Fred Taylor led a walk at BBOWT’s Warburg Reserve at Bix Bottom Wednesday 18^th September. A Nuthatch was calling loudly from a tree above the car park. The walk started out along a wide ride, with Marjoram, Scabious and Wild Basil still in flower. The leaves of Dogwood and Spindle were beginning to turn a dark red. Warden Giles Alder emerged from a work party in the scrubby woodland below the path to talk about habitat management. He reported that numbers of Adders on the reserve continue to decline. An apple tree at the side of the ride was heavily loaded with fruit. The leaves appeared to be hairless underneath and there was some debate as to whether or not it was a Crab Apple. But another tree a little further on, with smaller and much sourer fruit was a more likely candidate.

The route led up a track for a short distance, before turning into an open meadow area. The un-related Spurge-laurel and Wood Spurge were noted growing together on the bank next to the track. There were good numbers of Chiltern Gentians in the meadow area, particularly on the south-west facing slopes and a Speckled Wood butterfly was seen. The walk continues up the track to the top of the reserve, then followed a footpath gently down the side of the valley and back up the other side. A yellow wax-cap fungus was spotted amongst the grass in the field. At the top of the first field, droplets were oozing from a big Oak Bracket fungus at the base of a hedgerow tree. The next field had a wide margin with flowering mallow, knapweed and thistles. The walk continued down through the woods and back to the reserve centre. Towards the end, the sun came out and white butterflies began to fly, together with several dragonflies.