{"id":4752,"date":"2020-04-10T10:03:07","date_gmt":"2020-04-10T09:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/?p=4752"},"modified":"2020-04-12T10:27:31","modified_gmt":"2020-04-12T09:27:31","slug":"swyncombe-14-march-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/swyncombe-14-march-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Swyncombe – 14 March 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Saturday 14 March, Sean O\u2019Leary led the annual moss walk at Swyncombe. This is a favourite site for the walk, as it combines interesting and varied habitat with wonderful views of rolling countryside.  In addition, there is always a good chance of seeing a Raven in one of the first areas to experience its recent expansion across the country.  Meeting at the lovely church of St. Botolph, about a dozen of us followed our usual route up Swyncombe Hill through fine sloping woodland.  This yielded many mossy delights such as Orthotrichum stramineum, pulchellum, affine, diaphanum, lyellii <\/em>and tenellum<\/em> all growing on a single log.  Spectacular Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thuidium tamariscinum <\/em>and Thamnobryum alopecurum<\/em> leavened the dough of bryological minutiae with the yeast of their flamboyant beauty.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the most interesting bryophyte awaited us at the top of the slope as we emerged near a rather boring looking arable field.  On the path, in some quantity and spotted first by Sue White, was a mysterious moss later identified using the microscope as Hennediella macrophylla<\/em>, confirmed as new to Oxfordshire \u2013 a very significant find, and congratulations to Sue.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remainder of the walk took in lovely views,\ntwo Hares, swirling Red Kites and honking Ravens as expected, through fields\nand more woods, returning to the church for a departing slice of Louise\u2019s\nmuesli crunch as usual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report by Sean O’Leary<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n