Langford Lowfields, Nottinghamshire: sand martins swarming

Sat 31 May

Stopped off at RSPB Langford Lowfields en route to Yorkshire; my first visit for a couple of years. A new car park is now open, from where the main trail leads through woodland and past a couple of lagoons to the "Beach Hut".  From here you get a great view across the recently created wetlands, a by-product of the sand and gravel industry.

Sand martins were very much in evidence, darting around the wetlands as they commute between feeding areas in the local area and their major new colony of over 200 pairs - a low sandy cliff specially created for them in the heart of the reserve.

Damselflies were numerous around the wetland margins, including the well named red-eyed damselfly.  Meadows packed with oxeye daisy and red clover framed the wetlands.  

oxeye daisy

common blue

A small gravel island is home to a pair each of oystercatcher and common tern, nesting what seemed like a metre or so apart.

The new facilities are due to be officially opened this coming Thursday.  It makes a great place to break a journey on the A1, as it is not much more than five minutes off the main road but feels a million miles away while you are there.

Arriving in North Yorkshire that evening, the sun was shining and I spent some time photographing swifts that nest in some numbers in the village of Wombleton.  There are also lots of tree sparrows here and a very confiding song thrush.

song thrush