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Bill Oddie Goes Wild
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More than 98% of natural grassland in southern England has been ploughed up for farming. What little remains - chalk and limestone downland and hay meadows - is usually protected as nature reserves. Visiting one of these little oases is like a journey back in time to what the countryside must have looked like in our grandparents' day. Some reserves are closed to the public apart from special open days - contact your local wildlife trust for details.
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sunny days in late spring and summer are brilliant for butterflies: including rare specialities such as the Adonis blue or Lulworth skipper, and more widespread ones such as small copper and brown Argus |
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rare flowers such as orchids may be locally common on some downland reserves from late May to July - make sure you have a flower identification guide as some can be tricky |
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never pick wild flowers - and be careful where you tread! |
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dawn and dusk are good times to look for mammals such as rabbits, deer and bats |
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wet meadows may support breeding birds such as lapwing, snipe and yellow wagtail; in drier areas listen for the song of the skylark |
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