Wildlife places near Huntingdon

[Pete Collins]

A couple of months ago I started work in Huntingdon - I stay there during the week, returning to my parent's home near Dunstable at weekends. Now that the clocks are about to go forward and the evenings will be getting lighter, I'd like to visit some wildlife places near Huntingdon.

Paxton Pits looks promising ... can anyone recommend anywhere else to go? I'm particular interested in birds and wildflowers, but have a growing interest in butterflies, moths and dragonflies.

[thunder]

There are plenty of good sites - the new RSPB place at Fendrayton, Monks Wood NNR, Woodwalton Fen NNR , all the Wildlife Trust Reserves listed at The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough - Vist a reserve

Should keep you occupied for a day or two!

henrya

[RKB]

For birds, Fen Drayton and Paxton Pits are very good, as is Woodwalton Fen, the Ouse Washes and Nene Washes, and Grafham Water.

Paxton Pits is a must in April/May for the Nightingales - it has the biggest population in the country (about 25 males). Plus colonies of herons, cormorants, terns and waders.

For butterflies and flowers, Monks Wood is a must. It has the very rare Black Hairstreak, plus lots of others, and rare woodland flowers (plus carpets of bluebells). It also has plenty of birds (LSW, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Red Kite, Nightingale, occasionally Goshawk).

This is a very good resource: Cambridge Bird Club Homepage

[Pete Collins]

Thank you both, thunder and RKB, for that very helpful information. I look forward to visiting many of those sites in the coming months.

I'll definitely look out for the Nightingales at Paxton Pits - I've only heard them a few times and only once got a brief glimpse of one.

[Jaeviatrix]

Wicken Fen, run by the national trust isn't that far away is it? I've found that pretty stunning on my trips up there. Seen Marsh Harriers, good variety of butterflies and other inverts, you have to pay or be a member to get in unless there are special deals for locals, but I enjoyed it there very much!

Hope all is good

John

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by Jaeviatrix

Wicken Fen, run by the national trust isn't that far away is it? I've found that pretty stunning on my trips up there. Seen Marsh Harriers, good variety of butterflies and other inverts, you have to pay or be a member to get in unless there are special deals for locals, but I enjoyed it there very much!

Hope all is good

John

Thanks John. I went there a couple of times many years ago, and it's definitely somewhere I'd like to revisit.

[Fourwings]

I can recommend Woodwalton fen, its one of my favourite places for Dragonflies and other insects. Theres no finer place to go and see Scarce Chaser anywhere in the UK.

Monks Wood is very good as is Brampton Wood, both good for Black Hairstreak as well as loads of other species.

Grafham water is also very close for a spot of reservoir birding

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

I can recommend Woodwalton fen, its one of my favourite places for Dragonflies and other insects. Theres no finer place to go and see Scarce Chaser anywhere in the UK.

Monks Wood is very good as is Brampton Wood, both good for Black Hairstreak as well as loads of other species.

Grafham water is also very close for a spot of reservoir birding

Thanks very much for that, Steve. BTW, I'm still hoping to make it to the Priory Water WAB meeting this year.

[hobbit412]

I live in Huntingdon.

Houghton Mill (National Trust) is good for Swallows right now, also Terns, Herons and a Great Crested Grebe that seems to spend most of her time in the Mill Pond (We could see her swimming under the water on Sunday, was great to watch). They have a meadow too.

Paxton Pits is good too - Today from the Kingfisher hide I saw the Terns and Cormorants out in force, including one Tern catching a pretty decent sized fish. And I saw a Kingfisher for the first time, I was there just over an hour so I was very pleased. There is plenty of activity on the lake, especially from the Cormorants.

Hinchingbrooke Park is a 5 minute walk from me, although they now charge for Parking. Always Herons and Grebes out there. Plenty of Dragonflies, moths, butterflies etc too. (If you walk through the park to the lakes, there is a small pathway between the lakes, to the right is a little barbed fence - jump over that and you're on your own, plenty of activity on that side where there are no people, but sometimes cows.... - I'll point you to the map if you'd like)

Wicken Fen is actually about 30 miles away, but worth a visit if you have the time.

Hope that helps!

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

Monks Wood is very good as is Brampton Wood, both good for Black Hairstreak as well as loads of other species.

Was in Monks Wood yesterday evening - lots of Purple Hairstreaks round the tops of many of the oaks.

henrya