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RSPB Middleton Lakes

Staffordshire  >  United Kingdom

Located in the River Tame Valley in rural Staffordshire, this nature reserve is one of the best places for birding in the Midlands.

Ajouté* par Jalal Khan
Dernière actualisation 22 août 2021
Cette zone d'observation n'a pas encore été évaluée. Soyez le premier à noter de 1 à 5 étoiles

Description

This reserve combines wetlands, meadows, woodland and farmland, with the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and the River Tame running through it. There's good birding at any time of year and this is a particularly good site for Effraie des clochers, especially in spring and summer. There is a heronry where over 100 birds can be seen during breeding. Other breeding birds include Avocette élégante, Petit Gravelot, Sarcelle d'été, Coucou gris, Bouscarle de Cetti, Phragmite des joncs and Locustelle tachetée. A few Grande Aigrette winter here but you might see one at other times of year.

In autumn and winter, you might find Butor étoilé, Hibou des marais or Busard des roseaux, as well as peak numbers of ducks and waders. There are also Pic épeichette here and they're most easily seen in winter and early spring, sometimes at the feeding station. During the summer months, you could see a Faucon hobereau hunting dragonflies. Some of the rarer birds that have shown up here in recent years include Bécasseau de Temminck, Marouette ponctuée, Torcol fourmilier, Bécasseau falcinelle, Busard pâle, Rousserolle des buissons and Sterne caspienne. In 2021, Butor étoilé bred here, raising two broods. This was the first breeding record for the species in this region of the UK since the 19th Century.

Apart from the birding, there's also the nearby Middleton Hall, an historic manor house with gardens, shops and a cafe.

Détails

Accès

By train - The nearest railway station is Wilnecote, 2.5 miles away. On foot follow the signs towards Fazeley then turn left on the A4091 until you reach the canal. Walk alongside the canal to the reserve.

By bike - National cycle route 533

By road - The reserve is off the A4091 (near the M6 and M42) and signposted. Take the A446, the A4091 and Bodymoor Heath Road, which takes you to the car park, open from dawn to dusk.

Other ways - the Heart-of-England Way footpath and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

Terrain et Habitat

Forêt , Zone humide , Arbres et buissons disséminés , Prairie , Rivière , Agriculture

Conditions

Plat , Marécageux , Niveau d'eau élevé probable , Paysage ouvert

Boucle

Oui

Avez-vous besoin d'une longue-vue?

Peut être utile

Saison idéale pour observer

Toute l'année

Meilleure période pour une visite

Printemps , Automne

Itinéraire

Route non pavée , Sentier étroit , Sentier large

Niveau de difficulté de l'itinéraire

Durée de la marche

Accessible via

A pied

Observatoire/hutte d'observation

Oui

Liens

Voir les sites d'observation voisins publiés sur Birdingplaces

Carte

Top 5 oiseaux

Autres oiseaux que vous pouvez observer ici

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