Bioblitz underscores value of under-threat Coton Orchard for wildlife

One of the UK’s most extraordinary moths, some scarce birds and four species of bat were among the highlights of the second Coton Orchard BioBlitz.

The event, attended by conservationists and nature lovers, underscored the value of the site for wildlife.

It prompted more warnings from campaigners about the environmental impact of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s plan for an off-road Cambourne to Cambridge busway, which would plough through Coton Orchard, causing hundreds of mature trees to be felled.

Wildlife biologist and nature writer Lindsay Rohrbaugh put it succinctly after leading a bat safari: “Driving a bus through this habitat is a really dumb idea."

The bioblitz, organised by Ben Greig of On The Verge Cambridge, marked the culmination of the month-long Cambridge Nature Festival, highlighting the efforts of dedicated individuals and organisations working for the natural world in the county.

Dr Claire Wallace, of the Butterfly Conservation Trust, called it “a glorious day after so many months of rain - perhaps a bit too hot for bumblebees but we’re not complaining”.

She was one of a number of experts volunteering her time to guide walks and take a snapshot of the wildlife on site, while helping to inspire a new generation of naturalists and conservationists.

Moth and mammal traps were checked early in the day and creatures were swiftly released back into the wild.

Children were delighted by an unusually large number of privet hawk-moths, the UK's largest resident hawk-moth, with its striking pink and black striped abdomen.

Meanwhile, a tiny micro moth, found on the cover of the recordists' handbook, was spotted.

And Adrian Matthews, of the Cambridge Moth Group, was most excited by an obscure wainscot moth.

“I’ve only found a couple of these in many, many years of mothing,” he said, who was joined by colleague Lois Clarke.

Asked about the prospect of a busway transecting the habitat, he said: “To destroy what you’ve got here would be absolutely tragic.”

Friends and supporters gathered in the afternoon for the launch of Wassail! – a book of poems celebrating orchards sold in aid of the campaign to save Coton Orchard from the off-road C2C busway.

The author and illustrator, Debbie Whitton Spriggs, along with her husband Jeremy, performed some poems, with assistance from the audience.

Sales of the book - available to buy at footpathpress.com - have raised nearly £600 since its publication at the beginning of June.

Pippa Keynes and Peter Pilbeam, of Cambridge Mammal Group, were also present, while Paul Andrew led a walk to try and find some of the 20-plus red and amber list birds that have been recorded in the orchard. He was particularly excited “to see a lesser whitethroat carrying food and scolding,” confirming they are nesting in the area.

“That’s great to see as they are not a common bird around here anymore and shows the importance of this place. It’s like a green magnet for this area, and the diversity of habitats helps so many species. It’s so important that we protect Coton Orchard,” he said.

Species such as nightingales, which have declined by more than 90 per cent since the late 1960s, and song thrushes, which declined 51 per cent from 1980 to 2009, are still found in Coton Orchard.

Lindsay’s bat safari began as the sun began to see four species: common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, brown long-eared and the increasingly scarce barbastelle.