Ufton Fields

About the reserve

History of the reserve

Ufton Fields was quarried for limestone in the 1950's and waves of low spoil heaps were dumped forming a series of ridges. Pools have developed in the troughs in between and larger pools in the old quarry pits. Fast-growing, non-native trees were planted but most of the site was left to recolonise naturally.  

What's it like to visit?

Common reed, bullrush and greater pondsedge now grow around the edges of the larger pool There are plenty of flowers in the wetland.  Invertebrates prosper at Ufton Fields and are the main reason it has SSSI status There are around 28 butterfly species, including marbled white and 14 species of dragonfly and damselfly. 

What is there to do here?

• Take a circular walk following the trail posts
• Spot flitting dragonflies
• Watch birds from the hides

What might I spot here?

Water life is abundant, with caddisfly larvae, leeches and water-scorpions all lurking in the pools. Common toads breed here every year, producing thousands of toadlets in late spring. Smooth and great crested newts live in many of the pools, and you may spot a grass snake.   There are plenty of different birds, with flocks of tits and finches along with migrant warblers and spotted flycatcher. Scrub offers cover for turtle dove and winter thrushes. Alder attracts siskin, and goldcrests can be viewed amongst the conifers.  Little grebe and teal occupy the pools, with perhaps a common sandpiper feeding at the pool margins. Buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk hunt the reserve, whilst green woodpeckers search the grassland for ants.  

Rabbit, grey squirrel, muntjac and red fox all make a living here, with small rodents and shrews extremely abundant in the longer grass. Several species of bat can be easily viewed on summer evenings as they feed over the grassland and dark waters of the pools.