Lovely lichen

A walk today along the disused railway line near the village. It is due to be reopened in 2015/16 as part of a reinstated Oxford to Cambridge rail route. I'm all in favour of the project, but it has become a remarkable linear wildlife site and we will lose some key species. It is particularly rich in butterflies and I'm now involved in recording these and the plants along the banks so we can argue the case for some mitigation measures alongside the line. Expect more blips from this site as the weather warms and nature springs into life. Today the main interest was a number of lichens that are looking their best as the rest of the vegetation has died back. I think this one is Cladonia pyxidata, quite common, but striking when you get down to its level.