Grow Batheaston visit to Bathampton Meadows Nature Reserve

On a showery afternoon a GB group set off from Batheaston Car Park with ecologist Glen Maddison and Alex Preston from Avon Wildlife. Across the footbridge and over the National Trust land we were taken on to the site not normally open to the public. The site was created 30 years ago when the Batheaston Bypass was built as part of a flood alleviation scheme to hold floodwater that would formerly have been retained by the land the new road construction covered. It includes an oxbow lake and islands and is managed by Avon Wildlife Trust. A few cattle are put on the site in the autumn to help with the management!

On entering the permit-only site Glen started pointing out various bug life – spiders, damselflies, butterflies, alder beetles and even found a pair of five spotted burnet moths mating. He commented that one of the moths had features he’d only seen in Wiltshire before.

There was evidence of a fox on site and we found a broken Canada goose eggshell near fox scat. We saw a red kite and heron flying and heard more than a dozen birds in the bushes including blackcaps, chiffchaffs, greenfinches, and sedge warblers. Also a reed warbler right next to the river. Several members of the group used apps to help identify birdsong, insects and plants. There were a lot of common spotted orchids, mints and meadow rues growing. Some areas were still recovering from the recent floods. It is hard to describe the smell of the plants underfoot – mainly mint I think giving a beautiful fragrance.

Participants were overwhelmingly positive about the visit and appreciated the opportunity to visit the site that is just across the river from them and to get to know more about the plants and animals there.

Thanks Glen and Alex.

Steve Harper, June 4th 2024