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FENSTANTON PARISH NEWS ARCHIVE

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, for October 2011

Posted: 03/09/2011


Summer seems to be a rapidly fading memory now, but it was busy for the team who help me, particularly with the Deadly Dozen bug hunts and Lake Dipping. We had some lovely afternoons with intrepid young wildlife enthusiast (or at least most of them were intrepid), highlighted by seeing water scorpions in the lake and a huge elephant hawkmoth caterpillar amongst willow-herbs, which it eats.

Just before the schools broke up, two classes from Fenstanton and Hilton Primary School spent a day with our field teachers, learning about wildlife under the lake surface and in the grassy areas nearby, and occasionally being distracted by a passing guided bus. We were also visited by a class from Houghton.

The teachers, pupils and classroom assistants have had lots of good things to say about their days with us, and we’d love to have more local schools coming to use our facilities. If any teachers are reading this, we can accommodate classes all year round, although we’d expect warmer days during summer term.

We’ve added new facilities in various locations around the Lakes over the summer months. There’s a birdwatching hide overlooking Moore Lake – access is from the footpath that goes around Elney Lake.

We also have three viewing shelters, which will be completed when we can get thatch onto the roofs. These look over Oxholme Lake (near the guided bus stop), Ferry Lagoon and Ferry Mere.

We’ll be installing cycle racks by the Oxholme Lake shelter, for the benefit of cyclists who arrive on their bikes using the track alongside the busway. National Cycle Route 51 will be re-routed to use this track, once it has been raised and given a tarmac surface.

Although the notices placed by the contractors working on the track say “this area is closed”, they only refer to the busway access (cycle) track, and not any of the other paths around the lakes. We’re still open for visitors, and will have our information point in Holywell Lake car park every Saturday and Sunday in October. Why not join us for more star watching, fungus foraying, or a nature walk?

Neil Renwick, Community Projects Officer,
T: 01954 233267 or E: [email protected]
Our address is RSPB, The Grange, 20 Market Street, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire CB24 4QG.

Guided walks in October begin at the guided bus stop, with a charge of £1 for children, £2 for RSPB members, and £4 for others.
Wednesday 12th, 10am-1pm – Wednesday Wander
Join our regular walk looking for seasonal highlights
Thursday 20th, 10am-11.30am – Short wildlife walk
Walk to a viewpoint, looking for birds in the hedges and on the water

Other events, all at the Holywell Lake car park
Wednesday 5th - Stars at Night – join us at 5.30pm to watch starlings display their fantastic roost flights, then stay on (or join us) for star watching from 6.30pm, with astronomer Neil Parker, and his amazing telescope. £1 for children, £2 for RSPB members, and £4 for others.
Sunday 9th, 2-4pm Fungus Foray with Alan Robbins, Huntingdonshire’s county recorder. £1 for children, £2 for RSPB members, and £4 for others.
Thursday 27th & Friday 28th 5pm – Roost Watches – watch starlings come to roost, and then as darkness falls, jackdaws and rooks will put on their own show.
These are free events.
 

 

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