Another world

C S Lewis must have enjoyed getting a bit out of breath, for the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust's (BBOWT) nature reserve that now carries his name was part of his back garden for the last 33 years of his life.

In fact it is said that this charming little backwater of Oxford inspired him to create the world of Narnia.

Although small in size, the reserve is packed with a variety of habitats from wet and boggy ground, dry sandy soils and ponds, to mature woodland, cliff and scrub. A surprising variety of species visit and makes their homes in the reserve that, whilst being on the edge of busy Oxford, adjoins the wildlife-rich area around Shotover Country Park.

Well-marked pathways guide the visitor around the reserve and there is little need to describe these here (two excellent leaflets are available from BBOWT - one describing aspects of the reserve of particular interest to children and reproduced here).

Instead, we will look at the range of interesting animals, plants, fungi, birds, insects and other living things that can be found here both at this time of year and throughout the calendar (it is one of those places you and especially children will want to return to again and again).

The most striking feature along the walk is the large pond that sits at the bottom of the wooded slope and as you enter the reserve. This was dug out in Victorian times for its clay and is quite deep and muddy, so beware any inclinations to wade in! It is now very rich in aquatic plants, including water mint and watercress, and in insect life, with pond skaters, whirlygig beetles and water boatmen all creating entertainment for child and adult alike.

The rather scary looking water scorpion is also present and might be dredged up by a carefully swept fishing net.

Such an abundant source of food attracts, in turn, a good variety of other life both below and above water. Frogs and toads are found in abundance here and breed in some numbers.

Permanently under the surface and out of sight, a healthy population of three-spined stickleback exists and it is probable that perch and pike (and possibly other fish species) also inhabit the water - although the pond has not been fished for many years, if at all, and so this remains speculation. Suffice to say though that the keenest of anglers, the kingfisher, is a regular visitor and grey heron also pitch up.

However, it may be the common frog population that particularly interests this latter large, hunting bird and also, in warmer weather, the grass snakes that are regularly recorded in the area. Throughout the year coot, moorhen and mallard will be found and easily watched. Grey wagtail, too, may be seen at certain times of the year.

Around the pond, in silty areas, the impressive and very primitive species giant horsetail can be found. Such damp areas also hold, in season, pockets of the delightful blooms of ragged robin.

In summer the air above and around the pond thrums with flying insect life, including a number of dragonfly and damselfly species. A second and smaller pond lies a little uphill from the main body of water and, whilst not so species-rich, is well worthy of investigation.

If the pond is the most striking feature, then it is the surrounding woodland that is the most dominant.

A wide range of common trees stand side by side, many of giant size, and include beech, yew, sycamore, alder, birch, ash, oak, horse chestnut and larch. A few holly and hawthorn bushes, together with ivy and bramble, provide an under-story and a source of berries for blackbird and song thrush.

The woodland floor is scattered with leaf litter and a great place to get the kiddies interested in identifying the various leaf shapes that have accumulated there.

Where alder is present, look for discarded nutshells that have been split by grey squirrels, or neatly gnawed by wood mice. Conkers in their spiny cases will also be found from autumn onwards, as will beech mast, acorns and the helicopter-seeds of sycamore. More fun for small hands.

Among the other resident mammals, muntjac deer and fox are relatively common. Hedgehogs will be found in odd corners and rabbits make themselves at home around the margins of the reserve on higher ground.

In winter months, bird life may be largely limited to our common and resident thrushes, tits and finches, one should keep an eye and an ear awake for treecreeper, greater spotted woodpecker and long-tailed tit. Tawny owls breed hereabouts, and are especially vocal during the colder months.

From spring through summer, chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap and possibly garden warbler should be heard and looked for.

The warmer months are also the time to do some dusk bat-watching. A deserted war-time bomb shelter (now protected by an iron grill) serves as a roosting site for pipistrelle bats, possibly both UK species, and noctule bats may also be present in the woodland.

Many different species of fungi have been spotted on the reserve including common puffball, sulphur tuft and various bracket fungi, including birch polypore.

Collared earthstar can also be found amongst the leaf litter beneath birch and beech trees. Mosses are also a speciality but require specialist knowledge to identify.

While red admiral, speckled wood and orange tip butterflies will be encountered in warmer seasons, autumn and winter can still provide much to investigate in the insect world.

Perhaps the best places to go looking are under fallen, rotting logs and among the many piles of dead wood that have been placed around the reserve to encourage beetles, woodlice and various other invertebrates to set up home. A magnifying glass will provide hours of fun to the inquisitive child searching such places.

If the kids haven't yet been happily exhausted by all this, then there is a big fallen beech tree to climb on, steps to run up and down and leaves to kick high in the air.

This little gem of a reserve is certainly an inviting place for an outing, thanks to all the hard work of the volunteers and staff on site who have managed the woodland, created new access and paths, and discovered some interesting features, such as an old brick seat by the pond - it is thought to have been used by CS Lewis himself, while dreaming of his other world!

Oh, and before you leave, cast an eye about for a lion who reputedly goes by the name of Aslan.

Many thanks to Maggie Piggott, community wildlife officer (Bucks) of BBOWT (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust) and David Fordham, chairman of the Friends of C S Lewis Community Nature Reserve volunteer group. If you would like to get involved, or join the Friends of C S Lewis community nature reserve volunteer group, e-mail davidfordham@waitrose.com