EAST LEAKE GRAVEL PITS

Lots of birdlife to enjoy in this area of mixed habitat

This area was made famous by the breeding Bee-eaters in 2017, when many birdwatchers travelled to see such an extraordinary spectacle. The complex has been expanded four times in recent years and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been involved for more than 20 years. The Cemex sand and gravel company allows no access to its site for safety reasons, but a public footpath allows views over several man-made pools, from flashes to deep water, with natural regeneration of reed and other aquatic plants in many areas. Some fields contain rough features with many field weed species good for feeding flocks of finches and buntings, especially Goldfinches, Linnets, Chaffinch and Reed Buntings. With so much water, wildfowl are a real hit on this walk with common species such as Mallard, Tufted Duck, Shelduck and the odd Garganey in summer joined by Wigeon, Teal and Goldeneye in winter, with an escaped Bufflehead joining the Bee-eaters in 2017. Geese such as Greylag and Canada breed locally, drawing in the odd flyover wild bird, with tundra Bean Goose having been recorded. Great Crested Grebes really stand out in the pits, with Little Grebes tucked away. Birds of prey are a good bet, with the local Buzzards, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels having been joined by migrant Black and Red Kites passing through, and Hobby actually breeding in the area enjoying the local Sand Martin colony along with plenty of dragonflies. Merlin is a winter visitor. Sandpipers recorded on passage here include Wood, Green, Curlew and Common, plus winter Lapwing and Woodcock. Inland, Little Egrets are getting rather common, while Yellow Wagtails enjoy the weedy fields. Cuckoos ‘parasitise’ the Reed Warblers along the pits, and all this water is bound to draw gulls with many Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed, Herring and even Yellow-legged Gulls recorded. Mixed scrub is ideal for breeding warblers.

The future management of the site shows plenty of water to be retained, with one area to be a Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust reserve.