BBOWT – Dry Sandford Pit

As the landscape opens up across fenland, shallow ponds and sandy cliff faces, I’m stood where there was once a warm, shallow sea full of coral, in an area that would have had a temperature similar to the Caribbean.

Dry Sandford Pit was a working quarry up until late 1950’s, being excavated for its sand. The steep cliffs of sand, full of fossils, are now home to hundreds and hundreds of tiny holes made by solitary bees and wasps.

The deepest parts of excavation are now flooded making marshy habitats and large, shallow ponds, which on the day I visited was only occupied by Mallard ducks, but I imagine in the summer months it will be home to butterflies, dragonflies and other insects.

Spring flowers are just appearing, as we left the car park a large patch of Primroses are tucked under small trees and Violets grow at the base of the cliffs.

A Buzzard passed overhead arguing with a gang of rooks, and two Red Kites circled high on the rising late afternoon thermals.

As we walked around the edge of the reserve we found signs of Badgers, foxes and deers. A Muntjac crept through the reeds trying to avoid us and as we wandered along the top edge we startled two hares that ran and disappeared under a patch of brambles.

Before we left we sat on a bench for a while opposite one of the cliff faces watching rabbits hopping in and out of their sandy burrows while a squirrel leapt from tree to tree above our heads.