Site Spotlight

Portway Hill

BY JAMES BENWELL, CONTENT AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Backed by spectacular rock exposures, carpeted in wildflowers and providing stunning views looking out over Birmingham, Sandwell and Dudley, our Portway Hill nature reserve is a joy to visit throughout the year. Part of the Rowley Hills, there are scarce plants to be found here, including bee orchids and hare’s-foot clover, and butterflies and day-flying moths fill the air during the summer months. The reserve boasts a large and growing colony of beautiful marbled white butterflies, not recorded in our region before 1992, but whose range is now expanding. The site provides excellent opportunities for bird watching, with birds of prey such as peregrines and kestrels to be seen, and other notable species include stonechats, tree pipets and ravens. There is geology of international importance to be found here, with the Rowley Hills being one of over 40 geosites which make up the Black Country UNESCO Global Geopark. The hills are made of rocks which were once molten deep inside the Earth around 307 million years ago and unusual “onion skin” weathering can be seen on exposed rockface at Portway Hill. We run regular volunteer days at the reserve, held every fourth Friday of the month and every second Saturday bi-monthly, from 10am until 3pm. We’re extremely grateful for all the hard work our volunteers put into managing this beautiful site. Head to bbcwildlife.org.uk/Volunteer if you’d like to join us!