The most beautiful grass in Britain...

Gently shivering in the breeze, the loose heads of Quaking-grass are a distinctive feature of meadows and grasslands, particularly those on chalk and limestone soils. Its heart-shaped flower heads dance on delicate stems, giving the plant many different common names such as Totter Grass, Dithery Dock, Wigwams and Toddling Grass.

I found this particular patch in an area of limestone grassland that used to be an arable field not that many years ago. The local wildlife trust have restored it using seed from a nearby limestone reserve, and parts of it are now surprisingly species-rich, with a sward dominated by upright brome, tor grass and downy oat-grass, bejewelled with patches of yellow bird's-foot-trefoil, white ox-eye daisies, cowslips and salad burnet.

I had gone there to record some vegetation quadrats. Rather sadly, on the way I found a freshly dead baby badger, which was perfectly intact. I know that many of you will find it strange that I carried it all the way up the hill to bring it home, but I found it fascinating and Pete is an expert at preparing mammal skeletons, who has trained me to retrieve good specimens. It's now residing in our freezer (very well wrapped in plastic bags) where it will stay until he has time to deal with it.