News from Wicken Fen
As the year draws to a close its time to reflect on a successful year for the fen. Over the summer we welcomed over 35,000 visitors to the fen, 36% higher than in the previous year. In May we celebrated the achievements of the first 10 years of the Wicken Fen Vision, with hundreds of people enjoying a day of celebration on the fen, whilst in July our National Dragonfly Centre opened.
A fantastic year for wildlife was topped of by the first ever breeding of Avocets on the reserve. Other highlights included Stonechats breeding on the reserve for the first time in over 70 years, and at least two pairs of bearded tit. The list of species recorded at Wicken Fen grew to any amazing 8230 species. New to list this year are the Squacco Heron, 4 species of moth, 43 species of lichen and on the smaller and perhaps more obscure side, 35 species of nematode worm.
If you are interested in archaeology, the Cambridge Archaeology Field Group will be leading a walk over Hurdle Hall, near Reach, on Sunday 13 December. A similar walk over Oily Hall to the south of Swaffham Bulbeck Lode last winter recovered 430 struck flints together with seven shards of pottery. The quantity and quality of the finds has raised considerable interest amongst archaeologists with a general consensus that the struck flints are late Mesolithic (8500 -4000 BC) or early Neolithic (4000- 2200 BC) with the pottery dating from the Neolithic period. To join the walk please meet on Reach Village Green at 1000.Children under the age of 18 should be accompanied by an adult please. For further information please contact Community Warden, Emma Shepherd on 01353 720274
To help you get into the festive spirit we would like to invite you to an evening of Lantern-lit Christmas Carols, Crafts and Chestnuts at Wicken Fen on Friday 4 December, 1630 -2030 (free admission). Enjoy a magical lantern lit stroll around the boardwalk, warm yourself up with hot punch and roasted chestnuts, browse the craft stalls and shop for Christmas presents and sing along to some traditional Christmas carols with the Wicken Fen singers.
Father Christmas has promised to find time in his busy schedule to visit Wicken Fen on Saturday / Sunday 12, 13, 19 & 20 December, at 1030, 1115, 1300, 1345 & 1430 (£6.75 -Suitable for children aged 3-12 years). A Christmas Trail around the Boardwalk will lead you to Father Christmas in his secret grotto. Advanced booking is recommended -contact the Visitor Centre on 01353 720274 Don't forget Wicken Fen is open every day from Boxing Day to New Year's Day over the festival holiday for beautiful winter walks.
What better way could there be to shift those extra Christmas pounds.