Bernwood Meadows

Day #25 of #30dayswild was spent exploring the wild side of Oxfordshire. 

An early morning walk from the house to the amazing Lye Valley SSSI, an area of calcareous fen surrounded by housing which supports iconic species such as Marsh Helleborine, Marsh Lousewort and Common Butterwort. It was too cool and windy for many of the associated invertebrates to appear, but we did spot a Scarlet Tiger moth (see extra) hiding in the vegetation.

After a late breakfast we headed out to Bernwood Meadows SSSI, almost impossibly beautiful hay meadows which are a riot of white Ox-eye Daisy, yellow Hairy Hawkbit and Common Cat's-ear, purple Self-heal and the magenta of the rayed from of Common Knapweed. The seedheads of Green-winged Orchid were abundant, and there was also a very large population of Heath-grass. 

From there we walked into Bernwood Forest, where the sheltered species-rich rides provided ideal conditions for many insect species, though sadly no Purple Emperors.

Our final visit of the day was the RSPB reserve at Otmoor, a large area of grazing marsh in the floodplain of the River Ray. Birds were elusive but again there were plenty of interesting insects in sheltered areas.