We thought we would start to explore The Great Fen as it is a vitally important on going project in our county. The Great Fen is the result of a partnership project by the Wildlife Trust with Natural England, the Environment Agency, Huntingdonshire District Council and the Middle Level Commissioners. The project will ultimately provide a fenland wildlife haven of 3,700 hectares (9,000 acres).

We started off at Ramsey Heights Nature Reserve, which is the main countryside centre for the Great Fen. We met Henry, who is the Great Fen Monitoring and Research Officer. He was monitoring the Great Crested Newts and had a couple that he was able to show us. Beautiful creatures. The spots under their belly are unique and by keeping photographic records the team are able to identify individual Newts, where they are, and how far they travel.

Henry is also interested in the increase of the Polecat. The Polecat is roughly the size of a ferret - its domesticated cousin. Brought to the brink of extinction through persecution, it has been undergoing a recovery recently and can be found in rural Wales and parts of England. They have discovered that Polecats have been spreading around the country using rabbit burrows along motorways. It has been recorded that the countryside around the Caxton Gibbet roundabout is a particular hot spot, so we need to keep a look out and report to the Wildlife Trust should we spot one.

Thank you Henry, hope we didn’t keep you from your work for too long.

After lunch we moved on to Holme Fen. Holme Fen is described by Natural England as the finest example of birch woodland in lowland Britain. Part of it was a mere which was drained in the nineteenth century.

The Great Fen is such a huge area we only scratched the surface, our next visit in the near future will be to Wood Walton Fen .

Holme Fen Posts . For explanation of these posts showing the shrinkage of the peat go to: www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/heritage/holme-fen-posts — Holme Fen Posts . For explanation of these posts showing the shrinkage of the peat go to:
www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/heritage/holme-fen-posts

Hoof Fungus can be seen on decaying trunks of Silver Birches.

Canada Goose - Burnhams Mere - Holme Fen

A full nest of Cormorants - Burnhams Mere - Holme Fen

Grizzled Skipper - Holme Fen. This butterfly is on the red list as vulnerable and is in decline.