Planning the future

Today I was out at a meeting with Aggregate Industries as part of their Biodiversity Benchmark Partnership meetings.  The quarry at Barton-under-Needwood and Branston sits in the Tame Valley, a river corridor with huge potential.  Much of the land along the valley is either actively being quarried, restored quarry or farmland.  Most days there are reports on Staffordshire Bird News of birds and other wildlife seen at Branston gravel pits.  Little egrets, ducks and waders galore make this site and the whole valley an exciting prospect for wildlife, and people watching it.

Check out the Staffordshire Bird News blog here

In the valley the Trust have two nature reserves, Croxall Lakes and Tucklesholme, whilst the Central Rivers Initiative scheme covers the area between Burton-upon-Trent and Tamworth.  Heading south from Tamworth there is another Living Landscape scheme, the Tame Valley Wetlands.

Find out more about the Tame Valley Wetland Living Landscape scheme here

Find out more about the Central Rivers Initiative here


After the meeting I had a look around part of the restored quarry, where the Trust is helping to manage the land.  Eventually there will be public access to the fields where there is a field managed for breeding lapwing, and a newly created hay meadow I'll be working on this autumn.  To top it all off there will be views across the main lake and a woodland walk.

On the lake today were 9 little egret, many tufted ducks, great crested grebes and a few teal.  By far the most surprising thing were the huge number of little grebe, 44 in all!  Never have I seen so many.

My final sighting was a knot grass moth caterpillar, a brilliant little fluffy thing with great colour.