Brief History
Salcey Forest is an ancient woodland, once part of a royal hunting ground in medieval times. The forest provided timber for ship building in the Napoleonic Wars and was later used as a training ground for troops in WWII. It is now managed by Forestry England with a focus on environmental protection and outdoor recreation.
It is home to a wide variety of species of flora and fauna. This includes ‘The Druids’ a number of ancient oaks, i.e. over 400 years old, some of which are now fallen providing habitat for saproxylic (deadwood) invertebrates, with a few remaining standing.
Group Visit
14 members of the Society visited the SSSI within Salcey Forest on a warm and sunny evening on 20th May 2025. The walk took us roughly north from the Horse Box car park (SP 81030 50882) along one of the main tracks through the forest. Towards the end of the out-bound walk the group took a narrower grass path to visit the magnificent Queen Hive Oak (SP 80947 51450). This grass path revealed a number of different species from the main track, suggesting that with more time to delve deeper into the wood an even greater number of species may have been revealed. Nonetheless, even the relatively straight-forward walk up and down the main track saw the identification of a great variety of wildlife, as illustrated by the species list which follows.
Species List
The following list has been created from the group visit on 20th May, supported by reconnaissance visits by the walk leaders on 4th and 16th May. The reconnaissance visits covered slightly more ground and therefore include a few species not seen on the main walk. (Hover over images below to see caption or click to view an individual image. Numbers are referenced in the species list)
| Common Name | Scientific Name | |
| Herbaceous Plants | ||
| R | Archangel, Yellow | Lamiastrum galeobdolon |
| Avens, Wood | Geum urbanum | |
| Bindweed | Calystegia silvatica | |
| R | Bluebells | Hyacinthoides non-scripta |
| Bramble | Rubus fruticosus agg. | |
| Bryony, Black | Tamus communis | |
| Bugle | Ajuga reptans | |
| Burdock | Arctium spp | |
| Buttercup, Creeping | Ranunculus repens | |
| Celandine, Lesser | Ranunculus ficaria | |
| Cleavers | Galium aparine | |
| Clover, White | Trifolium repens | |
| Cow-Parsley | Anthriscus sylvestris | |
| Crane’s-bill, Cut-leaved | Geranium dissectum | |
| Crane’s-Bill, Dove’s Foot | Geranium mollle | |
| Cuckoo Flower | Cardamine pratensis | |
| Daisy, common | Bellis perennis | |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale agg. | |
| Dock, Broad-leaved | Rumex obtusifolius | |
| Dock, Wood | Rumex sanguineus | |
| Enchanter’s-nightshade | Circaea lutetiana | |
| U | False-Brome | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Figwort, Common | Scrophularia nodosa | |
| Forget-me-not | Myosotis spp. | |
| Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata | |
| U | Ground-elder | Aegopodium podagraria |
| Ground-ivy | Glechoma hederacea | |
| R | Hedge Woundwort | Stachys sylvatica |
| Herb-Paris | Paris quadrifolia | |
| Herb-Robert | Geranium robertianum | |
| Hogweed | Heracleum sphondylium | |
| Horsetail, | Equisetum spp. | |
| Male Fern | Dryopteris Felix-Mas | |
| Meadowsweet | Filipendula ulmaria | |
| Mercury, Dog’s | Mercurialis perennis | |
| Nettle, Common | Urtica dioica | |
| Nipplewort | Lapsana communis | |
| Plantain, Hoary | Plantago media | |
| Plantain, Ribwort | Plantago lanceolata | |
| R | Primrose | Primula vulgaris |
| Ragged-Robin | Lychnis flos-cuculi | |
| Rose spp. | Rosa | |
| Sedge, False Fox | Carex otrubae | |
| Sedge, Hairy | Carex hirta | |
| Sedge, Pendulous | Carex pendula | |
| Sedge, Remote | Carex remota | |
| Sedge, Wood | Carex sylvatica | |
| Silverweed | Potentilla anserina | |
| Sorrel, Common | Rumex acetosa | |
| Sow-Thistle, Prickly | Sonchus asper | |
| Speedwell | Veronica spp. | |
| Speedwell, Thyme-leaved | Veronica serpylifolia | |
| St John’s Wort, Hairy | Hypericum hirsutum | |
| R | Stitchwort, Greater | Stellaria holostea |
| Strawberry | Fragaria, spp. | |
| Teasel, Wild | Dipsacus fullonum | |
| Thistle, Creeping | Cirsium arvense | |
| Thistle, Spear | Cirsium vulgare | |
| Travellers-Joy | Clematis vitalba | |
| Tufted-Hair-Grass | Deschampsia cespitosa | |
| U | Vetch, Bush | Vicia sepium |
| Violet | Viola spp. | |
| Willowherb, Great | Epilobium hirsutum | |
| U | Woodruff | Galium odoratum |
| U | Yarrow, Woolly | Achillea tomentosa |
| Trees & Shrubs | ||
| Ash | Fraxinus excelsior | |
| R | Beech | Fagus sylvatica |
| Birch, Silver | Betula pendula | |
| Blackthorn | Prunus spinosa | |
| Cherry, Wild | Prunus avium | |
| Chestnut, Horse | Aesculus hippocastanum | |
| Dogwood | Cornus sanguinea | |
| Guelder-rose | Viburnum opulus | |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | |
| Hazel | Corylus avellana | |
| Maple, Field | Acer campestre | |
| Oak, English (1) | Quercus robur | |
| Pine, Scots | Pinus sylvestris | |
| Poplar, Balsam | Populus balsamifera | |
| Spindle (2) | Euonymus europaeus | |
| R | Sycamore | Acer pseudoplatanus |
| Willow, Goat/Pussy | Salix caprea |
| Birds | ||
| Blackbird | Turdus merula | |
| Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla | |
| Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | |
| Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita | |
| Crow | Corvus corone | |
| Goldcrest | Regulus regulus | |
| Jackdaw | Corvus monedula | |
| Nuthatch | Sitta europaea | |
| R | Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus |
| Pigeon, Wood | Columba palumbus | |
| Robin | Erithacus rubecula | |
| Thrush, Mistle | Turdus viscivorus | |
| Thrush, Song | Turdus philomelus | |
| Tit, Blue | Cyanistes caeruleus | |
| R | Tit, Coal | Periparus ater |
| Tit, Great | Parus major | |
| Tit, Marsh | Poecile palustris | |
| Warbler, Garden | Sylvia borin | |
| R | Woodpecker, Great-Spotted | Dendrocopus major |
| Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Invertebrates | ||
| Bumblebee, Buff Tailed | Bombus terrestris | |
| Carder Bee, Common | Bombus pascuorum | |
| Cardinal Beetle, Red-headed | Pyrochroa serraticornis | |
| Carpet Moth, Green | Colostygia pectinataria | |
| Click Beetle | Elateridae spp. | |
| Drinker Moth larvae | Euthrix potatoria | |
| Earwig, Common | Forficula auricularia | |
| R | Froghopper, Red-and-black | Cercopis vulnerata |
| Scorpionfly | Mecoptera spp. | |
| Shieldbug, Green | Palomena prasina | |
| Soldier Beetle | Cantharidae spp. | |
| Swift Moth, Common (3 & 4) | Korscheltellus lupulina | |
| Black Cloak Tortrix Moth (5) | Notocella cynosbatella |
| Mammals | ||
| R | Muntjac | Muntiacus |
| R U | Roe Deer | Capreolus capreolus |
R – seen only on reconnaissance trip U – Uncertain identification
Number following common name denotes photograph reference.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all those who turned out for the event, but particular thanks go to Martin Kincaid, Charles Kessler, Joe Clinch and Mike LeRoy, who provided support in the identification and recording of species on the day, as well as improving the quality of this trip report. Special thanks, also, to Julian Lambley for the photographs.
Richard Schmidt & Jane Bidgood