Wildlife highways I look forward to my commute. It’s not the traffic that holds me up but a chance encounter with wildlife. As I bump along the road towards Chimney Meadows nature reserve, just 30 minutes from Oxford, I follow several miles of wildlife-rich hedgerow. These hedges are the dual carriageways and A-roads of the wildlife world that link patches of woodland and the vast expanse of riverside meadows found at Chimney, the Trust’s largest reserve. They provide shelter and food for a host of species including more than 50 species under threat in Britain.

Life on the hedge It’s all happening in the hedge, from beneath the soil to the top of the tallest tree. Parking up, before I head to the ‘office’ there’s time to peer into the shady depths to see what I can find: fresh overturned soil from recent home improvements by a badger and an impressive stag beetle busy at work. (As a larva the beetle will chomp its way through masses of fallen dead wood within the hedge.) A bustling community of colourful birds is making full use of the hedge too, from the yellowhammer to the bullfinch. These birds depend upon the strong ‘A’-frame structure of the hedge to shelter and build nests. Thick with nectar To achieve the right structure for the hedge, part of my job at Chimney is to double plant with hawthorn, barberry and guilder rose. Last winter we put 7,250 plants into the ground to restore 16 km of hedgerows. Now in flower with heady blossom and roses, the hedgerows are an irresistible stop-off for orange tip and meadow brown butterflies, enticed from the meadow margins. I like to watch the house martins catch these insects to feed their young before they migrate south to warmer climes. Later in the year, the hedgerow will offer berries, hips and haws to different passers-by. Return of native With binoculars in hand, one of the most uplifting sights along the hedge is the tree sparrow feeding on seeds and small insects. Almost instantly I know it’s around from the “chip chip” call. Honing in I can see the telltale small dark patch on its cheek. Once widespread, tree sparrow numbers have plummeted by 97 per cent in England over the last 40 years. Since Trust volunteers installed nest boxes and feeding stations with the help of Oxford Ornithological Society, tree sparrows are now one of the many conservation success stories at Chimney Meadows.

High-rise living Summer evenings at Chimney Meadows are just as riveting as the daylight hours. As the sun sets the silhouette of oak and willow standing tall within the hedge catches my eye. Bats and birds prefer the high-rise accommodation where they can roost in the rot holes. By dusk the bats are on the wing whizzing backwards and forwards to snatch insects out of the air. It’s compelling viewing — I might be home late, again.

From July, why not join a guided walk at Chimney Meadows to enjoy this wildlife haven for yourself? Call the Chimney Meadows office on 01367 870904 to book a place. For more information about Trust nature reserves across Oxfordshire, summer events, volunteering opportunities and our latest news please visit bbowt.org.uk