holds good, it has to be pointed out that there has been  frequent timber extraction, with one section clear felled in 1989, and the remaining mature trees severely damaged by subsequent gales in 1990 .   There is now considerable regeneration in the areas affected, with larch, birch, bracken and brambles,

creating a totally different atmosphere  from that previously attained.   Silver birch has an insect rating of 334, which makes it an ideal habitat for insectivorous birds , summer migrants in particular, and the song of chiff-chaff and willow-warbler can regularly be heard.   The yellowhammer, a bird on the original survey list, was again heard in 2002.   It is a species whose numbers  are dwindling on a national level   

The current more open nature of Common Wood has also been good for butterflies , with a huge increase of Marbled Whites and others in 2000 (see list)   As in the adjacent Penn Wood , the Purple Hairstreak has also been recorded

With the bluebells and the conspicuous red bracts of the larch in the spring, the birdsong in summer , the varied and coloured fungi in autumn, such as the white conical caps of the Shaggy Ink-cap and the red spotted Fly Agaric, the brilliant green of mosses in winter, Common Wood is a delightful place, rivalling its neighbour, Penn Wood .  Its interesting and varied flora and fauna, its diverse habitats of mature woodland and open heath, make it an ideal spot for human recreation, and it would be a pity if it were to be broken up under different ownerships, so that walkers and horse-riders were unable to pass freely from one section to another, as has     already happened where certain areas have already been sold.

It needs to be preserved as a single entity , for the enjoyment of all, and for the benefit of its wildlife, which would not continue to thrive without unified management.

Butterflies

Names                                                                         Maximum numbers seen in 2000

1.Small Skipper           (Thymelicus sylvestris)                                               10

2.Essex Skipper           (Thymelicus lineola)                                                   3

3.Large Skipper           (Ochlodes venata)                                                      3

4.Brimstone                 (Gonepteryx rhamni)                                                  3

5.Large White             (Pieris brassicae)                                                         2

6.Small White             (Artogeia rapae)                                                         2

7.Green-Veined White (Artogeia napae)                                                       1

8.Purple Hairstreak     (Quercusia quercus)                                                   1

9.Red Admiral                         (Vanessa atalanta)                                                      1

10.Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urtica)                                                 1

11.Peacock                   (Inachis io)                                                                 3

12.Comma                   (Polygonia c.album)                                                  1

13. Painted Lady        (Cynthia cardui)                                                         1

14..Speckled Wood    (Pararge aegeria)                                                       4

15.Marbled White       (Melanargia galathea)                                     40 plus

16.Gatekeeper               (Pyronia tithonius)                                                    20

17.Meadow Brown       (Maniola jurtina)                                                       3

18.Ringlet                     (Aphantopus hyperantus)                                          20 plus

 

Moths

1.Elephant Hawkmoth  (Deilephila elpenor) (larva)

2.Green Silver-lines        (Psuedoips fagana)(larva)

3. Silver Y                      (Autographa gamma)

4.Cinnabar                      (Tyria jacobaeae) (larva)

5.Buff-tip                        (Phalera bucephala)

Birds

1.      Sparrowhawk              (Accipiter nisus)

2.      Kestrel                         (Falco tinnunculus)

3.      Pheasant                      (Phasianus colchicus)             

4.   Woodcock                   (Scolopax rusticola) 

5.   Woodpigeon               (Columba palumbus)

6.   Tawny Owl                 (Strix aluco)

7.   Green Woodpecker     (Picus viridis)

8.   Great SpottedWoodpecker     (Dendrocopos major)

9.   Tree pipit                     (Anthus trivialis)

10. Wren                           (Troglodytes troglodytes)

11.. Dunnock                    ( Prunella modularis)

12.  Robin                         (Erithacus rubecula)

13.  Blackbird                   (Turdus merula)

14.  Song  Thrush              (Turdus philomelos)

15.  Mistle Thrush             (Turdus viscivorus)

16.  Garden Warbler         (Sylvia borin)

17.  Blackcap                    (Sylvia atricapilla)

18.  Willow Warbler          (Phylloscopus trochilus)

19.  Chiffchaff                  (Phylloscopus collybita)

20.  Goldcrest                   (Regulus regulus)

21.  Long-tailed Tit           (Aegithalos caudatus)

22 . Coal Tit                      (Parus ater)

23.. Blue Tit                      (Parus caeruleus)

24.  Great Tit                     (Parus major)

25.. Nuthatch                    (Sitta europea)

26   Treecreeper                 (Certhia familiaris)

27.  Jay                              (Garrulus glandarius)

28.  Jackdaw                     (Corvus monedula)

29   Starling                       (Sturnus vulgaris)

30   Chaffinch                   (Fringilla coelebs)

31. Greenfinch                 (Carduelis chloris)

32   Goldfinch                   (Carduelis carduelis)

33.  Bullfinch                    (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

34.  Yellowhammer           (Emberiza citrinella)

35.  Magpie                       (Pica pica)

36  Rook                          (Corvus fragilegus)

37.  Carrion Crow             (Corvus corone corone)

38.  Cuckoo                       (Cuculus canorus)

Fungi October 2002

Armillaria mellea                     (Honey Fungus)

Collybia  butyracea *              (Buttercap)

Amanita citrina                       (False Death Cap)

Mycena pura var.rosea *

Cortinarius pseudosalor *

Lyophyllum connatum

Coprinus comatus                   (Shaggy Ink Cap)

Hypholoma fasciculare           (Sulphur Cap)

Stereum hirsutum *                 (Hairy Stereum)

Trametes  versicolor *             (Many-zoned Polypore)

(Formerly Coriolus versicolor)

Phallus impudicus                   (Stinkhorn)

Dacrymyces stillatus

Rhytisma acerinum                 (Tar  Spot Fungus)

Trochila ilicina

Diatrype disciformis *

Biscogniauxia nummularia

(Formerly Hypoxylon nummularium)

Phragmidium violaceum

Sparassis crispa                       (Cauliflower Fungus)

Amanita muscaria *                Fly Agaric

 

 * =  Also seen in 1993

 

Other Fungi seen  between 1993 and 2000

Amanita rubescens

Laccaria laccata

Laccaria amethystea

Marasmius androsaceus

Russula ochroleuca

Russula cyanoxantha

Russula nigricans

Paxillus involutus

Hydnum repandum

Hypholoma fasciculare

Coprinus atranentarius

Coprinus micaceus

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca

Lactarius sp

Crepidotus variabilis

Boletus sp

Grifola frondosa

Piptoporus betulinus

Calocera viscosa

Xylaria hypoxylon

Daldinia  concentrica

Pholiota adiposa

Daedalea quercina

Neottiella (Peziza) rutilans

Exidia glandulosa

Mycena haematopus

Lepista nuda              

Wood Blewitt (1999)

 

Plants& Trees

Buddleja davidii                                             Buddleia

Circium arvensae                                             Creeping Thistle

Silene dioica                                                    Red Campion

Senecio sp                                                       Ragwort

Pentaglottis sempervivens                               Green  Alkanet

Tussilago farfara                                             Coltsfoot

Pseudosuga menziesii                                     Douglas Fir

Hypochoeris radicata                                      Cat’s Ear

Melissa officinalis                                           Balm

 

Recorders

Eric Britnell

Mrs E.P.Morris

Roy Morris

Roger Wilding

Fungi were also recorded during a fungus foray led by Victor Scott in 1993