Langdon Nature Reserve is located a few miles from where I live and fortunately reasonably accessible by public transport.
However, since the new Nature Discovery Centre opened in July 2021 after significant delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I have been meaning to visit it for some time and finally did so this morning.
Dating back to Saxon times, Langdon simply means ‘Long Hill’. The Country Park and Nature Reserve sit on a 385 feet high crescent shaped hilly ridge which extends from Dunton to Vange.
Langdon Nature Reserve is the largest inland reserve managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust, comprising 461 acres of ancient and secondary woodland, flower-rich meadows, lakes and former plotland gardens. It occupies some of the highest land in the county, has some panoramic views over the Thames Estuary and across to London and offers miles of excellent walks. Its attraction lies in an abundance of wildlife once common in our countryside.
To get to the Nature Discovery Centre, I walked through the Dunton section of the reserve, including a circuit around Dunton Lake.
It was a relatively quiet walk in terms of wildlife but I did see 5 Grey Squirrels, a single Stock Dove and a female Kestrel and heard 2 calling Goldcrests and a single calling Great Spotted Woodpecker. The lake held a single Little Grebe, c.30 Mallards, a single Coot, 4 Moorhens, 2 Mute Swans and 2 Black-headed Gulls.
A report from another birder who was on site at about the same time as me included a fly-over Hawfinch which obviously I am very disappointed to have missed.
The new Nature Discovery Centre has exceptional eco-credentials in terms of its construction and energy and water consumption and contains a very good cafe and shop. It is a wonderful building and facility.
Not far from the Nature Discovery Centre is the Peter Rabbit Woodland Trail which includes all the major characters created by Beatrix Potter. The Badger (Tommy Brock) and the Red Fox (Mr. Tod) appear in the children’s story "The Tale of Mr. Tod". Both mammal species are well represented throughout the Langdon Nature Reserve.
Also close by is the The Haven Plotlands Museum, one of the many former homes on the Dunton Plotlands.
💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
No comments:
Post a Comment
If you feel like commenting on my blog, you can contact me by completing the comment form below. I will respond to all comments and enquiries and constructive criticism will always be welcomed.