My Great Day at the Great Fen

When his mum Lorna had to talk on the radio for work, eight-year-old Thom J and his sister Sally came along to the Great Fen to listen in - and to explore the place for themselves. Here is Thom's blog about how much he enjoyed a really Great Day

Blogger profile:

Name: Thomas J

Age: 8

Favourite animal: hedgehog

Wants to stop: climate change, habitat destruction and pollution

Favourite sport: climbing tall trees

I went on a long walk at WoodWalton Fen. When we were almost there a red kite nearly landed on the car! When we arrived, everywhere was swarming with butterflies and dragonflies at a big river - it was amazing.

When we were crossing the bridge across the river, I saw a pike in the water and an emperor dragonfly hovered, and nearly landed on me. Then I chased a meadow brown butterfly to a bungalow on stilts. It was on stilts so that the water couldn’t get in when it flooded, it is called Rothchild’s Bungalow.

When we left the bungalow I spotted an unusual insect and when we got home I found out that it was a small short winged conehead! We walked some more and came to a little hill and I had my lunch. I also saw a Chinese water deer!

Then we walked back and went to Holme Fen; we looked at the Holme Fen post and the ground was very bouncy (mum jumped up and down and it wobbled). Then we went to Rymes Reedbed and walked to the tall bird hide, called Trundle Mere Hide.

I think that the Great Fen looks like the best place for nature in the world!

Thom J at Holme Fen, Great Fen by Caroline Fitton

Craig Bennett at Rothschild Bungalow, Woodwalton Fen by Caroline Fitton

Lorna Parker, Craig Bennet, Tom Feilden at Woodwalton Fen by Caroline Fitton

Lorna Parker, Thom and Sally at Woodwalton Fen by Caroline Fitton

Sally J playing on a log, Holme Fen by Caroline Fitton

Craig Bennett, CEO Wildlife Trusts with BBC R4 science ed Tom Feilden, Great Fen by Caroline Fitton

Four spot chaser dragonfly by Caroline Fitton

Lorna Parker and Tom Feilden at Woodwalton Fen by Caroline Fitton

Craig Bennett at Jon's Hide, New Decoy, Great Fen by Caroline Fitton

View from Woodwalton Fen by Caroline Fitton

Craig Bennett and Lorna P, Trundle Mere Hide by Caroline Fitton

Holme post by Caroline Fitton

Rothchild's Bungalow by Caroline Fitton

Thom's mum is Great Fen restoration manager Lorna Parker, who happily let Thom 'hijack' her page . . .

On Wednesday 24 June The Wildlife Trusts launched a new national report, Let Nature Help, with the Great Fen one of four national examples of Wildlife Trust habitat restoration (wetland, peatland, grassland) helping carbon capture, see below. Lorna along with the new Wildlife Trust's CEO Craig Bennett met at the Great Fen with BBC science editor Tom Feilden to record a piece for Radio 4 Today programme. Thom and Sally came along to see Lorna at work and enjoy exploring.