I am particularly interested in wildflowers and concerned about their loss in much of the countryside. A few wildflower species have spread well since the majority of the field was put down to fruit trees (not least by their seeds being transported in the mowing process); some such as ground ivy or common vetch are widespread throughout the orchard, while many others such as fleabane, germander speedwell or self-heal grow in patches. They do best where there is some mowing, especially where it is not too frequent, and where the cuttings are sometimes removed. 

As mentioned in the Background section, within ten years a few pyramidal orchids appeared amongst the fruit tree rows; their dust-like seeds probably blew in from other small populations growing within 2km of the orchard, and over perhaps 5-7 years would have built up an association with a soil fungus until the tiny tubers were large enough to produce flower spikes.

Please see elsewhere for lists of the more noteworthy plant species.

Birds

I hope to produce a species list of birds, but several should be mentioned here. 

Many of the common garden birds are present, such as wren, robin, dunnock, blackbird, blue and great tits, also long-tailed tits; chaffinches, greenfinches and bullfinches used to be seen and heard a lot, but it would seem that in the 2020s their numbers have reduced severely, and I can’t remember the last time I saw a pair of bullfinches in the hedgerow. 

Then there are the birds of the agricultural landscape such as wood pigeon, pheasant, French and occasionally English (or grey) partridge. There are the usual crows (sometimes nesting in a nearby large oak), rooks and jackdaws. The other corvids magpie and jay are often seen and heard, the latter associated with oak trees particularly in autumn. Small gatherings of starlings sometimes circle around and settle in trees, then come down to the ground. A green woodpecker is often seen jabbing at the anthills or stuck vertically to one of the many posts. 

There are many birds particularly associated with hedgerows and thickets that like the orchard: yellowhammers still do well in the area, as well as spring migrants such as chiff-chaff and whitethroat. Sometimes a moorhen takes up residence on the pond. Mallard and mallard-type hybrid ducks make flying visits. Owls frequent the orchard - barn owls fly over or perch on a post, and little and tawny owls have also been seen. Kestrels hover and sparrowhawks sometimes flash along the hedges. In late autumn onwards, visiting redwings and fieldfares take advantage of fallen apples, as do many other unseen birds and animals. Late apples still hanging on the trees are pecked and spoilt by blackbirds and tits.

One of the wonderful natural sights in the years since the turn of the century has been the return of buzzards to the local skies, mewing and circling over the orchard. Similarly awe inspiring is the presence in increasing numbers of the red kite. Sadly though the turtle dove has been lost, and since about 2020 its characteristic purring is no longer heard at the orchard. It is noticeable too that there are fewer swallows, swifts and house martins, although on occasions a congregation of swallows and martins gathers over the orchard, presumably finding a rich source of insects.