Lodge Hill in May

22nd May 2017

We're still campaigning to #SaveLodgeHill, a UK stronghold for nightingales, from housing development. We went back to Lodge Hill since our visit in Autumn, to see how the site has changed over the seasons and to listen to the nightingales.

Following on from our visit in the Autumn, we returned to the site in May, and photos from that trip can be seen below, but first, here is a recording taken on that trip of a nightingale singing, with chiffchaffs, blackbirds and wrens in the background, giving you some idea of what we’re trying to save.

 

The consultation on Medway’s LocalPlan ends on the 30th May. What you can do to help us, the RSPB and our conservation partners to #SaveLodgeHill can be found here.

Chattenden Woods and Lodge Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest includes large areas of ancient woodland. While at present none of these are proposed for development, it is likely that having a new population of over 11,000 people living alongside, as well as their pets, litter, light and noise pollution, will have a detrimental impact on the woodland and its wildlife.

Lodge Hill woodland

Spring view of Lodge Hill

There are many mature trees on site, some of which support bat roosts.

As the Ministry of Defence has abandoned the site over the decades it has been reclaimed by nature. Here, some railway sidings have been colonised by ruderal plants, providing good habitat for reptiles. The scrub in the background supports a number of nightingales.