River levels are down to seasonal levels and Natural England lifted the temporary closure yesterday. The fritillary season is finished for this year and the hay crop is growing fast ready for the hay cut later this month.
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Large numbers of birds around today including a red kite overhead. Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Curlew, Meadow Pipets, Stonechats, Lapwings and Yellowhammers all nest on or close to the ground. To avoid disturbing these birds please stay on the marked paths and keep your dog on a short lead.
Natural England have extended the closure of North Meadow until 16th June. The warmer weather and no rain in the last week has reduced river levels which are now lower than any time since February. Natural England are reviewing the meadow condition regularly and will re-open the meadow to the public as soon as possible.
Female Banded Demoiselle
Banded demoiselles, newly emerged common blue damselflies, brimstone and large white butterflies were visible from the entrance to North Meadow this morning.
Check back here for further updates on the condition of the meadow.
Update 27th May 2023
North Meadow is still closed to the public. River levels have dropped and the meadow is drying but still very muddy and prone to compaction damage. Natural England are continuing to check to the condition and hope to re-open the National Nature Reserve soon.
The rainfall this week (37mm) has raised the river levels again. The growing hay crop makes the meadow look green from a distance but much of the meadow has 100mm of water in the grass. The paths are impassable and drainage channels have deep water in places where they cross the paths,
The temporary closure is in force until 19th May and it is possible that this may now be extended as concern is growing for the condition of this internationally important habitat.
Check back here for further updates on the condition of the meadow.
River levels have dropped quickly this week and the meadow is now drying rapidly. Ground conditions are still very soft and the pathways are blocked in several locations by water in the drainage ditches. Natural England have not yet opened the meadow to the public to protect the meadow from compaction damage. The temporary closure from 14th April until 19th May is still in force see closure notice and map showing the area of restriction.
Great White Egret
The meadow is full of birds feeding on invertebrates in the soft mud. A Great White Egret was feeding on Frogsham meadow next to the road this morning.
The Snakes Head Fritillaries have now reached the end of their flowering season and with more rain forecast in the next few days it is not going to be possible to see the spectacular display this year. The hay has now stared to grow and will soon be full of wild flowers still a wonderful sight when the meadow re-opens.
It is possible Natural England will open North Meadow to the public before 19th May if conditions allow. Check back here for further updates on the condition of the meadow.
River levels are now dropping but 3 mm of rain this week and more expected today is not helping. The cold overcast weather is slowing the drying process, we need more sun. Although the meadow now looks green the long grass is hiding 50 to 100mm of water over most of the meadow and all of the paths.
Fritillary on North Meadow
The fritillaries are flowering in these difficult conditions see adjacent picture taken by Natural England’s Reserve Manager when assessing the need for continued closure.
Natural England have temporarily closed North Meadow from 14th April until 19th May and have issued a closure notice and map showing the area of restriction.
Red Crested Pochard (Netta rufina)Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
It’s disappointing for those of us who would like to see the fritillaries but the soft mud is providing much needed food for lots of birds. Several Little Egrets, a pair of Red Crested Pochards and lots of Black Headed Gulls were feeding on Frogsham Meadow next to the causeway road today.
It is possible Natural England will open North Meadow to the public before 19th May if conditions allow. Check back here for further updates on the condition of the meadow.
River levels remain high but are now reducing after 6 days without rain in the last week. Natural England have temporarily closed North Meadow from 14th April until 19th May and have issued a closure notice and map showing the area of restriction.
The closure will be in place until the floodwaters have receded and ground conditions have improved to such an extent that people accessing the site will not cause damage to the sensitive habitats for which the site is internationally important.
Cricklade Bloomers Fritillary Tea Room will still be open this weekend if you are in Cricklade and would like some light refreshments. It is run by volunteers and all proceeds will be used to fund the floral displays in Cricklade.
The meadow will dry quickly after a few days of warmer dry weather. It is possible Natural England will open North Meadow to the public before 19th May if conditions allow. Check back here for further updates on the condition of the meadow.
River levels remain high after the rain over the last 7 days. Natural England have therefore decided to temporarily close North Meadow from 14th April until 19th May and have issued a closure notice and map showing the area of restriction.
The closure will be in place until the floodwaters have receded and ground conditions have improved to such an extent that people accessing the site will not cause damage to the sensitive habitats for which the site is internationally important.
Cricklade Bloomers Fritillary Tea Room will still be open this weekend if you are in Cricklade and would like some light refreshments. It is run by volunteers and all proceeds will be used to fund the floral displays in Cricklade.
The meadow will dry quickly after a few days of warmer dry weather and it is possible Natural England will open North Meadow to the public before 19th May if conditions allow. Check back here for further updates on the condition of the meadow.
Very little rain for 4 days and the river levels have started to drop. The picture of North Meadow entrance above was taken today. Unfortunately the meadow is in full flood and still inaccessible. Please do not visit to see the snakes head fritillaries this weekend.
After a very dry February we have had 138 mm of rainfall in March, 2.5 times the 10 year average for March in this area. North Meadow does not normally flood in April but it is part of the functional floodplain and therefore normal for it to flood after heavy rainfall.
We expect there to be an opportunity to see the snakes head fritillaries later this month. Please check in here in a few days for a further update on the meadow conditions. You can find out more about the river levels on our river levels monitoring page.
It has been a wet week with 24 mm of rainfall since our last Fritillary Watch update. River levels are now higher and flooding on the meadow has increased see picture above taken in the entrance today. With more rain forecast in the next few days please do not visit the meadow until conditions improve. It is impossible to see the marked paths and the water can be deep and fast flowing in places.
The fritillaries will still be developing and a period of dry weather can make a huge difference to conditions at this time of year. We expect the flood waters to drain quickly and warmer weather will speed up the drying process.
Please check in here in a few days for a further update on the meadow conditions. You can find out more about the river levels on our river levels monitoring page.
After a very dry February the rain over the last 3 weeks has raised the river levels and flooded the meadow which is now impassable and very muddy. We expect the flooding to recede quickly at this time of year and a few dry days will make the meadow accessible again in time for the spectacular flowering of the Snakes Head Fritillaries in mid-April.
The Snakes Head Fritillaries have started to emerge in great numbers but at this stage they still look like a blade of grass. It is still too early to see flowering fritillaries. If you do visit please ensure you stay on the marked paths as the newly emerged plants are very difficult to see and easily damaged. If you bring a dog it is important to keep it on a short lead as dogs will also damage these rare plants and will disturb ground nesting birds if they leave the path.
The Cricklade Bloomers Fritillary Tea Rooms will be open for 2 weekends 15/16th April and 22/23rd April. They serve drinks and light lunches and are open 11.00am to 4.00pm. They are located next to Town Bridge at the North Meadow end of Cricklade High Street. The tea rooms raise funds for Cricklade Bloomers volunteer activities around the Town.
Check Fritillary Watch for further updates over the coming days.
