promotional tile for build a bird box event. Photos of two girls making a bird box with a hammer, and a boy holding a completed box. Thursday 2nd April 10am-12pm. 1 family ticket = 1 kit. £12.50 members, £15 non-members plus fees.
Easter holiday family fun in the Fen! Come and build a #birdbox, follow the nature trail, hunt for bugs, climb a tree, build a den and more! If the morning sells out, we'll add an afternoon session. @wildlifebcn.org
#daysoutwithkids #activitiesforkids #easterholiday #schoolholiday #nestbox
09.03.2026 13:13
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Promotional tile for Signs of Spring Guided Walk, image of bumblebee on dandelion. Wednesday 11th March, 10.30am-12.30pm, £7 members, £10 non-members, free for National Lottery players.
A group of walkers with binoculars in Woodwalton Fen, on a grass path between reeds and trees
There's still time to snag a spot on our guided walk on Wednesday. Remember, there's a special offer for National Lottery players too, to say #ThanksToYou for your support!🫶
www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2026-...
#NationalLotteryOpenWeek #specialoffer #springwildlife #WoodwaltonFen @wildlifebcn.org
09.03.2026 10:24
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We’re supporting the nationwide call to end peat sales. @peatfree.bsky.social is petitioning for legislation now. Add your name to the growing movement to end peat sales and protect peatlands:
actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sales #petition #peatlandsmatter #peatfree #bogsnotbags
08.03.2026 10:48
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Five people holding a box representing 16,000 signatures in front of No 10 Downing Street
People walking on a street in London, with one person holding a sign saying 'Protect our bogs'.
Someone dressed in a costume representing a peatland bog, holding a box with 16,742 written on it
One week on & the call to end peat sales continues to grow!📢
Last week we went to Downing Street to hand in our 16,000+ petition.
Coming together as eNGOs, growers & supporters, we called for the destruction of peatlands to stop! There's still time to add your voice 👉 https://loom.ly/2owB_VM
05.03.2026 02:30
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A fantastic series of short campaign videos highlighting the importance of wetland and peatland restoration, polices and processes needed to do so. Lovely to see Wildlife Trust colleagues featured @eurolandorg.bsky.social
#paludiculture #peatlandrestoration #peatlandsmatter
08.03.2026 10:27
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The Reed Jumping Spider Marpissa rasdiata, typical of alkaline fens, is Red Listed in GB as Vulnerable to extinction. Image copyright: Alan Thornhill
One of GB's largest spider species, the Fen Raft Spider Dolomedes plantarius is Vulnerable to extinction both here and globally. Image copyright: Helen Smith
The tiny Sun jumping spider species Heliophanus damfi, is a raised bog specialist, Red Listed in GB as Vulnerable to extinction. Image copyright: Richard Gallon.
The Ground spider species Gnaphosa nigerrima, is a wet peatland specialist found in only one location in GB. It is considered Vulnerable to extinction on the GB Red List. Image copyright: Richard Gallon
For #WorldWetlandsDay, we're shining a light on four of the 25% of Britain's threatened spider species that are wetland specialists. They're entirely dependent on aquatic habitats remaining wet, unpolluted and growing, not shrinking, in size and connectivity @naturalengland.bsky.social
02.02.2026 20:46
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Mesolithic flint chisel which was found at Woodwalton Fen in Cambridgeshire. Now part of the collections at Peterborough City Museum. 📸 My own. #FlintFriday #Prehistory #Cambridgeshire
06.03.2026 07:18
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![Song printed in William Dugdale's The history of imbanking and drayning of divers fenns and marshes, both in forein parts and in this kingdom, and of the improvements thereby extracted from records, manuscripts, and other authentick testimonies, 1662:
"Come brethren of the Water, and let us all assemble,
To treat upon this matter, which makes us quake and tremble;
For we shall Rue if it be true that Fens be undertaken,
And where we breed in Sedge and Reeds they’ll feed fresh Beef and Bacon.
They’ll Sow both Peas and Oats, where no Man ever thought it,
Where Men did Row with Boats, ere Undertakers bought it;
But Ceres thou look towards us now, let wild Oats be their venture:
O let the Frogs and Miry Bogs destroy where they do enter.
Behold this great Design, which they do now determine,
Will make our Bodies pine, a Prey for Crows and Vermin;
For they do mean all Fens to drain and Waters over-Master,
And they will make of Bogs and Lakes for Essex Calves a Pasture.
[…]
The fen-bred Fowls have wings, to fly to other Nations,
But we have no such things, to help our Transportations;
We must give place, a grievous Case, to Hornèd Beasts and Cattle,
Unless that we can all agree to drive them forth with Battle.
Then first let us Entreat, our Ancient Water Nurses,
To show their power so great, as help to drain their Purses;
And send us good old Captain Flood to lead us forth to Battle,
Then Two-penny Jack, with scales on’s Back, will drive out all their Cattle.
This noble Captain yet, was never known to fail us,
But did the Conquest get, of all that did Assail us;"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:a4i47lsdoa7usytqshvbiyoc/bafkreihfivy2svex4czdb4rzn4krmezg6khqemvd33ho3eihwsyqlfxld4@jpeg)
Song printed in William Dugdale's The history of imbanking and drayning of divers fenns and marshes, both in forein parts and in this kingdom, and of the improvements thereby extracted from records, manuscripts, and other authentick testimonies, 1662:
"Come brethren of the Water, and let us all assemble,
To treat upon this matter, which makes us quake and tremble;
For we shall Rue if it be true that Fens be undertaken,
And where we breed in Sedge and Reeds they’ll feed fresh Beef and Bacon.
They’ll Sow both Peas and Oats, where no Man ever thought it,
Where Men did Row with Boats, ere Undertakers bought it;
But Ceres thou look towards us now, let wild Oats be their venture:
O let the Frogs and Miry Bogs destroy where they do enter.
Behold this great Design, which they do now determine,
Will make our Bodies pine, a Prey for Crows and Vermin;
For they do mean all Fens to drain and Waters over-Master,
And they will make of Bogs and Lakes for Essex Calves a Pasture.
[…]
The fen-bred Fowls have wings, to fly to other Nations,
But we have no such things, to help our Transportations;
We must give place, a grievous Case, to Hornèd Beasts and Cattle,
Unless that we can all agree to drive them forth with Battle.
Then first let us Entreat, our Ancient Water Nurses,
To show their power so great, as help to drain their Purses;
And send us good old Captain Flood to lead us forth to Battle,
Then Two-penny Jack, with scales on’s Back, will drive out all their Cattle.
This noble Captain yet, was never known to fail us,
But did the Conquest get, of all that did Assail us;"
!["His furious rage none could assuage, but to the Worlds great wonder,
He bears down Banks and Breaks their Ranks and Whirly-gigs asunder.
God Eolus, we thee pray, that thou wilt not be wanting; […]
And send a blast that they in haste may work no good conclusion.
Great Neptune, god of Seas, this work must needs provoke thee;
They mean thee to disease, and with Fen-waters Choke thee:
But with thy Mace thou canst deface and quite Confound their matter,
And send the Sand to make firm Land when they do want fresh water.”
And last we pray thee Moon, that thou wilt be propitious,
To see that nought be done, to prosper the Malicious;
Though Summer’s heat do work a feat, whereby themselves they flatter,
Yet be so good as send a Flood lest Essex Calves want water.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:a4i47lsdoa7usytqshvbiyoc/bafkreid2urxkpfsveqp2l45gv7wd3ghzlnmpecw2774entwirac4ym5dx4@jpeg)
"His furious rage none could assuage, but to the Worlds great wonder,
He bears down Banks and Breaks their Ranks and Whirly-gigs asunder.
God Eolus, we thee pray, that thou wilt not be wanting; […]
And send a blast that they in haste may work no good conclusion.
Great Neptune, god of Seas, this work must needs provoke thee;
They mean thee to disease, and with Fen-waters Choke thee:
But with thy Mace thou canst deface and quite Confound their matter,
And send the Sand to make firm Land when they do want fresh water.”
And last we pray thee Moon, that thou wilt be propitious,
To see that nought be done, to prosper the Malicious;
Though Summer’s heat do work a feat, whereby themselves they flatter,
Yet be so good as send a Flood lest Essex Calves want water.”
A #17thC protest song against the draining of the fens narrated from the perspective of a burbot:
"Come brethren of the water, and let us all assemble,
To treat upon this matter, which makes us quake and tremble;
For we shall Rue if it be true that Fens be undertaken" 3/x
#WorldWetlandsDay
02.02.2026 17:39
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!["a hideous Fen of a huge bignesse […] oft-times clouded mith moist and dark vapours; […]Guthlac, had found out the desart places of this vast Wildernesse, […] Borderers what they knew thereof; who relating several things of it's dreadfulnesse and solitude; […] a certain Island, in the more remote and secret parts thereof, which many had attempted to inhabite, but could not for the strange and uncouth Monsters and several terrors wherewith they were affrighted. […] this darksome Fen […] for no Country man, before that devout servant of Christ S. Guthlac, could endure to dwell in it, by reason that such apparitions of Devils were so frequently seen there. […] of a sudden he discerned all his Cell to be full of black troops of unclean Spirits, which crept in under the Dore, as also at chinks and holes; and coming both out of the Sky, and from the earth, filled the Ayr as it were with dark Clouds. In their looks they were cruell, and of form terrible; having great heads, long necks, lean faces, pale countenances, ill-favoured beards, rough ears, wrinkled foreheads, [...]"
Dugdale, William. The History of Imbanking and Drayning of Divers Fenns and Marshes, Both in Forein Parts and in This Kingdom, and of the Improvements Thereby Extracted from Records, Manuscripts, and Other Authentick Testimonies. Printed by Alice Warren, 1662, p. 179.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:a4i47lsdoa7usytqshvbiyoc/bafkreidgci3dkwajavvwxh4eeoawteirnyxnh5vrbqtk6wjfbghbiqu7ea@jpeg)
"a hideous Fen of a huge bignesse […] oft-times clouded mith moist and dark vapours; […]Guthlac, had found out the desart places of this vast Wildernesse, […] Borderers what they knew thereof; who relating several things of it's dreadfulnesse and solitude; […] a certain Island, in the more remote and secret parts thereof, which many had attempted to inhabite, but could not for the strange and uncouth Monsters and several terrors wherewith they were affrighted. […] this darksome Fen […] for no Country man, before that devout servant of Christ S. Guthlac, could endure to dwell in it, by reason that such apparitions of Devils were so frequently seen there. […] of a sudden he discerned all his Cell to be full of black troops of unclean Spirits, which crept in under the Dore, as also at chinks and holes; and coming both out of the Sky, and from the earth, filled the Ayr as it were with dark Clouds. In their looks they were cruell, and of form terrible; having great heads, long necks, lean faces, pale countenances, ill-favoured beards, rough ears, wrinkled foreheads, [...]"
Dugdale, William. The History of Imbanking and Drayning of Divers Fenns and Marshes, Both in Forein Parts and in This Kingdom, and of the Improvements Thereby Extracted from Records, Manuscripts, and Other Authentick Testimonies. Printed by Alice Warren, 1662, p. 179.
In the #earlymodern period, #wetlands were associated with disease and were often represented as a place of horror. Here's the tale of St. Guthlac as told in William Dugdale's The History of Imbanking and Drayning of Divers Fenns and Marshes (1662). [see alt-text] 1/x
#WorldWetlandsDay
02.02.2026 17:28
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😍Top views from the office window this afternoon. Robins displaying inflated red breast feathers to defend prime apple tree territory. Muntjac foraging, one stretching high to reach fresh elder leaves. And rabbits rushing under the window and away across the grass. Fantastic!
04.03.2026 18:36
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Rodent skulls lined up smallest to largest against a tape measure
Rodent bones against a tape measure
Last week, Adam collected 2 fresh(ish) Barn owl pellets. One had six skulls from four species of rodent! 2 Bank vole, 1 Field vole, 2 Common shrew & Harvest mouse. The other 2 Field, 1 Bank vole and 1 Common shrew. What a great habitat we have for rodents and a great menu for raptors to choose from!
04.03.2026 10:40
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Magical moths | Wild About Gardens
Top tips for helping moths and their caterpillars in your garden
Love moths or not sure why you should? It's also launch day for the new Wild About Gardens guide #MagicalMoths. Download your copy now and learn how you can help them at home. www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk
04.03.2026 10:24
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Our thanks to Steve Clarke/UK Moths, @neilsmothman.bsky.social and Dave Gould/NatureSpot for permission to use their beautiful photos for this blog. Hopefully, we'll be able to gather our own in time!
#magicalmoths #ukmoths @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social
04.03.2026 09:58
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Marsh carpet moth - light and brown horizontal bands, resting on wood - credit Steve Clarke/UK Moths
Marsh carpet moth larva - green with dark bands, hunched on a plant stem - Neil Sherman
Common meadow-rue - tufts of yellow stamens, petal-less flowers. Credit: David Gould/NatureSpot
What kind of marshy carpet does a marsh carpet #moth prefer? One of common meadow rue! To support the return of this fabulous insect to the Great Fen, volunteers have been planting a new meadow habitat. Read all about it from Catherine Weightman! www.greatfen.org.uk/blog/guest-p... @wildlifebcn.org
04.03.2026 09:53
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Ok, so you’ve heard of pond dipping, but have you tried PUDDLE dipping? Who knew there’d be so much life in a stagnant muddy puddle?! Like our little springtail friend…hop to it!
@wildlifebcn.org
#coleoptera #helophoridae #waterbeetle
27.02.2026 11:45
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Ooh maybe what’s needed to help ID these tiny flies that seemed to be full of the joys of spring on a stagnant puddle today! Seemed like a little courtship display perhaps?
25.02.2026 20:28
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Events
Find your local Wildlife Trust event and get stuck in to wild activities, talks, walks and much more.
The next session is Saturday 21st March, here in the Great Fen.
🫵Aged 11-17 and want to get involved?
📧 For more info email Laura.allen@wildlifebcn.org.
🔗 Book upcoming sessions at www.wildlifebcn.org/events?locat...
#youthrangers #conservation #ConservationTraining #youngvolunteers
23.02.2026 14:18
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Youth Rangers took on Lattersey Nature Reserve! They joined the mid-week work party to help remove damaged boardwalk. They enjoyed learning how to use new tools and got stuck in with the other volunteers pulling up wire and wooden planks, with a bit of splashing around in between! @wildlifebcn.org
23.02.2026 13:12
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We’re talking with Sally about arranging a public event. Will keep in touch! Do look out for her online content though, she’s lots available.
23.02.2026 13:09
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We're excited to get practicing and to start sharing some of these skills on our own community projects! Have you ever tried #cordage or #nalbinding? Any top tips?
Thanks to the The National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting our #peatlandprogress project, enabling us to learn valuable new skills!
18.02.2026 10:01
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The most wonderful day immersed in prehistoric textiles! Sally Pointer guided us through the history of cloth making, local plants to use and how to transform them into #cordage. We began #nalbinding (needle-binding), an endangered #heritagecraft, and made our own needles from antlers and flint!
18.02.2026 10:00
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Lowland peat restoration – looking to the future
This webinar looks at more key challenges to restoration from different perspectives and what next for lowland peat restoration
Don't miss the next Fens East Peat Partnership webinar. Monday 23 February: Lowland peat restoration – looking to the future.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lowland-pe...
#PeatlandRestoration #lowlandpeat #conservation #FEPP #peatlands #FreeWebinar
18.02.2026 09:38
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🌱 How does Typha germinate – and why is this important for paludiculture?
Hydro-ecologist André Jansen explored Typha germination and its role in wet agriculture on rewetted peatlands.
📘 Result: the brochure “The Germination of Typha Species” – now available online.
04.02.2026 06:52
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Woodwalton Fen, the 2nd of 9 great places to see an amazing range of flies featured in our guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland due mid-Feb 2026. Pre-pub offer runs until 31 Jan - bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social
@flygirlnhm.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
23.01.2026 12:54
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Screenshot of satellite image of Woodwalton Fen with some paths marked in red to denote closure
Natural England have let us know that some paths are closed due to the wet weather at Woodwalton Fen NNR. Please follow diversions and stay on the paths. Thank you!
@wildlifebcn.org
13.02.2026 14:18
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How can your cardboard recycling help you learn about the wildlife of the Great Fen? Come along to the Huntingdon Eco Fair at The Coneygear Centre to find out!
Friday 20th February 1-4pm
@wildlifebcn.org
#HuntingdonEcoFair #activitiesforkids #halftermfun #huntingdon #cardboardart
13.02.2026 12:28
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Thank you for sharing!
13.02.2026 12:25
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Love wildlife? 💚
Join The Wildlife Trust BCN this February and help protect local habitats! First 50 new members* (9th–27th Feb) get a free calendar. 🌿
👉 www.wildlifebcn.org/become-member
*T&Cs apply
07.02.2026 10:00
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