Norfolk Hawker in abundance on the newly re-profiled section of Scarrow Beck, Felbrigg
Felbeck Trust has been a partner with the National Trust on their Riverlands project - improving the water quality in the Upper Bure - since it's inception. We've done various small schemes on the Gur Beck and are currently participating in a joint programme of water quality testing. Whilst we were away in America in the Spring they finally got around to doing some re-profiling work on Scarrow Beck, below the dam at Felbrigg. Yesterday, after the rain of the past few days, I decided to take a closer look. All I can say is its fabulous - hats off to the Riverlands team for a job well done! This stretch of the beck, where it exits the lake, was channelised from the dam to the edge of the estate - deep sided, little open water and not very attractive to wildlife. Now it has been re-profiled and transformed. The thing which struck me most was the abundance of insects, including plenty of Norfolk Hawkers. Now I know it's been a particularly good year for this scarce dragonfly but it can't be just a coincidence that they are currently abundant along this new 'wildlife friendly' stretch of the beck. I also saw a couple of Green Sandpiper and an early returning Snipe, as well as a profusion of orchids. The challenge going forward will be to maintain these improvements. Previous schemes above the lake and another on Paul's Common were equally impressive in the beginning but over the years they have quickly become choked-up, providing much less open water and less visible biodiversity. I look forward to seeing the wildlife return to this important and much improved habitat - and the benefits sustained in the future.
Green Sandpiper - just the sort of species which is benefiting from the new habitat
The dramatic improvements brought about by re-profiling
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