Pamber Forest features

Wildlife and Habitats

The largest element of the site is acid oak/birch woodland, with smaller areas of coppiced hazel and sweet chestnut, and an area of more open heathy woodland that is grazed by a herd of dexter cattle.
Two rich stream valleys traverse the forest and this is where the richest flora are found and where the majority of the coppice is cut.
Mature oak woodland is punctuated by coppiced areas, particularly in the stream valleys.
In the North-east of the reserve an area of wood pasture grazed by the cattle provides further diversity.
Several open grassy rides and clearings are also to be found

Seasonal Information

Summer

Ringlet by Mark Heighes Summer seems to have flown by and for many species it has been a terrific summer. It has been a record year for silver-washed fritillary with over 1100 counted on the transect, last year was the previous record with nearly 700. White admiral was also very good the best year since 1992. Common blue, speckled wood and ringlet all had record years and the very elusive purple emperor was seen on four occasions. In late June moth trapping attracted over 200 species over one night including 35 common fan-foot a UKBAP species.

At the ponds the late summer dragonflies are much in evidence, the red common and ruddy darters are particularly common and the larger migrant hawker which is a blue-grey colour can also be seen.

Devil's-bit scabious is one of the latest plants to flower and is a very valuable late nectar source for many insects, the globular blue flowers are especially attractive to comma, brimstone and speckled wood butterflies, as are the now ripening blackberries. These also attract hornets, not for the nectar but to prey on the insects visiting the flowers and berries.

Autumn

Goldcrest by Linda Priestley Autumn is now upon us and although the birds are quiet now you may come across a mixed flock noisily searching for food, these flocks stay together all winter and can contain all five species of tit, nuthatch, treecreeper and goldcrest. In mid October redwings will be arriving from their summer breeding grounds followed later by fieldfares. Tawny owls now start to get vocal as they set up their territories, when competition is high often can be heard hooting during the day.

Fungi are a feature of woodlands at this time of year many of which can be very colourful. Look out for the red and white fly agaric near birch trees.