Therfield HeathTherfield Heath lies to the East and South of Royston and can be accessed just off the A505 (O/S 154: TL 335 400).
Botanists come from many miles around to admire its pasque flowers in April, but it is less well known as a stopping off point for passage migrant birds such as ring ouzels (at least 7 birds were seen here in 2007) and wheatears, with "Greenland race" birds regularly seen in the spring. Skylarks and meadow pipits breed across the Heath and impressively large numbers of willow warblers (up to 25 pairs) also nest here. Whitethroats and lesser whitethroats are common in hedgerows on and around the heath during spring and summer and enlightened management of nearby farms has led to big increases in the numbers of grey partridges using the Heath in recent years, bucking the national trend. Another declining species, the corn bunting, still has a toehold in the area. A good selection of raptors can be seen here, with kestrels, sparrowhawks and buzzards all breeding and hobbies and red kites being seen on an increasingly regular basis. Amazingly, marsh harriers successfully fledged young nearby in 2005.
Several species of orchid can be found here during the summer months, and around 25 species of butterfly are recorded, often being seen on the wing over the Heath in every month of the year! Nevertheless, this is a fragile environment and inappropriate management in the recent past has led to a steady decline in the numbers of the Heath's "special" butterfly, the chalkhill blue.
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