Rate birdingplace Wanlip Meadows
Description
Wanlip meadows is part of the floodplain for the River Soar, adjacent to Watermead Country Park. Just a few miles from the city centre, this is a wild haven teeming with birdlife, as well as reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. In the winter months, pop on a warm jacket, fill up a flask of something hot, wrap up warm and admire big flocks of wildfowl, including the tiny tavi and gaggles of geese. Large flocks of töyhtöhyyppä are present in the winter, too, along with taivaanvuohi. These species are making the most of the floodwaters that flow from the Soar, which recedes in the spring.
If a winter wander isn’t your thing, July and August are excellent for passage waders, like metsäviklo and punajalkaviklo, which are migrating at this time. Some will stay throughout the winter, whilst some of our rarer visitors, like lapinsirri and liro will turn up (hopefully!) at the end of the summer. harmaahaikara stalk the edges of the reserve all year round, and in the spring, you can spot pajusirkku and rytikerttunen flitting along the river’s edge.
Details
Access
The reserve is situated to the south of Wanlip village, alongside the River Soar, between Leicester and Loughborough. From Rectory Road, Wanlip, turn into Church Road and then right at the 'T' junction.
) to insert bird names in your own language. The birdnames will automatically be translated for other users!