Alan Parfitt led a walk at Swain’s Wood near Christmas Common on Sunday 30 June. The group gathered in warm sunshine around the village green at Northend, before setting off down Holloway Lane. The path in to the reserve led through Beech woodland, which grows on the Clay-with-flints that caps the Chalk. Swain’s Wood reserve, which is managed by BBOWT, lies on a steep south-west facing grassy hillside on the Chalk. Large numbers of orchids were in flower. Most numerous were the Common Spotted-orchids, which were a little past their best. Amongst them were quite a number of Chalk Fragrant-orchids, which were mostly pink, but with a few white specimens as well. Most of the Pyramidal Orchids were the characteristic deep pink, but a few were white or pale pink. Bee Orchids were scattered across the reserve and there were also a few Common Twayblades. Other flowers included Common Rock-rose, Wild Marjoram, Salad Burnet, Carline Thistle, Fairy Flax, Yellow-wort, both blue and pink forms of Common Milkwort, Greater Knapweed, Field Scabious, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Common Centaury, Dark Mullein, Wild Thyme, Lady’s Bedstraw and Agrimony. Scattered bushes of Wild Privet were covered in creamy blossom. By contrast, the bottom part of the reserve, which had been grazed by sheep in the spring, was mostly without flowers. Meadow Brown and Marbled White butterflies were abundant and a few early Ringlets and a Painted Lady were seen. Small orange Skipper butterflies flitted through the grass, but none stayed still long enough for positive identification. Equally elusive was a large orange Fritillary butterfly. A small bee carrying a blade of grass was identified as a Red-tailed Mining Bee Osmia bicolor. A Buzzard circled overhead. On the walk back, the vegetation round the large village pond in Northend was investigated. Plants seen here included Brooklime and Ragged-robin and a Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly was also noted.
Pyramidal Orchid 
Chalk Fragrant-orchid 
Common Twayblade 
Common Centaury 
Dark Mullein 
Ringlet
Pictures by Rob Stallard
| English Name | Scientific Name |
| Plants seen: | |
| Pyramidal Orchid | Anacamptis pyramidalis |
| Common Spotted-orchid | Dactylorhiza fuchsii |
| Common Rock-rose | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Hedge Bedstraw | Galium album |
| Marjoram | Origanum vulgare |
| Dogwood | Cornus sanguineus |
| Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil | Lotus corniculatus |
| Dog’s Mercury | Mercurialis perennis |
| Germander Speedwell | Veronica chamaedrys |
| Salad Burnet | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Quaking-grass | Briza media |
| Chalk Fragrant-orchid | Gymnadenia conopsea |
| Common Milkwort | Polygala vulgaris |
| Agrimony | Agrimonia eupatoria |
| Greater Knapweed | Centaurea scabiosa |
| Wild Parsnip | Pastinaca sativa |
| Carline Thistle | Carlina vulgaris |
| Dewberry | Rubus caesius |
| Common Nettle | Urtica dioica |
| Timothy | Phlaeum pratense |
| Common Centaury | Centaurium erythraea |
| Cock’s-foot | Dactylis glomerata |
| Cowslip | Primula veris |
| Bee Orchid | Ophrys apifera |
| Fairy Flax | Linum catharticum |
| Military Orchid | Orchis militaris |
| Dark Mullein | Verbascum nigrum |
| Hairy St John’s-wort | Hypericum hirsutum |
| False Brome | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Raspberry | Rubus idaeus |
| Wild Privet | Ligustrum vulgare |
| Yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor |
| Black Medick | Medicago lupulina |
| Field Scabious | Knautia arvensis |
| Field-rose | Rosa arvensis |
| Eyebright | Euphrasia spec |
| Bladder Campion | Silene vulgaris |
| Twayblade | Neottia ovata |
| Insects: | |
| Ringlet | |
| Meadow Brown | |
| Marbled White | |
| Ringlet | |
| Painted Lady | |
| Red-tailed Mining Bee | Osmia bicolor |
| Birds: | |
| Buzzard | |
| Blackcap |
List by Renée Grayer