Woodwalton Fen
by Brian Stone
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PBC Where to Watch Birds Woodwalton Fen by Brian Stone |
| Sightings for past week: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Sightings for past month: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Sightings for past year: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
Woodwalton Fen is perhaps the best known nature reserve in the PBC area. It was established in 1910 by Charles Rothschild, who went on to found The Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (SPNR). The SPNR acquired the reserve (its first) in 1919 and it is now a National Nature Reserve managed by English Nature.
The Fen will eventually become part of the Great Fen Project. For more information about this and Woodwalton Fen see the Great Fen Project website.
Woodwalton Fen is one of the best remnants of the formerly abundant fen habitat. It is one of only four ’wild’ Fens that still survive in the enormous Great Fen Basin, which is now almost completely agricultural. The others are Holme Fen (also in the PBC area), Wicken Fen and Chippenham Fen.
Water levels are strictly managed to keep the Fen wet and preserve the raised bog habitats. Some drying out has occurred in the past leading to the scrub and woodland which dominate some parts of the reserve. Unfortunately most of the peat was also removed long ago, so the acid specialist flora is no longer dominant. But large reedbeds and wet meadows maintained by mowing and grazing create a rich mosaic ideal for plants and invertebrates. Clay extraction for the water management works has also left open meres resulting in a diverse range of habitats.
Many of the bird species for which the Fen is renowned have regrettably declined in recent years, in some cases dramatically. However, this still remains a bird-rich oasis and a vital resource for some of our more interesting local birds.
One of the best known birds of Woodwalton Fen is the Long-eared Owl. Only a few years back there was a healthy population of this often elusive species. They were extensively studied and nested in good numbers, readily utilising wicker baskets erected for their benefit. In recent years the population has crashed to only one or two pairs.
There is an abundance of common breeding birds of woodland and wetland. Notable breeding species include Quail, Redshank, Snipe, Woodcock, Hobby, Nightingale, Grasshopper Warbler and Lesser Redpoll. Marsh Harriers have also bred irregularly and this remains one of the most reliable places in the area to find the nationally declining Willow Tit. The surrounding farmland remains a good bet for Grey Partridge, Tree Sparrow and Corn Bunting. It is encouraging to see records of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker recently.
In winter the main interest used to be the regular roost of Hen Harriers when 12 or more birds could regularly be seen at close quarters from the hides near the entrance or a the north end. Marsh Harriers are also regular in the autumn and may join early returning Hen Harriers at communal roosts. Unfortunately wintering Hen Harrier numbers have dwindled and in 1998 and 1999 there was no regular roost at the Fen.
Jack Snipe can be seen in the winter but otherwise waders are fairly uncommon with Common and Green Sandpipers the most likely. Bittern and Bearded Tit are regular if scarce winter visitors. Siskin and Redpoll are more regular and numerous with a good chance of a few Common Redpolls among the more common Lessers.
The Fen has had its fair share of rarities. Perhaps the most intriguing was a calling male Little Bittern in June 1986. The only records of Arctic Redpoll in Cambridgeshire have both come from the Fen, most recently in December 2001. Autumn 2001 produced the first record of Yellow-browed Warbler for the PBC area. There have also been singing Cetti’s and Savi’s Warblers. Night Heron, Cattle Egret and Common Crane have all been recorded on or near the Fen.
There are also quite a number of records of scarce local birds like Fulmar, Red-breasted Merganser, Montagu’s Harrier, Goshawk, Rough-legged Buzzard, Spotted Crake, Great Grey Shrike and Wood Warbler.
The wildlife interest of Woodwalton Fen doesn’t even start, let alone stop at birds and no article would be complete without at least mentioning the wealth of plant and insect life. Fen Violet and Fen Ragwort are two examples of species that occur on the Fen and only a handful of other places in Britain. Almost every invertebrate group on the Fen includes species that are rare or restricted. Almost half of Britain’s rare Dragonflies are found here as is the rare Marsh Carpet Moth.
The Large Copper butterfly was reintroduced to the Fen in 1927 and since then has been augmented by further captive-bred releases. However the population is not thought to be self-sustaining and efforts to reintroduce this species have been redirected to more suitable sites.
A final mention should go to the Chinese Water Deer, which can easily be found on the reserve. These exotics escaped from collections and have established thriving feral populations. On calm, dark nights on the Fen, straining to listen for Owls, one of these or a Muntjac barking nearby can nearly finish you off!
To reach the reserve by car take the no through road leading west off the minor road at Ramsey Heights south of Ramsey St Mary’s. Park at the end of the metalled road and continue to walk west along the track to cross over the Great Raveley Drain into the reserve at Jackson’s Bridge. There is a hide overlooking the central reedbed near the entrance. Continuing west brings you to the Bungalow on stilts where the water levels of previous floods are marked.
Much of this article is derived from information published in a 1997 leaflet by English Nature (ISBN 1 85716 192 0). The leaflet covers wider wildlife interest of the Fen and can be obtained from local English Nature Team at
Ham Lane House
Ham Lane
Orton Waterville
Peterborough
PE2 5UR
Tel: 01733 405850
I have added to this my own recollections of the reserve, which are, unfortunately, rapidly becoming distant memories. So if anyone has more up to date information on the reserve please e-mail us at enquiries@peterboroughbirdclub.org.uk.
Map of the area (30kB)