A small group of members together with the Warden Chris Hudson, visited the Fen on afternoon of the 8th September. Some members spotted a Water Vole in the ditch near the entrance to the reserve (TL 381718). Others missed the sighting, too busy photographing Berula erecta, Lesser Water Parsnip and Sagittaria sagittifolia, Arrowhead, also in the ditch. Weather was warm and clear, and Chris provided an excellent overview of the work of the RSPB and the success in attracting a wide variety of species to the site. Below are lists of those seen during the visit. Butterflies were scarce but Red Admiral and Small Heath occurred.
Other Species noted from visit 08/09/2019 HFFS 14.30-16.30
Birds included:
Buzzard; |
Great Crested Grebe; |
Mallard; |
Most plant species were recorded in former intensive agricultural land (arable / grassland) now intermittently grazed by cattle. The wetlands consist of disused gravel workings dominated by Phragmites australis and associated drainage ditches.
Agrostis stolonifera, Creeping Bent Anthriscus sylvestris, Cow Parsley Artemisia vulgaris, Common Mugwort Capsella bursa-pastoris, Shepherd's-purse Carex riparia, Greater Pond-sedge Cirsium arvense var. arvense, Creeping Thistle Cirsium vulgare, Spear Thistle Convolvulus arvensis var. arvensis, Field Bindweed Crataegus monogyna, Hawthorn Crepis capillaris var. capillaris, Smooth Hawk's-beard Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata, Cock's-foot Dipsacus fullonum, Wild Teasel Epilobium hirsutum, Greater Willowherb Heracleum sphondylium, Hogweed Hypericum perforatum, Perforate St John's-wort Juncus effusus, Soft Rush Lamium album, White Dead-nettle Lapsana communis, Nipplewort Lolium perenne agg., Ryegrass Lythrum salicaria, Purple-loosestrife |
Malva neglecta, Dwarf Mallow Phragmites australis, Common Reed Picris echioides, Bristly Oxtongue Plantago lanceolata, Ribwort Plantain Plantago media, Hoary Plantain Poa annua, Annual Meadow-grass Potamogeton natans, Broad-leaved Pondweed Potentilla repens, Creeping Cinquefoil Ranunculus acris var. acris, Meadow Buttercup Rosa canina agg., Rose Rubus fruticosus agg., Bramble Rumex acetosa, Common Sorrel Schoenoplectus lacustris ssp. lacustris, Common Club-rush Senecio jacobaea var. jacobaea, Common Ragwort Sonchus arvensis, Perennial Sow-thistle Taraxacum officinale agg., Dandelion Thalictrum flavum, Common Meadow-rue Trifolium pratense var. pratense, Red Clover Trifolium repens var. repens, White Clover Typha angustifolia, Lesser Bulrush Typha latifolia, Bulrush Urtica dioica subsp. dioica, Stinging Nettle |
At the end of the walk we spotted a damselfly, which we later identified as an Emerald Damselfly.
© Pat Doody, Chair. 9/10/2019