The walk was led by Russell Parry, and this report was written by Russell, Peter Smith and Alan Bevington.

This was a joint event between members of the Natural History Section led by Russell Parry and members of the Hamilton Residents’ Association (HRA) who met to explore the wetlands of the relatively unimproved Melton Brook floodplain that marks the northern boundary of this part of Leicester. 
To set the scene, Russell explained that the area between the Hamilton estate and Melton Brook (designated as flood plain and hence unlikely to be built upon in the foreseeable future) provides an important example of the wet grassland which is now sadly a rarity in Leicestershire.
He also emphasised that in addition to the semi-natural floodplain there is a potentially valuable second (artificial) wetland on this part of the estate. The award-winning Hamilton Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)  is a complex of small pools (balancing ponds), drainage channels and artificial wetlands which protects the Hamilton estate from flooding, by holding back water during downpours and subsequently slowly releasing it down drainage channels.

Flowering plants
The SUDS system held a good display of wetland plants notably Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and Great Willow Herb (Epilobium hirsutum).
On the Melton Brook flood plain itself Russell spotted in passing 70 vascular plant species, the most notable of which were:-
•    Fool's Parsley (Aethusa cynapium), and Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) (which is far from common and had not been recorded previously in this monad).
•    Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium), Common Duckweed (Lemna minor), and Purple Loosestrife (which were last recorded here in 2012). 

Invertebrates
The wetland habitat not only has its own flora but is home to a large number of invertebrates that enjoy the same conditions. 

Cicadella viridis (male) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Cicadella viridis (female) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Among them we found dozens of the strikingly coloured leafhoppers Cicadella viridis, as well as nymphs and adults of Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers (Chorthippus albomarginatus) and Long-winged Cone-head Crickets (Conocephalus fuscus).  A short search among the flowers of the abundant Purple Loosestrife also revealed the specialist Loosestrife Weevil (Nanophyes marmoratus) which is rarely recorded.   

Loosestrife Weevil (Nanophyes marmoratus) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Significance of this event
This outing was a new venture aimed at making the expertise and enthusiasm of Natural History Section members available to a wider audience through a local community group. It was enjoyed by both groups of participants: - indeed Russell thought that it was the most successful and useful outdoor Section meeting that he had ever attended, not least because it provided the opportunity to help the local people appreciate that 'next door' they have one of the finest remaining wetlands in the city. 

A full report will be published in the newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Peter Smith)