Resident volunteers welcomed families and nature-lovers to enjoy a Community Day at the quiet meadow last Sunday (July 28).

The site, lying between the Tesco Extra car park and the bypass, is established as a Community Nature Reserve by the Chelmer Blackwater CIC and is managed by volunteer local residents.

Sunday's warm sunshine meant the reserve was in fantastic shape, as lots of grasshoppers, bugs and insects hopped amongst the blooming flowers.

Visitors enjoyed a wildflower hunt, sweeping amongst the vegetation for mini-beasts, pond dipping and admiring some impressive moths collected the previous night (before being safely released.)



The Poplar Hawk Moth. (Photo: J Buchanan)

Highlights included watching a gathering of ninety Swifts high overhead, as well as finding shrimps, a Three-spined Stickleback and even a Flounder in the mere.

Over a hundred species were recorded over the day, including several new discoveries, demonstrating the value of the site for wildlife.

If you would like to know more about the Reserve, details including how you can volunteer or become a shareholder can be found on the Reserve website.

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John Buchanan, Author of 'Wildlife of Maldon'.