Graham Saunders led a walk at Ron Ward’s Meadow, Tadley (a permit-only reserve of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust) on the sunny afternoon of Sunday 25th May. The meadow slopes gently downwards, with the wetter parts towards the bottom coloured a darker, duller green by sedges and rushes. From the top of the reserve, there is a distant view southwards towards the Hampshire Downs. The meadow was full of flowers and alive with insects. On the drier slopes, flowers included Oxeye Daisy, Meadow Buttercup, Yellow Rattle, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Common Vetch and Red Clover and there were many Common Blue butterflies. Some of the Oxeye Daisies had clusters of tiny micro-moths on their yellow centres. Dropping down onto the damper parts of the meadow, the vegetation changed and the flowers included Marsh Thistle, Cuckooflower, Ragged Robin, Tormentil, Narrow-leaved Vetch and Common Lousewort. Insects included a Small Copper butterfly, plus Mother Shipton, Burnet Companion and Straw Dot moths. Heath Spotted-orchids were seen right across the reserve, dotted across the drier parts, but in vast swarms in the damper sections. The many different sedges posed a challenge to the botanists. Varieties identified included Oval, Common Yellow and Hairy Sedge. Several Common Frogs and a Roe Deer were also seen.
Pictures by Laurie Haseler and Ian Esland
RDNHS excursion to Ron Ward’s Meadow, 25-5-14, SU60 60
List of plant species:
| Meadow Buttercup | Ranunculus acris |
| False Oat-grass | Arrhenatherum elatius |
| Common Sorrel | Rumex acetosa |
| Common Vetch | Vicia sativa subsp. sativa |
| Red Clover | Trifolium pratense |
| Lesser Stitchwort | Stellaria graminea |
| Oxeye Daisy | Leucanthemum vulgare |
| Field Horsetail | Equisetum arvense |
| Common Knapweed (leaves) | Centaurea nigra |
| Yellow Rattle | Rhinanthus minor |
| Cat’s-ear | Hypochaeris radicata |
| Yorkshire Fog | Holcus lanatus |
| Sweet Vernal-grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum |
| Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil | Lotus corniculatus |
| Crested Dog’s-tail | Cynosurus cristatus |
| Ribwort Plantain | Plantago lanceolata |
| Hairy Tare | Vicia hirsuta |
| Heath Spotted-orchid | Dactylorhiza maculata |
| Quaking-grass | Briza media |
| Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill | Geranium dissectum |
| Germander Speedwell | Veronica chamaedrys |
| Marsh Thistle (leaves) | Cirsium palustre |
| Goat’s-beard | Tragopogon pratensis |
| Field Wood-rush | Luzula campestris |
| Cuckooflower | Cardamine pratensis |
| Meadow Vetchling (leaves) | Lathyrus pratensis |
| Common Yellow-sedge? | Carex demissa |
| Ragged-Robin | Lychnis flos-cuculi |
| Greater Bird’s-foot-trefoil? (leaves) | Lotus pedunculatus |
| Bugle | Ajuga reptans |
| Aspen | Populus tremula |
| Glaucous Sedge | Carex flacca |
| Narrow-leaved Vetch | Vicia sativa subsp. nigra |
| Tormentil | Potentilla erecta |
| Oval Sedge | Carex ovalis |
| Star-sedge? | Carex echinata |
| Common Lousewort | Pedicularis sylvatica (SU6007 6058) |
| Devil’s-bit Scabious (leaves) | Succisa pratensis |
| Purple Moor-grass? | Molinia caerulea |
| Hemlock Water-dropwort | Oenanthe crocata |
| Common Fleabane | Pulicaria dysenterica |
| Southern Marsh-orchid | Dactylorhiza praetermissa |
| Creeping Willow | Salix repens |
| Yellow Iris | Iris pseudacorus |
| Meadowsweet (leaves) | Filipendula ulmaria |
| Mugwort? (leaves) | Artemisia vulgaris |
| Betony (leaves) | Stachys officinalis |
| Yarrow (leaves) | Achillea millefolium |
| Hairy Sedge | Carex hirta |
Butterflies
| Common Blue | Polyommatus icarus |
| Small Copper | Lycaena phlaeas |
Moths
| Mother Shipton | Callistege mi |
| Burnet Companion | Euclidia glyphica |
| Straw Dot | Rivula sericealis |
Vertebrates
| Roe Deer | Capreolus capreolus |
| Common Frog | Rana temporaria |
List by Renée Grayer