Getting to know the calcicoles at Wren's Nest NNR

This isn't related to birding or drawing particularly, but is to my continuing efforts to learn more about plants so I thought I would write a brief post with some photos of the lovely flora I witnessed today! I spent a very hot and sunny day at Wren's Nest National Nature Reserve in Dudley, an excellent spot renowned for its world-famous Silurian fossils and limestone flora. I was carrying out fieldwork for a small project I'm doing for my Open University degree, about the influence of the geology on the plants growing at Wren's Nest.

The limestone reef mounds at Wren's Nest NNR, a brilliant spot for both fossils and plants.

One of my quadrats!

The wardens were also doing some plant ID training to brush up on their skills and I joined them for the first part of that which was very helpful, I learnt some new ones (especially grasses) and refreshed my memory of a few others. I still haven't quite managed to get my head around all the various hawkweeds/bits though, that is going to take me some time! The wardens were great and made me feel super welcome, many thanks to them! :o)

Here are a few of my favourite calcicoles (lime-loving plants) from today!

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera).

Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris).

Hoary Plantain (Plantago media).

Quaking Grass (Briza media) - my favourite!