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Netherfield Lagoons

Nottinghamshire  >  United Kingdom

Old industrial site that consists of two deep tanks (Slurry Lagoon and Deep Pit) and two disused gravel pits with the river Trent beyond them.

Added* by Jennifer Swindells
Most recent update 28 april 2020
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Description

The Netherfield Lagoons is a nature reserve that is situated on the Trent Valley Flood Plain and has been partly used as a dump for coal slurry but with two remaining gravel ponds. The two slurry pits are separated by a raised causeway, which is elevated some 50 feet (15 m) above the pits, giving a commanding view of the area. The largest tank is virtually full but retains some water, with muddy edges attractive to waders and roosting gulls and terns. The smaller tank is mainly deep water, attracting good numbers of wildfowl, with smaller birds, especially warblers, feeding and breeding around the tank edges. The site consists roughly of three compartments, the Slurry Lagoon, the Deep Pit and the two Gravel Pits.

Because of the largely temporary nature of the main slurry lagoon sites, much of the avian interest is restricted to passage and wintering birds. A railway embankment, which forms the western boundary of the site, holds Møller and other warblers during the summer and occasionally Jordugle in the winter. The scrubby banks of the gravel ponds are a frequent stopping-off point for small numbers of Buskskvett and a regular wintering site for Svartstrupe. Storskarv roost on the electricity pylons.

During the spring, pools created on the slurry attract most of the common species of wader, with Dverglo being common from April to September. Regular species in autumn include Brushane, Myrsnipe, Gluttsnipe, Rødstilk, Skogsnipe and Strandsnipe. In the late autumn up to 4000 Heilo and 1000 Vipe use the pools as a roost site, along with several hundred Brunnakke and smaller numbers of Krikkand, Skjeand and Stjertand. The weedy banks and fields attract good numbers of Sanglerke and Heipiplerke, with Gulerle being common on passage.

A good selection of rare birds have been located at the Netherfield Lagoons through regular checking of the migrant waders and wildfowl and have included Amerikablesand, Rørdrum, Trane, Havsule, Boltit, Triel, Fjæreplytt, Fjellmyrløper, Polarsvømmesnipe, Polarmåke, Hvitvingesvartterne, Småseiler, Trostesanger and Myrsanger.

Details

Access

The site can be reached from the Colwick Loop Road, by taking the road to the Victoria Retail Park and parking is via Teal Close, which is the left turn at the island. Proceed almost to the end of Teal Close and then turn right into the unsignposted, but allweather surfaced path along the side of the Ouse Dyke, cross over the footbridge and enter the site. Some limited car parking is available on Teal Close (See the P on the map).

Terrain and Habitat

Wetland

Conditions

Flat

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

Can be useful

Good birding season

Spring , Autumn , Winter

Best time to visit

Spring , Winter , Autumn migration

Route

Paved road , Unpaved road , Wide path , Narrow trail

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Extra info

April to June is the best time for passage waders at the Netherfield Lagoons, with terns and gulls also moving through the area. In autumn, birds begin to arrive at the lagoons from early August onwards, with passage peaking in September and October. Winter produces good numbers of birds, especially gulls, when the pools freeze over in harsh conditions. Dawn and dusk are the best time to visit, but passage birds could drop in at any time of day.

October-March: Toppdykker and Dvergdykker, Snadderand, Krikkand, Taffeland, Toppand, Kvinand, Laksand, Vandrefalk, Heilo, Kvartbekkasin, Hornugle and Jordugle.

April-June: Rarer grebes, Lerkefalk, passage waders, gulls, terns, hirundines, Gulerle, Steinskvett, Buskskvett, Gresshoppesanger and other passage migrants.

July-October: Wildfowl, Vandrefalk, Dverglo and Sandlo, Myrsnipe, Rødstilk, Gluttsnipe, Skogsnipe, Strandsnipe, gulls, terns and passage migrants.

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