D and I paid a visit yesterday afternoon to Whitacre Heath NR - a Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Reserve which we used to visit regularly but haven't been for a number of years. The reserve is one of several wetland sites along the River Tame forming part of the Tame Valley Wetlands. The site was used for gravel extraction during the 1960's and the site was later restored. It consists of a mix of habitats -pools, grazed and ungrazed grasslands and the woodland is dominated by willow and alder. An invertebrate survey in 2000 discovered 1,145 species many of which are nationally scarce. Twenty five species of butterfly have been recorded here including White-letter Hairstreak.
Lots of Himalayan Balsam around the site - I know its an unwanted, invasive species but it was providing nectar for insects.
Bird-wise the reserve was fairly quiet - highlight was a Green Sandpiper sighting (record shot below) (it was on the far pool as seen in photo above) so even with the Canon super zoom the photo below is cropped.
We came across 4 Red Admirals in another area - record shot again.
Interesting to see the new shoots sprouting on this split tree.
Ulia came along and was quite happy in this oak tree :)
Highlight of the visit was a pair of muntjac which crossed the path in front of me - sadly no photo as D with the the Canon was already making his way back to the car!
We stopped off at "Books Revisited" in Coleshill on the way home and I bought a book on "Historic Pubs and Inns in Warwickshire" which is very interesting as is the fact that I seem to have already visited most of the pubs in the book! :)
I'll return to the Yorkshire Posts next week.
(For more information on Ulia and the majickal world of Matlock Hare - please see www.matlockthehare.com.)
