A good start to the New Year

... If a little cold and wet.

Seven of us set out on Saturday 3rd January to take part in the BSBI New Year Plant Hunt 2015. This is the fourth year of this event - the brainchild of Tim Rich and Dr Sarah Whild, Chair of BSBI's Training and Education Committee and this is the first year that the Brecknock Recording Group has joined in.

We didn't break any records for the number of plants found but think we did relatively well to find 18 19 different plants* flowering around Builth Wells. Of course we also saw many we recognised but could not find any flowers - including lots of Whitlow Grass which would be flowering like a shot given a fair bit of weather.

Two of these non-flowering species were quite significant - Hypericum humifusum, Trailing St John's-wort near the Bowling Green and Parietaria judaica, Pellitory-of-the-wall by a wall opposite the Bull in the picture. The latter may be a new record for the area we think and both of these were found by Andy.

The hunt rules: 
1. Pick one day over the New Year weekend between Thursday 1st and Sunday 4th January 2015, when the weather is decent enough to record in.
2. Record wild and naturalised plants (but not planted or garden species) in flower. Please check plants are actually flowering – that catkins are actually open, grasses have open florets, stigmas or anthers are on show etc.
3. Record for up to 3 hours.

We recorded for about 2 and a half hours - by which time, cars and flasks were calling.

* Hazel reminded me that she found a flowering Black Medick...