Barford Wood and Meadows
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A fragment of the former Rockingham forest and a haven of tranquillity and wildlife |
Barford Meadows was once part of Rockingham Forest, which until the late1700s was a large expanse of woodland, parkland and small-scale farming. The reserve reflects this mosaic of habitats with hay meadows, parkland and newly-planted woodland, providing shelter and food for a variety of wildlife.
The meadows become a sea of colour during the summer and are a good source of nectar for many butterflies including small coppers, dingy and grizzled skippers, as well as many small and large skippers and orange-tip. You may also see the day-flying chimney sweeper moth which looks like a sooty-coloured butterfly. Its larvae feed on the pignut that grows in the meadow together with other colourful wild flowers such as meadow saxifrage and great burnet.
The northern area across the River Ise is known as Five Acres and includes a number of different habitats; hay meadow by the river, limestone grassland at the northern end and scrub alongside the railway embankment where badgers and foxes live.
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Plants: Meadow saxifrage, pignut, dropwort, salad burnet Insects: Orange-tip butterfly Birds:: Kingfisher Mammals: Fox, badger |
Plants: Great burnet, lady’s bedstraw, harebell Insects: Butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies |
Fungi: Waxcaps Birds:: Migrant waders |