Four members joined the leader Stuart Irons to visit another Langdyke Countryside Trust (LCT) nature reserve, Bainton Heath. Stuart has been the LCT volunteer warden for Bainton Heath for more than 10 years.

The LCT and National Grid are working together to manage the twenty-acre site owned by National Grid, to the west of, but not part of Bainton Fisheries, for the benefit of wildlife. Sadly, there is no public access to the site.

The site was a former tip for fly ash waste from power stations and steam trains in the north of England but has since been colonised by a fascinating variety of flowers, mosses, lichens, insects and birds. Because of the unique nature of the site, many species of moss and lichen are in fact not natural to Cambridgeshire at all – but are more northerly species!  A small wood and three ponds add to the diversity of habitat.

Again, the weather was very hot, but our intrepid group was rewarded with an interesting variety of wildflowers, demonstrating those which were able to find some water to enable them to flower. These included water mint, tansy, lady’s bedstraw, mullein, weld and wild mignonette. While the wildflowers were struggling with the lack of water in this nutrient poor free draining habitat the dragonflies and damselflies were enjoying the weather and we saw ruddy darters, brown hawkers, migrant hawkers and small red eyed damselflies.

Towards the end of the walk, we were treated to a spectacular ariel combat high above our heads between two birds of prey. After much deliberation and discussion, we all agreed the two birds involved were a red kite and an osprey. A truly spectacular end to a very enjoyable afternoon.

Overall, it was a fascinating and varied walk which rewarded the effort required to venture out in the hot weather. As there is restricted access to the reserve If any members would like to visit, please contact Stuart (details on HFFS website) and we can arrange a suitable time for another guided tour.

Stuart Irons