Great Fen

What a glorious day for our young conservationists to train with @wildlifebcn.org Chief Executive @brianecambs.bsky.social! They joined us for an Intro to Ecology in the half-term holiday, spending the day learning all about habitat and wildlife diversity #ecology #biodiversity #wildlifephotography

This #WorldPeatlandsDay we’re celebrating the modern technology being used to save ancient peatlands. 👏👏 Soft, wet peat across vast landscapes makes for challenging restoration, but we’ve begun working with AutoSpray Systems to test the use of drones for seeding in #paludiculture. @wildlifebcn.org

It's #WorldBeeDay! In the Great Fen, our mosaic of habitats and wildflowers ensure homes and food for many species. From dead wood to bare soil, rodent holes to old building masonry, trimmed grass and wild meadows, bees are welcome here! Have you got a favourite bee? #solitarybees #bumblebee

This was when we first met the birch sawfly (Cimbex femoratus) and we don’t mind admitting he had us confused. As you can hear we all thought a bee originally. Apparently they are also hymenoptera so the same order as bees, but they lack the constricted waist. He did fly away, so maybe just cold?

We met a giant at Holme Fen! The largest lowland birch woodland hosting our largest birch sawfly!

On Saturday morning, we headed to the beautiful Woodwalton Fen National Nature Reserve to enjoy the #DawnChorus on a guided walk. What an incredible way to start the day! #birdwatching #WoodwaltonFen #birdsong #Soundscape #wildlife #guidedwalk #walkingtrail

Do you wish you could spend more time outdoors this summer? 🌅 🌤️ More fresh air 🐦 More birdsong 🌼 More slow moments outside 🦊 More nature on your doorstep 30 Days Wild is all about finding small ways to enjoy nature in June. Sign up: www.wildlifebcn.org/30dayswild #30DaysWild

Lovely to meet so many of you at Upwood Spring Fair today! We upcycled tiles into #wildlifegarden signs, welcoming animals into areas we’ve pledged to leave wild, grow flowers, add ponds and more. Remember: sign up for #30DaysWild & head to WildAboutGardens.org.uk for free wildlife gardening guides.

What does every ecologist want for their birthday? To find a rare beetle!! This week we were delighted to help @brianecambs.bsky.social celebrate as he found Curimopsis nigrita (mire pill beetle) at Hatfield Moors #peatland! 🥳🎉 @naturalengland.bsky.social @wildlifebcn.org 📷 Danielle Page

Watch us weave a willow basket in under a minute! Ok, we actually had six wonderful hours learning to make these with Danny from Lawsons Market Garden. What a beautiful day for it! We’d highly recommend Danny’s workshops. Would you like to try something like this in the Great Fen? @wildlifebcn.org

For the past 6 months, the Peatland Progress Communities and Education trainees have been busy developing their conservation-related skills at the Great Fen, across @wildlifebcn.org and with our partners. Thank you for all your hard work! #peatlandprogress #traineeship #ConservationTraining

Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Our first cuckoos have been reported over the weekend and we heard our first at the Ramsey Heights nature reserve this morning. So exciting! @wildlifebcn.org #cuckoo #birdwatching

Little Bugs is back in 3 weeks! Are you joining us? It's such a beautiful time of the year to enjoy the nature reserve and discover so much of its wonderful wildlife! www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2026-... @wildlifebcn.org #preschool #familyevent #outdooradventure

When your colleagues are also this excited about microscopic wildlife, you know you’ve found your people! 😂🥰 @wildlifebcn.org @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social #WorldMicroscopeDay #rotifer #foundmypeople

Plants don't move?! Well, that's what @brianecambs.bsky.social was taught at school, but this little diatom is proving that's rubbish! #WorldMicroscopeDay @wildlifebcn.org

It's #WorldMicroscopeDay! Enjoy this peek into the hidden world living on the roof of the old brickworks at the Ramsey Heights nature reserve! Our CEO @brianecambs.bsky.social treated us to this close-up view of a fantastic array of micro-organisms collected in a moss sample. @wildlifebcn.org

A glorious morning! Hope you all get to enjoy some sunshine and birdsong today!! #birdsong #itsabeautifulday

The Youth Rangers joined a Peterborough City Council Wildlife Officer at Basil Green Pond to survey the aquatic wildlife. Species included freshwater shrimps, water louse, water beetles, pond snails, caddisfly larvae and springtails - all important records as there's limited ecological data here!

Don't miss our #volunteer open day on Friday 10th April! Meet the team, see how you can get involved with our events and education activities, try some of our practical skill work and enjoy a guided walk. #volunteeringopportunity #cambridgeshire #huntingdon #forestschool #guidedwalk #schoolvisit

No music, just the sweet sounds of nature! Still searching for the perfect early nectar source for your garden? May we introduce willow… #wildlifegardening #signsofspring #catkins #perfectforpollinators

The #MayorsDayOut school visits have begun! We went pond dipping, on a nature walk, planted seeds and built dens, listened to birds, followed bumblebees, counted ladybirds, tracked deer and found badger poo! Thanks to CPCA for the new fund supporting local schools to get closer to nature.

Fenland rush hour! Just another day waiting for local traffic to clear 😁 (better with music) #conservationgrazing #rotationalgrazing #sheepfarming #rushhour

Our first #chiffchaff heard was singing yesterday! A few days later than last year, but always a welcome sound. A simple first birdsong to learn too. @wildlifebcn.org #signsofspring #birdsong #wildlifewednesday

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

😍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!

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

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?

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

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!

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

Little Bugs is back on Wed 4th February and celebrating #WorldWetlandsDay! Join our first explore of the year. Discover which plants and animals are already waking for spring and live in our wetlands, make fun nature-themed crafts and enjoy story-time in our lovely nature reserve. @wildlifebcn.org

🩵Time for a new kind of #BlueMonday! When nature makes blues this beautiful who can care about resolutions anyway? Share your favourite blues to lift everyone’s mood. @wildlifebcn.org #blueskymonday #brightbluemonday

Booping a snoot is proven to boost dopamine levels! Happy Moo-nday! #ConservationGrazing #redpollcattle #boop #boopthesnoot #MondayMotivation #dopamine @wildlifebcn.org

A big THANK YOU for supporting us this year! Whether you became a @wildlifebcn.org member, visited events, volunteered, donated, popped over for chat, litter picked, wrote to your MP, commented on or shared our socials, fundraised…. we are very grateful for the time you have given! See you in 2026!

Explore hibernation with us on Saturday! At this family fun event, we'll be learning who hibernates, where and why, and crafting our own hibernation dioramas (that's a very cool 3D scene!) www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2025-... @wildlifebcn.org

Get into the festive spirit by making a Christmas wreath! Let us show you how easy it is to get started...

Excited to see what beautiful creations are made at our willow wreath workshops this year! Are you booked yet? www.wildlifebcn.org/events?locat... @wildlifebcn.org

The fantastic Youth Rangers have been hard at work again, learning to coppice trees and ID different tree species in Thorpe Wood nature reserve, a beautiful #ancientwoodland. Free #conservationskills training for 11-17 yr olds! wildlifebcn.org/youth-rangers @wildlifebcn.org

Little Bugs became Little Cubs! We made fabulous masks and fluffy tails ready to find the cuddly fox friends with important information about their family. We planted foxtail millet to feed the birds next year. And headed to the mud kitchen to make a foxy feast, with lots of wiggly 🪱 of course!

‘We will remember them.’ 10 years ago, a piece of Fenland WWII history was unearthed - the aircraft of Pilot Officer Harold Penketh, Spitfire X4593. This poignant project was an incredible collaboration between archaeologists, military personnel, volunteers & Great Fen partners… @wildlifebcn.org

😍 Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for the incredible Apple and Harvest Fair! We had an amazing time and hope you all did too. Same again next year?? Thank you to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Ramsey Town Council for your generous support! 🫶 @wildlifebcn.org

You can listen in to our interview on 'HCR104fm - Local radio for Huntingdon' by heading to player.streamaudio.co/hcr104fm/lis... and scrolling to find the 'Over To You' programme from October 8th. Thanks for having us Norman! @wildlifebcn.org #AppleDay #AppleandHarvestFair #PeatlandProgress

Look at this incredible line-up for the Apple and Harvest Fair on Sunday! Will you join us to celebrate harvest abundance, community spirit, local heritage and our wonderful wildlife? www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2025-... #AppleDay #AppleandHarvestFair