April 2019

Buckden Roundabout

April 2019

Buckden wildlife

Spring in Buckden

Following the false start in February with record-breaking

unseasonable temperatures, spring is here. Buckden is a won-

derful place to be out and about now – so enjoy!

There are lots of star species to look and listen for, from the

Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Garden Warblers that

arrive from Africa in April to nest in our hedgerows, to the

swifts that return in May to swoop and scream overhead. But

it’s not just about birds. Did you know Buckden has 23 species

of butterfly (more than a third of the UK total), more than 30

different species of bee and 50 of hoverfly, all playing their

part to pollinate our plants and crops?

I’ve recorded them all on the wildflower-rich field and grass-

land north of Mill Road (the very land currently threatened

with destruction by development) which now has a list ap-

proaching 800 different species of wildlife in total. See how

many different insects you can find over the next few weeks

in the village and your garden. If you’d like any help with iden-

tifications, send your photos to me and I’ll do my best to help!

I’ve really enjoyed talking

about our fabulous local

wildlife with a variety of

fellow residents, and

groups, over the last few

months, including a visit

to the school. As I ran

through my slides of local

wildlife, it soon became

clear the children were

already wildlife experts.

An impressive percentage

had seen the far-from-

easy Grass Snake and

Kingfisher that featured in my talk, so it was heartening to

know that the next generation have our fantastic local wildlife

on their radars.

Clearly, we’re a village that values preserving nature for oth-

ers to enjoy, but sadly mature hedges were severely cut in the

village during the bird breeding season in March. Guidance

from Natural England and the RSPB is quite clear this should

not be done between the start of March and end of August.

It is an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Country-

side Act of 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy the

nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built, or to in-

tentionally take or destroy any eggs. It is an intentional act if

anyone knows, or is told, about an active nest in a hedge and

still cuts the hedge, damaging or destroying the nest or con-

tents in the process.

Feel free to drop me a line if you need any advice on this or

know of any nests under threat. Let’s protect our birds and

their families this spring and summer: there’s ample time to

cut anything that needs it when the birds aren’t nesting.

Did you know the beautiful Ouse Valley is proposed as an Ar-

ea of Outstanding Natural Beauty? This is a huge honour for

Buckden, being part of it, and yet more evidence of why the

village’s eastern fringe must be protected. Only the most im-

portant and beautiful sites in the country get this designation,

so please get behind the proposal and support the Great Ouse

Valley Trust (

https://greatousevalleytrust.org.uk/

). There’s

no better time than spring to explore this gem.

If you have any questions or concerns about our local wildlife,

please drop me a line at

goldenbins@hotmail.co.uk

Mark Ward is a nature author and the RSPB’s Editor-in-Chief,

producing its magazines and other communications for its 1.1

million members. His latest book, “Wildlife on Your Doorstep”

is based on his experiences with the wildlife of the Buckden

area.

It is available from Amazon and all good booksellers.

Common brimstone butterfly - photo by Peter Sharpe

Bluebell woods - photo courtesy Mark Ward

Kingfisher - photo by Peter Sharpe

HUNTINGDONSHIRE FAUNA & FLORA SOCIETY EVENT

Sunday 28th APRIL 2.30pm Port Holme Meadow

Port Holme Meadow designated by Natural England as a Site

of Special Scientific Interest, is an example of a ‘lowland hay

meadow’. It has a rich history of human use for hay, sheep

and cattle grazing, as a racecourse and an airfield. With an

area of 104ha, it represents 7% of the total UK lowland unim-

proved hay meadows. Park in the car park next to the Chinese

Bridge in Godmanchester.

For more info contact Sarah Orbell on 01480 383567 or Barry Dicker-

son on 01480 475689