Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Checking for signs of Spring in Railway Fields
Paid a quick visit to Railway Fields on Monday. Whilst the kids played on the swings, I had time to do a quick tour of the site looking for signs of Spring.
It still feels like most things are still sleeping (and it was pretty cold so not much chance of insects) but the birds were singing and flitting about: robins, blue and great tits, blackbirds.
By the hut, the comfrey was beginning to grow back. Comfrey is a good food plant for insects and pollinators love its flowers. Comfrey is known as a treatment for broken bones and wounds. Also known as 'knitbone', its beaten roots were laid on leather and applied as a cast to broken bones and wounds. Rather less realistically, it was said leaves of this herb in your bath water could restore virginity.
Another name for Comfrey is 'saracens foot' referring to the tradition that Crusaders introduced it to England after seeing it used by the Arab soldiers on battlefield wounds.
Tiny shoots of what I think will be bluebells were coming up by the first steps up to the railway line and there were tiny buds on some of the bushes and trees.
Up near the small pond at the back of the site, is a clump of winter heliotrope. A pretty flower now considered wild, as it has spread from gardens and churchyards where is was grown as an ornamental, it was introduced in 1806 from North Africa and quickly spread to the wild, recorded as early as 1835 in Middlesex and well established across the British Isles and Eire by the early 20th Century. It flowers in mid-winter and in right conditions spreads quickly. As it is still flowering in February, it is an early source of nectar for emerging bee queens.
The brand new paths around the pond and to the (under construction) play area now make the site more accessible and lots of the site has been cleared of ivy to make way for wild flower meadows such as this one by the pond.
Railway Fields is open Monday to Friday and some weekends.
Check the Friends of Railway Fields blog for details of weekend openings and special events, such as the mud kitchen for kids construction at 10.30 on Saturday 25th and the family wildlife events from 11 on the same day.
Tags for Forum Posts: Spring, nature notes, railway fields, springwatch, wild in harringay
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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Lovely! The 1st of Feb last week was 'Imbolc', the first day of Spring in the Celtic calendar, when just the tiny beginnings of green shoots can be seen. Literally Imbolc means 'in the belly'; it's also known as St Brigid's Day on the Church calendar.
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Permalink Reply by MsRailwayFields on
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Lovely Liz and thanks as ever for the promo! There are quite a few wide awake woodlice in the ant box if you want to come and play with them!
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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I did have a look but they were hiding from me on Monday. As the days warm up, I expect there'll be more life soon in Bug Village.
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Permalink Reply by Rehan on
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This is a really nice post. We stumbled across the Railway Fields by chance a few weeks ago and it's already become a favourite with our boys who like to explore around here. I'm looking forward to pointing out some of these new plants to them during our next visit.
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I do frequent updates about the changes in Railway Fields for people to go and seek out. Also the kids wildlife sessions at the weekends and in the holidays are great. They found a slow worm at the last one.
Picture from Facebook page of Friends of Railway Fields
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