Dragonfly/nature sites near Luton

[Leif]

As the title says, does anyone know any good sites for insects and wild flowers within about 50 miles of Luton?

I have found a few good sites:

Blue Lagoon: A nature reserve with some lakes south of Milton Keynes. Well worth a visit and not busy.

Summer Leys, near Wellingborough: A wonderful nature reserve, created around flooded disused gravel pits. Good for bird watching, insects and plants. I spent a pleasant 30 minutes in the hide listening to Reed Buntings, Reed Warblers, Lap Wings and the background clack clack from several cameras. At 7am on a Saturday I was surprised by the number of scope and binocular toting birders.

Sharpenhoe Clappers, Barton Hills, Pegsdon Hill: Beautiful chalk hills with chalk loving plants, including Bee Orchids, and butterflies including Silver Washed Fritillary.

Emberton Country Park: A council run park south of Northampton: Lakes and fields, but spoilt by lots of caravans, and cars.

Blows Down: On the edge of Luton. An okay site for plants but a bit too near Luton for comfort i.e. noisy and doggy.

Leif

[Nigel G]

Hi Leif

I guess your probably familiar with the UK Butterflies web site which lists loads of good places all over the country and what you might see there but just in case you aren't here's a link:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/sites...TL&species=All

Incidently thanks for your comment on my Silver washed fritillarys - no I haven't got a huge butterfly suit . On that morning there were literally dozens of silver washed in every ride but getting close wasn't easy.
Although I long for a DSLR I find with easily spooked insects that firstly you need to get down low and not loom over them but also using a compact I can hold it at arms length, frame the shot in the LCD and fire it with
an 18" manual shutter release. For that particular shot I was about 2ft away but the camera was less than 6inches.

[Leif]

Hello Nigel: Thanks for the link, very useful. That's a neat photographic technique. Leif

[jammie*dodger]

Try Oakley country park just North of Bedford, The ouse from Great Barford downstream, Wyboston Lakes near the A1 and Marstin Vale forest center.

Rob.

p.s. it's Sharpenhoe Clappers ;-)

[Leif]

Originally Posted by jammie*dodger

Try Oakley country park just North of Bedford, The ouse from Great Barford downstream, Wyboston Lakes near the A1 and Marstin Vale forest center.

Rob.

p.s. it's Sharpenhoe Clappers ;-)

Thanks Rob. I'll give them a try. Ooops. I've corrected the typo. Leif

[jammie*dodger]

Originally Posted by Leif

Thanks Rob. I'll give them a try. Ooops. I've corrected the typo. Leif

I can't comment That should have been "Marston Vale" ;-)

Rob.

[Andy]

Local to me is Therfield Heath between Baldock and Royston... more chalky meadow habitat, but there's some excellent flora

[Leif]

Thanks for the further suggestions. Time to get the maps out. Leif