2020

TL5473 : Asian water buffalos, Kingfishers Bridge

taken 3 years ago, 3 km from Barway, Cambridgeshire, England

Asian water buffalos, Kingfishers Bridge
Asian water buffalos, Kingfishers Bridge
From the nature reserve's website: LinkExternal link : "We have a small breeding herd of water buffalo, originally from Nepal ... The buffalo deliver an excellent range of grazing outcomes and are especially at home when grazing in the reed bed which is often too soft for machinery to access. They continuously graze new growth, whilst stripping existing reeds bare, and trample the litter layer which prevents the waterways from becoming choked. Their love of wallowing means that they will push deep into the reed bed and into the pools within, creating tracks though the reed to the pools. When water levels rise again these channels through the reed bed provide excellent feeding sites for Bittern. The reedbed is often too soft to get machinery into it until much later in the year."
Kingfishers Bridge Nature Reserve

Since 1995 the Kingfishers Bridge Project has transformed 300 acres of arable farmland into a mosaic of wildlife habitats. Where tractors once cultivated the soil to grow potatoes and cereals there are now meadows with hundreds of wintering wildfowl, reedbeds with nesting Marsh Harriers and limestone cliffs with breeding Sand Martins and Kingfishers.
The project, which was started by private initiative, has many special features. It benefits from various water sources including clear clean water seeping from a limestone ridge which lies adjacent to the site. Water levels are carefully managed for optimum wildlife benefit with the use of banks, ditches and sluices which ensure none is wasted.
Reedbed, fen, mere, ditches, ponds, islands, meadows, scrapes and cliffs have all been created, each with the special features needed to attract a variety of species. For instance the reedbed has open pools, some deep water, an extensive ditch system and variable water depth to attract species such as Bittern. It has also been stocked with fish and small eels to ensure a good food supply is available.
Since 1995 over 300 plant taxa have been recorded, most of which have colonised naturally. A few have needed some help. Water Germander had declined in Eastern England to just 12 plants, all of which were here at Kingfishers Bridge.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Tiger and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Lakes, Wetland, Bog Primary Subject: Grazing other tags: Buffalo Water Buffalo Nature Reserve Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
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TL5473, 16 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Tiger   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Wednesday, 4 November, 2020   (more nearby)
Submitted
Friday, 6 November, 2020
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TL 5447 7324 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:20.1299N 0:15.9443E
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TL 5435 7308
View Direction
Northeast (about 45 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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