No. 7 - Huncote Dragonfly Pool & Thurlaston Brook
Grid Ref SP 515 968 Click here for map
Site Access
I have already made a brief reference to this area in the Red-veined Darter article. Anyone reading that will know that the site is to the east of Croft Quarry, accessed from Croft Hill Road between the villages of Huncote and Croft. There is limited parking for about three cars in a gateway at the foot of the 'Huncote Embankment' (SP 513 972) or there are a couple of spots to park off-road along Croft Hill Road. This is a winding, quite narrow road (the footpath is 'inside' the hedge in parts) so you may wish to park on the nearby Thurlaston Lane if the gateway is full.
When, several years ago, Croft Quarry was extended into the long-disused Huncote Quarry a certain amount of good wildlife habitat was removed in the process. However, in recent years a new habitat has been built with the creation of a new bank, with spoil from the quarry. This has come to be called the Huncote Embankment among those watching the wildlife of the area, although the parish boundary between the two villages cuts through the bank, quarry and, indeed, Croft Hill. The southern end of the bank will be finished-off with a new 'Huncote Hill' and visitors to the site should be aware there is a lot of heavy vehicle movement around this area, currently. Blasting in the quarry takes place around the middle of the day on weekdays with warnings being sounded beforehand. I have to mention these points for obvious safety reasons but please don't let them put you off visiting the area - as I mention in the Red-veined Darter piece although there are no formal rights of way, there is absolutely no problem with anyone wanting to walk around the area, bird-watching, etc. Indeed, the management at the quarry are interested in any good sightings that we may have.
Site Details
The area is good for a variety of wildlife. Wild flowers are colonising the bank - Harebells from nearby Croft Hill, good patches of Common Centaury at the northern end and Common Spotted Orchid was noted in 2002. I'm sure there are other discoveries to be made in years to come. Butterflies include Wall Brown and Essex Skipper and, with occasional sightings along the railway line at Croft, Marbled White is an intriguing possibility for future colonisation. An increasing list of birds has included Ring Ouzel, Snow Bunting, Wheatear, Buzzard, Hobby, a breeding colony of Linnets and up to four singing Reed Warblers in the wetter areas between the bank and Thurlaston Brook.
Dragonflies occur over much of the area - the Red-veined Darter was on top of the bank - but the best areas are between the bank and the brook. The track from the gateway runs along the bottom of the bank almost to the main pool, known as Huncote Dragonfly Pool. This was dug out but there are one or two other pools, which are now almost permanent with the extra run-off of water from the bank. Thurlaston Brook drains an area of light, sandy soils from the Earl Shilton area down to the River Soar and is very prone to flooding which helps to keep the pools full and the whole bottom area wet, especially in the winter. Most of the regular Dragonfly species have been seen ovipositing in the main pool but the largest numbers of Banded Demoiselles are usually encountered in the lush growth of reeds, sedges, grasses, etc, alongside the brook leading down to the southern end of the bank.
In the photograph below, which was taken from towards the southern end of the bank looking northwards, the area of interest can clearly be seen. The track from the gateway is the straight line at the base of the older, northern section of the bank with the more mature gorse and tree plantations. There are newer tree plantings and open grass areas on the southern section. The main pool is in the middle of the picture with Thurlaston Brook on its immediate right. The village is Huncote and the Charnwood Hills are just visible on the horizon above it. The photograph was taken in January 2003 and the 'ox-bow,' clearly visible in the field on the right is almost a permanent feature in a wet winter.
Damselflies recorded at the site
Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens
Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Common Blue Damselfly Coenagrion cyathigerum
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Dragonflies recorded at the site
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta
Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea
Brown Hawker Aeshna isosceles
Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator
Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata
Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa
Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii
Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum |
