After moving to Northamptonshire in early 2021 we have found and explored many of the nature reserves both nearby and a bit further away.

We fairly regularly go to the local Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves at Pitsford Water and Summer Leys, and less often go to Titchmarsh (a reflection of the distance not its loveliness). We also once a year or so head further east to the Nene Washes and Ouse Washes; we now benefit from not being very far from The Fens, so these sites, as well as others like Wicken Fen, are within easy reach.

However, we haven’t really headed very far west in search of wildlife sites. That is, before yesterday. With an unplanned Saturday on our hands, we headed to the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust site at Brandon Marsh, just south of Coventry.

We had been thinking of going to Brandon before now, particularly for the winter starlings murmuration, but hadn’t quite got round to it.

The reserve is a mix of grassland, woodland and reedbed spread over 92 hectares. There are a lot of trails through the site and plenty of hides to watch the wildlife from. This was perhaps quite a quiet time of year to go. With breeding season for the birds well past, the summer visitors drifting south, and the winter visitors yet to arrive in big numbers, the birdlife was lower than it might be at other times of year. However, there was still plenty to see and hear. Of particular note were four sightings of kingfisher at three different locations and we could hear Cetti’s warblers all around the reserve. Unfortunately we missed the double osprey of a couple of days but we did find a good selection of birdlife given the time of year.

I could imagine that the reserve is usually bouncing with life in the spring with the woodlands full of songbirds and the warblers calling endlessly from the reedbeds but we have many months to wait to find out. Beforehand, hopefully, we will go back this winter to see whether the starlings have returned in big numbers.

I should also mention the cafe does a very good sausage bap and we got in free being members of a different wildlife trust.