Walking to Great Yews last week was a revelation. I was expecting the woodlands around the campsite to be the usual excursion into the ecosystem, and so it proved to be. Since the security of this part of the Longford Estate has been tightened the quality of the wild life has noticeably improved; the quality and diversity of the understory has grown so that there is a greater variety of micro-habitats and thus a greater diversity of species. In addition to the usual abundant invertebrate life there were greater numbers of butterflies this year which was most encouraging, and the yews themselves are in a better state. There is no doubt that less tree-climbing, fire lighting and general disturbance creates an environment in which nature is more likely to thrive. For the first time I was able to hear Quail calling from the campsite in the evening; given the rarity and elusiveness of the bird that is quite something. No Woodcocks this time around, but both species of partridge, hirundines in the woodland, plenty of warblers and both Tawny and Little Owls to give a crepuscular serenade. Bat watching away from the camp yielded two different species there too.
What I was not anticipating was the wild flowers that were pathside both there and back. I cannot remember such an encouraging display in past years. Though the body of the rippling fields of wheat, barley and oilseed rape remain depressingly sterile monocultures, along their margins Mullein, Yellow Loosestrife, Cornflower, Scabious, Field Poppies, Ox-Eye Daisies and Rosebay Willow Herb mixed together in a riot of colour. I always look forward to the return hike back through Coombe Bissett, as the footpath over Homington Down transects one of the best locations that I know to see Pyramidal Orchids. This year was simply exceptional – hundreds of these scarce flowers crowding the south facing slope in a spectacular display and attracting butterflies galore. Most exciting of all was a first for me – a number of orchids flowering beside the path on the very edge of the housing in Harnham. That cannot be an accident surely? Enlightened farming (with lower herbicide concentration) and suitable weather this year has enabled a rare species to start re-colonising against the odds. I was really excited to see those lurid pink blooms on their long stalks, and my enthusiasm was inevitably shared by Leif Bersweden (ex-BWS) our very own orchid-hunter who celebrated the find over social media.
Great Yews has a bit of a cost. Everyone returns feeling slightly stiff, sleep-deprived, rather grubby and worrying about ticks! But as a naturalist the trip is simply unmissable, as every year there is a special spot of some sort. This year the botanist in me was spoilt for choice, and I returned feeling that this part of the British countryside was rallying after years where intensive agriculture and disturbance has taken its toll.
SDS
