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Marsh Lane

West Midlands  >  United Kingdom

Marsh Lane Nature Reserve at Berkswell lies adjacent to and in the flood plain of the River Blythe, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Tillagd* av LeicsBirder
Senast uppdaterad 21 maj 2022

Beskrivning

Since conclusion of the quarrying, the land was reinstated jointly by RMC Aggregates Western and the owners, Packington Estates. Marsh Lane Nature Reserve now consists of three main pools (one of which is a reedbed) together with woodland, grassland, ponds and some agricultural land.

Two of the main pools have been shaped and include a number of islands which, since formation, have attracted a wide range of breeding and passage waders. Four hides have been constructed which, between them, give excellent views of all the pools and islands. The hides are linked by hard paths and there is a car park within the site’s locked gates. Disabled visitors should find the site suitable for them although the paths are unbound. The paths are made of planings and are reasonably compact but wheelchair visitors may need some aid. Within the hides, seats can be unhinged or moved to allow wheelchair access to the blinds.

Up to May 2021, the site list stood at 207. Birds of particular note in this time include trädmås, Härfågel, fläckdrillsnäppa, brednäbbad simsnäppa, Brun glada, fjällvråk, skedstork, tjockfot, mindre gulbena, törnskata, brunsångare and biätare. Silkeshäger occur regularly, and Fiskgjuse is recorded in most years. ormvråk are daily visitors, lärkfalk is regular in the late summer and early autumn. brun kärrhök are seen most years and blå kärrhök less regularly. Most passage waders have occurred including skärfläcka, kustsnäppa, svartsnäppa, roskarl and mosnäppa. Up to three svarthalsad dopping were recorded in the spring of 2000 and again in 2012 and 2014. In winter, up to 400 bläsand and 500 tofsvipa are regularly present. There is a large colony of breeding skrattmås and 15-20 pairs of fisktärna.

There are two established feeding stations which attract a variety of species including Nötväcka and större hackspett. bergfink have visited regularly over previous winters. A 5 acre field has been set aside to provide food and cover for finches and buntings in winter and has attracted flocks of over 100 gulsparv and 60 Sävsparv and up to 300 hämpling, though numbers vary considerably.

In May 2010, with help from Natural England, an area of some 16 acres of former arable ground was shaped into wet grassland with scrapes, suitable for breeding and feeding habitat for waders. Two hides have been constructed overlooking the field, linked by a series of paths through the 13 acre Siden Hill Wood. Small car parks are located at either end of this walk, which lies west of the River Blythe and can be reached, on foot, from the main reserve.

Detaljer

Tillgänglighet

Small car parks are located at either end of this walk, which lies west of the River Blythe and can be reached, on foot, from the main reserve. There are walking trails to the hides all around the reserve. Click on the P in the map to get directions.

Terräng och habitat

Skog , Våtmark , Platt , Sjö , Jordbruk , Spridda träd och buskar , Slätt , Vassar , Stad/by , Flod

Förhållanden

Platt , Öppet landskap , Risk för högvattten

Rundtur

Nej

Tubkikare behövs?

Kan vara användbart

Bästa säsong för skådning

Året runt

Bästa tid för ett besök

Höststräck , Vårsträck , Vår , Vinter

Rutt

Bred stig

Hur ansträngande vandring

Lätt vandring

Nås

Till fots , Rullstol

Fågeltorn / plattform

Ja

Länkar

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