Trip reports

Bins and Boots - Doxey Marshes

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

We'd been promised a dry, if cloudy, morning for the February 'Bins and Boots' meeting, but the unexpected rain didn't put off the 24 stalwarts who met at the car park near the M6 end of Doxey Marshes, Stafford. It's a Staffordshire Wildlife Trust reserve, and Jeff, the recently appointed Warden, was happy to show us round.
The reserve covers an extensive acreage, with a variety of pools, ditches, scrapes, wet grassland and the River Sow running through it, thus providing habitat for many flora and fauna.
The highlights were good views of goosander, shovelers, grey heron, reed bunting and stonechat, but no one saw the water pipit. However, several people had an excellent sighting of a bittern towards the end of our stay.
Jeff's knowledge and enthusiasm helped to make this visit most enjoyable.