Titchmarsh
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An enchanting wetland site next to the Nene Valley with a good variety of birds, butterflies and a heronry |
Winter is the best time to see large numbers of wildfowl here; in particular, goosander, wigeon and gadwall reach nationally important numbers. By February, the herons have noisily started to breed. Fifty pairs normally occupy the heronry.
The grasslands provide breeding sites for skylark and redshank, while reed and sedge warblers chatter in the riverside vegetation. Late spring sees hobbies hunting insects over the reserve and late summer and autumn is a good time for passing waders.
The Nene Way footpath is a good place to see butterflies. The nettle beds along the rivers are used as perches for huge numbers of banded demoiselle damselflies, while the floating vegetation in the River Nene provides resting sites for the red-eyed damselfly. The larger dragonflies, particularly brown, southern and migrant hawkers, patrol sheltered sections of Harper’s Brook.
Birds: Goosander, wigeon, teal, golden eye, tufted duck |
Plants: Cowslip Insects: Orange-tip butterfly Birds: Grey heron, hobby, skylark, redshank, reed and sedge warblers Mammals: Otter, badger, water shrew |
Plants: Purple-loosestrife, trivia bur-marigold, marsh dock, sneezewort, great burnet Insects: Dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies Birds: Grey heron, kingfisher, redshank, skylark, mute swan, great crested grebe |
Birds: Waders, shoveler and gadwall |