Activities

On Friday 19 of us met up at the RSPB Lodge at Sandy in Bedfordshire for an afternoon’s stroll through the grounds. More than 30 birds breed here regularly and it is an important SSSI heathland and grassland. It became the RSPB headquarters in 1961.

Saturday dawned warm and sunny and our first stop was Gamlingay Wood. This covers 118 acres and is recorded as the best wood in Britain and is cited in the Domesday Book. The local wildlife trust secured it in 1991 and it is an SSSI.
It consists mainly of ancient woodland of oak, ash and maple and in spring is covered with bluebells, oxslips and other wild flowers. We had a packed lunch here and went to the local garden centre for a comfort stop and a welcome cup of tea, then on to Shepreth L-Moor.

This is a reserve which protects unimproved grassland, marsh and scrub growing on chalky, loam soil. It is an area of 18 acres and again is an SSSI. Parts of the reserve are well grazed by rabbits and the resulting short turf is dotted with wild thyme and harebells. There are also areas of taller herbs, dryer grassland with cowslips, and a small marsh area of sedge, rush and purple moor grass. There is a chalk stream running through it which provides a habitat for arrowhead, water crowfoot and several species of fish. This was a beautiful, sunny day enjoyed by us all.

Sunday dawned even warmer and we headed off to Devil’s Dyke (my personal favourite). We were led here by James Fisher, the Project Officer, a very good looking young man! It is the largest Anglo-Saxon dyke in Britain and is protected by English Nature as a scheduled ancient monument. The dyke holds an extensive chalk grssland area and stretches in a near perfect line for 7.5 miles from Reach to Ditton Green. A public footpath runs the complete length of the dyke and sheep now graze it in the hope that the grassland will be restored to its former glory. We saw some lovely flowers there.

In the afternoon, on to Wicken Fen where we had lunch and a cup of tea before walking round. This is one of Britain’s oldest nature reserves with 3 routes to choose from, varying from short to long. Most of us were energetic enough to take the longest, Adventurer’s, trail. This holds several bird hides overlooking reedbeds, marsh and open water - ideal for birdwatching.

On Monday we all left and went our separate ways but Daphne, Dee and Eileen visited Paxton Pits which was so good that I have included a list of what they saw in with the rest of our sightings.

The whole weekend was a great success and thanks must go to Audrey for organising another good time.

M.Willis

Birds - seen by Eileen & Co.
Nuthatch, Chiff Chaff, Coal Tit, Willow Warbler, Nightingale (c & b), Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Garden Warbler, Pied Wagtail (young), Robin , Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Whitethroat (s/h), Terns, Blackbird, Thrush, Skylark (s/h) , Yellowhammer, Cormorants, Crow, Lapwing, Swift, Treecreeper (m & f), Swans, Swallow, Goldfinch, Sparrow, Gt.spotted Woodpecker, Coots & lots of young Moorhen, Reed bunting, Cuckoo (s/h), Gt.Crested Grebe + chick, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Sedge warbler, Mallard + 5 chicks, Wren, Great Cr.Grebes + nest

Flowers
Common spotted orchid, White bryony, Wild thyme, Ragged robin, Bee Orchid, Spring beauty, Goatsbeard, Wild carrot, Twayblade, Upright brome(grass), Herb bennett, Field poppy, Early purple orchid, Mouse eared hawkbit, Greater stitchwort, Wood violet, Greater butterfly orchid, Honeysuckle , Cut leaved geranium, Wild strawberry, Pyramidal orchid, Wall speedwell, Black bryony, Dog’s mercury, Southern marsh orchid, Marsh thistle, Bugle, Oxlip, Fragrant orchid, Loosestrife, Woody nightshade, Wild angelica, Tormentil, Arum, Dog rose, Figwort, Devils bit scabious, Birds foot trefoil, Silverweed, Meadow pea, Nettle leaved bellflower, Lesser stitchwort, Wild service tree, Pignut, Creeping jenny, Celandine, Corn gromwell, Milkwort, Hogweed, Red clover, Yellow flag iris, Sainfoin, Kidney vetch, Horseshoe vetch, Charlock, Mignonette, Greater knapweed, Dogwood, Rock rose, Salad burnet, Ladies bedstraw, Bladder campion, St.John’s wort, Cotton thistle, Spotted cat’s ear (rare), Field viola, White water lily, Yellow water lily, Quaking grass, Comfrey, Tufted vetch, White campion, Horseradish, Bogbean, Dropwort

Cinnabar moth, Red Admiral, Orange tip, Wood white, Small white, Brimstone (m), Small heath, Common blue, Peacock

Hornet, rabbits, Shield bugs, Cardinal beetle, 14 spot ladybird, Badger sett, tadpoles, Emperor dragonfly, Damselflies (various), Crumbling elf cap, Blushing bracket fungus

Eileen at Paxton Pits (Snake in water; spider on water; hornet’s nest in bird hide)