Decoy Heath and Hartslock

I had been keen to get back to Decoy Heath BBOWT Reserve where I used to monitor the reptile populations to see how the site was looking and see what reptiles would be out. The weather was perfect for basking on the day, although the temperature could have been higher.

A walk around the usual route yielded at least 10 male slow worm but only 1 female which is what I have come expect this early in the season. I even found one basking in the open which is actually very unusual as they rarely expose their entire body in the open preferring to remain hidden or under ground.

(Slow worm m)

I was slightly worried by the lack of adders which I was hoping to find but I did hear a couple slither away that were likely hiding under dense gorse. Eventually I found one basking in heather in a favourite location.

(Adder)

Later in the day I made my way to another BBOWT Reserve, famous for its chalk grassland communities; Hartslock.

(River Thames, from Hartslock)

I was particularly hoping to find pasqueflower (Pusatilla,vulgaris), a stunning flower that only blooms around Easter. After a little search I found a small colony, although I was hoping to find slightly more they were such vivid colours that the 10 or so were good enough! This species is very much restricted to calcareous grasslands and only occurs at 19 sites in England.

(Pasqueflower)

(Early purple orchid)

(Chalk milkwort)