15
Buckden Roundabout
September 2017
Wetland wonders
The River Ouse to the east of the village is a brilliant place to walk along through the year. Summer brings abundant dragonflies
and damselflies, including our local speciality, the Scarce Chaser. Even winter brings great wildlife watching though as this entry
from my diary shows.
From the diary - 26th February
I’d abandoned a trip further afield and decided on a walk along the river instead with nothing in particular in mind to look for,
other than to enjoy the walk. As I passed the huge fallen Crack Willow, a spluttering snort came from below me. Looking down, I
stared into a whiskery face with a pair of dewy eyes – my first local Otter. It was hard to suppress the heart-pumping excitement
and I worried I might spook it by getting over excited. Fortunately, it wasn’t worried by me gawking at it and swam along a bit
further, scurried up the bank to emerge on the path behind me, giving an unforgettable view as it stared at me again before con-
tinuing on to one of the gravel pits for more fishing.
Marvellous migrants
During migration times in spring and autumn, around 100 different species of birds pass through the Buckden area, stopping off
to feed and “refuel” on their long journeys.
Grafham Water is a brilliant place for birdwatching, espe-
cially in spring and autumn when it acts a “magnet” for
birds migrating along the River Ouse Valley - north in spring
as they head to northern Europe and the Arctic to breed
and south in autumn as they head for Africa. The world’s
longest distance migrant, the Arctic Tern, is a regular visitor
to the reservoir in late April and early May when flocks of
these graceful birds stop to feed on their migration that can
see them cover 50,000 miles in a year from pole to pole.
Scarce species regularly drop in at these times, as another
diary entry shows:
From the diary - 15th September
Laura and I went blackberrying around the lagoons at
Grafham Water today. The hedgerows are a reliable spot for
a good crop of juicy berries and it is a handy circular route of
a mile or so. It was no use pretending that I didn’t know two
juvenile Spoonbills had arrived there - the main reason for
the visit. After filling our baskets, we enjoyed the sight of
two of these unusually active individuals sweeping their
spectacular spatula bills through the shallow waters of one
of the pools at point blank range. We came home with a
good few bags of blackberries too, so everyone was happy.
Discover the wildlife on your doorstep
Watching the wildlife that lives alongside me provides a
rollercoaster ride of emotions every day of the year. I laugh
when the beady-eyed Starlings squabble over the fat balls
in my garden and the Badger cubs topple over when they
sneeze too hard. I worry if the Blue Tits are bringing enough
caterpillars to their chicks in the nestbox and if the Swal-
lows will return safely from Africa. And I am full of envy
when somebody sees something in my patch that I haven’t!
Get to know the birds, animals, butterflies and bees that live on your doorstep and I guarantee you’ll become hooked – just like
me.
Get the book
Wildlife on Your Doorstep
is published by Reed New Holland and is available from all good booksellers, in store and online.
Simply Google “Wildlife on Your Doorstep, Mark Ward”. The book is 180 pages long and full colour throughout with more than
150 photographs, many taken in Buckden and the local area. It is packed with advice and tips on attracting wildlife to your gar-
den and what you can see through the year, as well as extracts from Mark’s diaries. Mark also has copies available that he
would be happy to put a personal message in. He is also happy to answer any questions you have about wildlife, attracting wild-
life to your garden and where to go locally by dropping him an email at
goldenbins@hotmail.co.uk
or calling 07974 432 460.
Wildlife on your Doorstep
Privet Hawk Moths on the wall