Bottom Wood
Wildlife
Ancient woodland
Plants in the wood that are indicators of ancient woodland include yellow archangel, wood spurge, wood sorrel, bluebell, sweet woodruff and the goldilocks buttercup. Violet helleborines grow in one area.
Chalk grassland
At the eastern end of the wood, Toothill has an area of chalk grassland. Several kinds of orchid – bee, common spotted, pyramidal, lesser twayblade – grow here, with helleborines under the shade of trees. There are many other flowers, and wayfaring tree and guelder rose grow too.
Animals
Most of the expected woodland mammals occur here. There are ‘common’ dormice breeding in the wood. In 2005 the wood was reached by edible dormice as they slowly spread across the Chilterns. Water shrews are seen, as well as common and pigmy shrews. Red kites soar overhead and nest in the wood most years. Buzzards, tawny owls and sparrowhawks all breed in the wood. Song thrushes and other woodland birds use the wide variety of habitats available. Glow-worms can be seen on late summer evenings.
Ancient woodland
Plants in the wood that are indicators of ancient woodland include yellow archangel, wood spurge, wood sorrel, bluebell, sweet woodruff and the goldilocks buttercup. Violet helleborines grow in one area.
Chalk grassland
At the eastern end of the wood, Toothill has an area of chalk grassland. Several kinds of orchid – bee, common spotted, pyramidal, lesser twayblade – grow here, with helleborines under the shade of trees. There are many other flowers, and wayfaring tree and guelder rose grow too.
Animals
Most of the expected woodland mammals occur here. There are ‘common’ dormice breeding in the wood. In 2005 the wood was reached by edible dormice as they slowly spread across the Chilterns. Water shrews are seen, as well as common and pigmy shrews. Red kites soar overhead and nest in the wood most years. Buzzards, tawny owls and sparrowhawks all breed in the wood. Song thrushes and other woodland birds use the wide variety of habitats available. Glow-
