On The Moor

Between the villages of Meldreth and Shepreth in Cambridgeshire lies our local Nature Reserve - Shepreth L-Moor. The "L" in the name refers simply to its shape. It's not a moor in any usual sense of the word, just an area of rough grazing land that, because of its poor drainage, is only grazed in summer.

It supports a wide variety of flowering plants - nothing too rare or exceptional but very pretty even so. The scrub and bushes make the area attractive to birds, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Robin and Goldfinch are all likely to be seen. I've also been lucky enough to encounter Wheatear, Redstart, Yellow Wagtail and Peregrine here in the last few years.

A common dozen!

Creeping Cinquefoil, Field Speedwell, Goat's Beard

White Campion, Herb Bennet, White Bryony

Marsh Thistle, White Clover, Dog Rose

 Sowthistle, Zigzag Clover, Birdsfoot Trefoil. 

 

If you're desperate to see Twayblade this is the place to come and you might find an odd Common Spotted Orchis too...

Twayblade, Common Spotted Orchis

But it's really just a wonderful place to wander around slowly with the sun on your back and watch nature at work...

pollination

germination

inundation!

At one time there would have been ground like this on the outskirts of every village but arable agriculture has expanded to such an extent that there's hardly any rough grazing land left nowadays, certainly very little that's cared for and protected like this little patch.

Long may it survive!

Take care.