Moor Copse Nature Reserve

This Berkshire reserve forms a part of the Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Fringing the beautiful River Pang, Moor Copse nature reserve appeals to walkers and natural historians alike. This ancient woodland is a place of character, variety and great beauty, with its 70 acres comprising of three wet woodland copses, a small meadow and a healthy chalk stream. The site is owned and managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust and at the end of 2006 was extended by another 72 acres of meadows, hedgerows and copses.

Work parties

Please meet the leader in the car park, on Sunday morning at 10am.

May 13th.

We'll be protecting the coppice stools in this years plot.

  • Read more here

    		•

    Sunday April 1st - Today we started to protect the newly cut coppice and layered a few Hazel stems to try to increase stool density. We also stacked some of the felled timber at the rideside, and burnt up some of the tops. Brilliant sunshine with some Orange-tip and Comma butterflies seen. 3 Buzzards circled above Park Wood, and a probable Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was heard on the edge of Moor Copse wood. A scattering of Bluebells coming out in Park Wood.

    Sunday March 11th - Very different weather this month - sunny and hot! We continued with the coppicing trying to get as much felled as possible as this is our last cutting task. A Brimstone butterfly flew through the plot, and many Two-spot ladybirds were seen on tree trunks.

    Coppiced Alder stool.

    Sunday February 12th - Cold day with some snow and ice still around. We cleared a lot of the brash that had been left from the felling by the Berks office of some big Ash and Alder, and we carried on with the cutting, stacking the large timber in piles by the rideside. Bluebells starting to shoot up through the snow and at least one Robin followed us as we disturbed the ground.

    Sunday January 8th - We made good progress in the coppice plot. The weather felt rather Spring-like being mild with a few bright spells.

    Sunday December 11th - The weather forecast was not very good but rain held off for most of the day. We continued working in the coppice plot, and had a large bonfire which was very welcome. A pair of Mallard was seen in the Pang, but otherwise very quiet.

    Sunday November 13th - We started on a new coppice plot today opposite the Spruce plantation. A beautiful day, sunny and mild. Quite a few different fungi were found including Wood Blewit and Jelly Ear. 3 Comma butterflies were seen flying in the sunshine.

    Door snail. 1cm long!.

    Sunday October 16th - A cold, foggy start to the day which later turned into a warm and sunny afternoon. We cleared out some of the small pond in Park Wood, which although without water had quite deep mud! We then started on cutting 2 scallops along Vinula Ride in Hogmoor Copse. This will create a more diverse structure and increase light coming into the ride. A door snail was found on a large Hazel stem (see photo above). These snails live on tree trunks, walls and rocks and are very small, usually not larger than 2cms.

    Cutting back Bramble.

    Sunday September 11th - Our task today was to reduce the thick bramble growth in Barton's Field next to Barton's Copse and also to cut out the Poplar suckers in the meadow. Both were done very successfully, though the bramble did fight back as we dived in with various hand tools. We disturbed several Toads which were encouraged back into the remaining bramble thicket. The sun was hot and a cooling shower of rain came on cue as we sat down to lunch. A few butterflies around still. We saw and heard a Buzzard and Red Kite calling close by.

    Sunday July 10th - We pulled Ragwort in 5 acre field which was alive with grasshoppers and crickets. Also many butterflies including Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Marbled White. We also pulled Bracken growing along the main ride in Park Wood to encourage more diversity of plant species, and were very pleased to see 4 Silver-washed Fritillaries.

    Sunday June 12th - A wet morning, but we managed to get the riverbank footpath cut back before deciding to call it a day.

    Protecting a coppice stool with netting.

    Sunday May 8th - We carried on with protecting the coppice in the plot in Park Wood at the end of the main ride using netting taken down from coppice in an older compartment.

    Sunday April 10th - Sunny and hot. We carried on with the coppice protection in the small plot next to 5 acre field, and moved the cut timber to the rideside. A couple of people tackled a large Hazel stool on the riverbank that needed to be tidied up, and 2 others walked the deer fence perimeter to check for any damage by fallen trees,etc.

    Early Purple Orchid Grey Wagtail Cowslip Ladies Smock Wood Mouse Large Bittercress

    Anne's Notes

    Buttercups in 5 acre field

    May 11th - The first dry day after days of rain and Spring has arrived! Saw our first Beautiful Demoiselle, a female, in last winters coppice plot, together with a Peacock and Orange Tip butterfies. Large Bittercress in flower along the river's edge and Wood Spurge bright green in the woodland paths. A pair of Roe deer in Arable field. Just outside the reserve boundary, the other side of Hogmoor bridge, we saw two adult Grey Wagtails feeding at least two young ones - sadly one of the offerings was a Beautiful Demoiselle.

    March 15th - A cold, quiet and foggy morning. As I went into the reserve a Little Egret flew up from the Pang and alighted in the top of a tall tree on the river's edge.

    March 9th - On our walk round we saw 2 Buzzards circling over 5 acre field together with a Red Kite, and another over Park Wood. The green leaves of Bluebells are well up now and some Early Purple leaves are also showing. Many Primroses are in flower. Passing by Arable field we saw the recently planted hedge across it - over 850 plants were put in by volunteers and staff.

    Fallen Ash on the riverbank

    February 2nd - Mid-week team were out today working on a new plot started recently in Hogmoor Copse. On our way in we came across a large Ash tree which had fallen across the river. It has had a long split showing in the bark for some time and is black with decay inside. Some Snowdrops flowering on the riverbank. A very cold but gloriously sunny day. 6 of the Trusts Dexter cattle were brought in yesterday to graze Arable field with access to part of River field.

    January 22nd - A breezy morning with flashes of sunlight. Despite the mild winter so far, everything still appears dormant and flat under the woodland canopy though the Hazel catkins are opening now. We saw a small group of Redwing fly over Barton's field into Barton's Copse and heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming nearby. Also a couple of Green Woodpeckers flying across Cottage field.

    5 acre field in December

    December 17th - A lovely bright, cold morning. The orange seeds of Spindle were gleaming in the sun. A flock of about 40 Siskins flew from tree to tree across the coppice plot in Park Wood, feasting on the Alder cones. Long shadows of winter fell across 5 acre field. The British White cattle were moved last week to Wildmoor, but we'll probably be having some Dexters coming onto Arable field in February.

    November 6th - We did a circuit of the reserve this morning. Autumn leaves are now thickly covering the footpaths . The pink and orange Spindle berries are very noticeable. A few Long-tailed Tits in the tree tops but otherwise very quiet. The only other animal we saw was a Millipede on the trunk of an Ash tree.

    October 10th - 7 more British White cattle arrived today from Wildmoor to join the 7 already here. They have been moved into the fields along the southern side of the reserve from Wigley field to Barton's field.

    Barton's Field in mid September

    September 16th - We visited today to check on the 7 British White cattle which arrived last week. They are in River Field and will be joined by 7 more soon and then, over the coming months, moved to graze most of the other meadows. The Pang is extremely low despite the recent rains. Some of the welcome signs of autumn - puffball fungi in Park Wood and bright berries on Hawthorn, Rose, Blackthorn, Spindle and White Bryony. Colourful Knapweed still in flower in Corner Field where a Swallow and a group of Long-tailed Tits flew overhead .

    September 1st - A warm day. Some flies on Hogweed flowers along the riverbank and the occasional Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper. Mid week team are here today to cut the rides, the cut material is raked off and piled back behind the woodland edge while some areas are left uncut. The newly planted trees at the top end of Arable field are doing well despite the very hot dry spell in April.

    Reflections and ripples in the Pang. photo John Ashford

    August 7th - Cool and overcast but lots of hoverflies and beetles enjoying the Hogweed flowers. Some butterflies about including Silver-washed fritillary, Red Admiral and Comma. The River Pang is very low and is heavy with vegetation on both sides now with a haze of Purple Loosestrife and pink Willowherb lining the far bank. A Buzzard was flying low and calling over the edge of 5 acre field.

    Great Burnet.

    July 22nd - We saw a Muntjac trot off down the lay-by as we left the car park. We then had a lovely walk through the reserve with many butterflies along the way. Many were feeding on a patch of Hemp Arimony in flower on the far side of the river. We saw Silver-washed Fritillaries in all 3 woods including on a large patch of Watermint in last year's coppice plot near the pond. This sheltered, secluded area was alive with many different butterflies including Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Comma and Marbled White. Some parts of the meadows were due to be cut in the next few days leaving some areas unmown to benefit invertebrates.

    Silver-washed Fritillaries.

    Compressed images taken by Anne at Moor Copse

    Web site designed by Martin Raper
    now maintained by Anne & John Booth.

    © 2010 Moor Copse N R

    		British Isles Nature Reserves WebRing British Isles Nature Reserves WebRing
    [ Join Now | Ring Index | Random | << Prev | Next >> ]