Biodiversity Projects
Summer 2025
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The meadow area to which the fruit trees were added in the spring has some attractive patches of cornfield annuals in flower now and a variety of other perennial species will follow them.
Some areas will be mown and others left to grow, providing for pollinating insects, until the flowers have faded and had time to set seed. A battery powered mower has recently been purchased to help maintain this area and to keep the paths in trim.
We are grateful for the support of the Village Fund Initiative as well as the Parish Council, which has enabled us to purchase such a high quality piece of equipment, seen here being given a test run by Colin Barber. Tim Baldwin
Spring 2025
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The meadow of cornfield annuals at the Biodiversity Project has been a summer feature for some years, whether viewed from its meandering path or glimpsed across the green from Weasenham Road. We have now decided it is time for a change, largely because maintaining such a meadow on a site with rich soil is not very sustainable and required too much intervention.
Volunteers have recently planted six Norfolk heritage fruit trees on the site which have been underplanted with native primroses to be followed by further appropriate species. Some elements of the meadow will be
retained and it will be mown as appropriate through the year. The trees will be fully labelled in due course with information about their origin and fruiting season.
We hope that the developing small orchard might be dedicated to the memory of Denys Winner.
We are grateful to the Village Fund Initiative and Parish Council for supporting this development and to the East Anglian Apples and Orchards Project for supplying the
trees.
Tim Baldwin
Autumn 2024
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As we move into autumn, volunteers have cut and cleared the meadow at the Biodiversity Project and carried out similar work on the playing field meadow area. Mike Jackson has been busy compiling an attractive photobook showing volunteers at work since the Project’s inception in 2010. This also serves to chronicle how the site has developed over the years and includes notes about some of the many volunteers who have helped shape it. Copies have been made available to volunteers and a copy lodged with the Massingham Historical Society for their archives.
If anyone would like to see a copy or obtain further details, please contact myself or Mike Jackson.
Tim Baldwin
Summer 2024 on the Heath
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Massingham Heath (Grimston Heath on the OS map) has provided interest throughout the summer and few people can have escaped seeing the wide range of wild flowers growing across the grassland. Not all have the drama of the poppies that appeared in July but the range of species to be found is impressive. For example, in a field adjacent to the poppies in early August it was possible to count as many as 46 species in flower at the same time! Most of the grassland here is calcareous owing to the underlying chalk and many of the species, which will only thrive in this habitat, are increasing year on year. This in turn provides an opportunity for other species which rely on these plants to find a home here. An example is the brown argus butterfly which has appeared for the first time this year. This follows from its food plant, the yellow flowered rock rose, which is becoming established and spreading.
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Another new find this summer has been the very striking wasp spider. This is a large species of orb web spider which has colonised Britain from the south, slowly spreading northwards and until recently was mainly found on the coast in Norfolk. As in many spiders, this female is much larger than the male which runs the risk of being eaten as part of the mating process!
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Although most of the grassland is calcareous, there are three acidic areas that are all County Wildlife Sites and have been largely covered in bracken until the grazing Konik ponies and Bagot goats got to work. They have helped to clear and weaken the bracken by both trampling and grazing, so allowing heather to begin to regenerate. It is easy to find when flowering, but plants are still scattered for now. Just give it a few years and it will again be a feature of the local landscape on the ever changing heath!
Tim Baldwin
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Biodiversity News – September 2024
Elephant Hawkmoth
The walk around the village arranged by Project volunteers in late July served to highlight just how much wildlife we have. Visiting three ponds, the range of damsel and dragonfly species was noted by many, with up to six species being seen on the day and up to ten in the weeks since. These insects spend their larval stage in the ponds and rely upon the stems of water plants which they climb like a ladder, after which the larval skin splits open and the adult insect emerges. They have benefitted from the increase in true marginal plants at Scotsman’s Pit and those fishing the pond report that they have enjoyed seeing them too.
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A moth light trap had been run at Abbey House overnight and this produced over 65 individual moths of 23 different species. Most were common garden and woodland species but far from ordinary to look at! We also looked at life in the ponds and found two species of water boatmen, damselfly larvae, water beetles and small crustaceans. In the evening a group met to look for bats around Scotsman’s Pit, and the church, equipped with several sonic bat detectors. This enabled four species to be identified – common and soprano pipistrelles, noctule and Daubenton’s bat. A final point of interest was a sparrowhawk perched on the church roof and no doubt aware of the emerging bats!
Tim Baldwin
Biodiversity News – August 2024
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During June we were pleased to have a new oak sleeper bench installed to look over the pond from
the green. This view will be kept open with lower growing marginal plants along the pond edge here.
Some have been planted from elsewhere but it has also been interesting to see some colonise,
showing that seed had lain dormant for some time and has now taken advantage of the newly bare
ground which suits them. Examples include celery-leaved buttercup, pink water speedwell, redshank
and trifid bur marigold – this is not a common plant in Norfolk and rarely occurs away from rivers.
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With a healthier pond, there is now more life to be seen in and around it. From the new bench in just a
few minutes last month I noted three of the larger dragonfly species, including this broad-bodied
chaser.
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The meadow has given a good display this year, starting in May and held up well until some heavy rain in mid-July.
We are grateful to both the Parish Council and the Village Fund for funding which has enabled us to provide the new bench.
Tim Baldwin
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Biodiversity News – July 2024
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Village Wildlife Walk and Activity Morning – Sunday 21st July: Meet at The Well at 10.00
Visiting Scotsman’s Pit, the Abbey Road Woodland, Post Office Pond and the Biodiversity Project including a moth trap reveal on the green and pond dipping.
Information and guides at the Biodiversity Project.
Interest and weather permitting, there will also be an opportunity to return for an evening live moth trapping and bat session.
All welcome, contact for further details:
Tim Baldwin 07748 997723 call or text
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Biodiversity News – June 2024
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Spring growth has been very rapid this year with high moisture levels in the ground and the area has quickly recovered from the effect of the winter flooding. It has not been without its effects however: some erosion of the pond bank on the south side and a sudden increase of nettle growth in the area near the viewing platform. Volunteers have been busy replanting the pond margin, keeping the paths clear and pulling some of the nettles, hopefully to avoid them becoming dominant. More welcome has been the best showing of ragged robin for some years beside the path on the north side of the pond. The next working party morning is on Saturday 15th June at 10.00 a.m
Tim Baldwin
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