About the site

 

Broxhead Common consists of 42 hectares of dry heathland and secondary birch/oak woodland. The common is just outside the town of Bordon. Lindford Sports Association manages football and cricket from the pavilion at the southern end of the common.

 

Management of the site ensures that the heath remains open and is not encroached on by the areas of woodland. Many of the birds that nest on the common are ground nesting birds and they rely on heather for cover. This is one of the reasons why the preservation of heathland is so important. Birds which nest in this way include the Dartford Warbler, the Stonechat and the Woodlark. Amazingly, these nests can be very close to paths.

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The butterflies seen on the site are good colonies of the Silver-Studded Blue butterfly which fly from mid-June until early August. Also seen is the Grayling which patrols the sandy footpaths, and when they land on any of the Ling or Bell Heather they are very difficult to see.

 

One danger to ground nesting birds can come from dogs. Heaths are a pleasant and attractive place to walk dogs. Unfortunately dogs can sometimes disturb nests if allowed to run freely over the heather. To make sure this does not happen please try to keep your dogs to the paths during the breeding season. In this way users of the common can help conserve some of the rare heathland birds that help make it such a pleasant place to walk.

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