The site is managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust who own the farm at Blackstone. They allow a field to lie fallow each year and are actively encouraging the area to revert to its native heathland. According to Andy Harris (WWT's Conservation Officer at Blackstone), over the last 200 years, Worcestershire has lost around nine-tenths of its heathland. He states on the website (http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/) that it's because of this loss we need to try and conserve what's left and, just as importantly, try to re-create some that we've already lost.
Management at Blackstone Farm Nature Reserve is incredibly pro-active in its aims, where fields are managed on a rotational system and rare arable plants share space with the nationally rare Adrena nigrospena bees. Fields are left fallow on a rotation system, herbicides and fertilisers are minimised and those fields in cultivation have wide field margins to attract and retain wildlife.
Skylarks nest in the poppy fields here, so visitors are asked to keep to the field boundaries, but all are welcome and it is a wonderful sight for sure. There was a collection pot hanging on the gate post at the edge of the field to raise funds for the WWT. If you go, take a few coins with you for their pot, it's worth it!!
When you've visited the fields, have a wander across the road through the car park to the riverside walks. The Severn winds its way along from Bewdley and is particularly pretty here, abundant in all kinds of wildlife and thick with waterside plants. I was actually most interested in trying to find a kingfisher to photograph. Unfortunately I couldn't find one, but I still sat for quite a while admiring the dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, whatever!
Flitting from leaf to leaf and darting across the water they were lovely to watch. With the sound of a steam train somewhere in the distance, and a fisherman across the way, it felt like we'd been transported back into a different time and place... or maybe the same place but definitely a different time!!
It was so peaceful and relaxing. Dipping my toes in the river and soaking up the sun I could have stayed all day! Hogy had other ideas about peace and quiet though. Jumping straight into the shallows he belted around trying to catch dragonflies, picking as much silt up onto him as he could find before launching himself back out and shaking it all over me! Glad I wore my shorts and white top!!
Bless 'im, lol.
Rebecca, x
www.rtphotographics.co.uk
rebecca@rtphotpgraphics.co.uk
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