Reserve Walk Reserve

Highgate Common Highgate Common Nature Reserve, near in South , is the most southerly reserve managed by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Warden Hannah Dalton shares a walk around this popular lowland heath and woodland.

Solitary heaven Take the first path on the right and heath areas. Continue to follow the Begin the walk in Pool Car Park, off then the first left after you've crossed red route waymarkers until you reach Camp Hill Road. Head up the hill the road until you reach the pond. On a Goldie Heath. 1 summer's day, dragonflies dart around towards craters of exposed sandy soil. This area is one of the best areas on in the sunshine. Glow worm central Highgate Common to see rare and Goldie Heath is home to some of . Look closely at the sandy areas Hazel alley 6our rarer species, including the bog and you'll see lots of tiny holes. These Follow the path behind the pond bush cricket and glow worms. Before are the entrances to the bees' burrows. 4and head into the woods. Follow Staffordshire Wildlife Trust took over, the to the right until Goldie Heath had become overgrown Heathland management you reach a crossroads. Turn left and with young birch scrub. Again, Follow the path to the right. In make your way down hazel alley. This volunteers and wardens have have done the 60s this entire area was open ride of hazel is a great place to see the a lot of work to open up the area and 2 white admiral butterflies on brambles or the heathland plants are beginning to and sandy. Lots of trees have begun to colonise the precious heathland at laying eggs on honeysuckle. recover. Highgate Common, and part of the management involves the removal of Picnic spot Fascinating past some of the trees and scrub to benefit At the end of hazel alley take the Make your way through the the heathland wildlife. 5path to your right which leads 7woodland and head back to the you to Brandt’s Hill. From the top of the main common. During World War II Darting dragonflies hill, on a clear day you can see out to Highgate was used as a training camp Turn left at the wonderful the Wrekin. This patch of heath was cut for soldiers and was also an area for climbing oak tree. Local people off from the other heath further along bomb disposal. Tanks used to track all 3 the path. Our devoted volunteers spent over the common, which created some have been climbing this tree for generations. Head up the hill to the winter creating a corridor to allow great sandy habitat for the mining Modeler’s car park and cross the road. the tiny invertebrates to move between bees and wasps.

12 Staffordshire Wildlife | Summer 2015

FINAL summer 2015.indd 12 16/07/2015 13:58:35 Reserve Walk Six to spot Six to Andy Payne Andy Andy Payne Andy Payne Andy Bee burrows Oil beetle White admiral Highgate is home to 140 different Oil beetles are very impressive Can be seen from mid June on species of solitary bees and wasps that creatures. They have an enormous honeysuckle and bramble. The live in the sandy soil. Look out for tiny abdomen which the female uses upperside is black, with a bold, white holes in the ground along paths – each to carry her eggs. She will lay stripe, while the underside is bright of these is the entrance to a burrow. thousands each year. orange with a white stripe. Andy Payne Andy Philip Roxby Payne Andy Glow worm Tree pipit Minotaur beetle These little beetles can be found Can be seen perching in trees on the A dung beetle, they can sometimes be feeding on snails in the heathland. heathland. They have a very distinctive seen rolling rabbit droppings down into Only the females produce a glow, song when in flight. When leaving a tree their burrows. The males have three which they use to attract a flying male. they parachute down with stiff wings and very distinctive horns on the thorax Look for them from the end of May. their song is drawn out towards the end. and glossy, ridged wingcases.

Highgate Common Getting there Highgate Common is west of Wombourne and , between Swindon and Bobbington. Leave the A449 at and 5 head to Swindon village. Follow 6 the High Street which turns into Chasepool Road. Follow this to the crossroads and turn right on 4 to Camp Hill Road. The wardens 7 office and toilets are located in the Cory Community Centre on Highgate Road. Nearest postcode: DY7 5BS Grid ref: SO 836 895 3 Useful information The walk will take around 1 hour to complete. The terrain is fairly 2 flat with some small inclines, and paths are rugged. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. 1 Latest sightings START Check out Trust volunteer Andy Payne's blog to discover more about the wildlife of Highgate Common. Visit www. highgatecommonwildlife.com

Summer 2015 | Staffordshire Wildlife 13

FINAL summer 2015.indd 13 16/07/2015 13:58:39