Harlow Gravel Pits Opposite Riverway Anyone Watch There

[django]

Have not been into birding for long got started on a introduction outing at Radipole Lake at Weymouth Dorset and was hooked, my main area is Harlow,Bishopstortford Roydon I have been to the Fishers green area also Rye Meads,also the gravel pits at the River Stort opposite Riverway rear of glass works, the gravel bars at this site are a real attraction for birds Lapwings, Grebs ,Heron, Terns, Question who owns this site ? I have heard so many rumours about the future of this area anyone got any info.

[JSlee]

no idea who owns this site - I think there may be a record of Red-rumped swallow from here a couple of years ago. It looks promising but I never worked out how to get access. Please post anything you see or anything you find about ownership and access - if not here then on the River Stort 2005 thread or on the Bishop's Stortford Bird group site (http://www.btinternet.com/~bsbirdgroup/)

regards

John

[mini-colster]

Hey man! This is also my patch! How cool! Would be great to have someone else to talk about it with! Sorry i'm just quite excited!

[pduxon]

Hey man! This is also my patch! How cool! Would be great to have someone else to talk about it with! Sorry i'm just quite excited!

I could be persuaded to join you guys. I'd never even heard of the pits!! The shame.......

[ianrose82]

I could be persuaded to join you guys. I'd never even heard of the pits!! The shame.......
HI guys
I Tthink access may be from the old A414 midway between Gilston and High Wych but not sure. I am off work on Wednsday so may go and take a look.
Will report back.

Ian

[ianrose82]

I had a quick look (pouring with rain!). The site appears to be a landfill site operated by Lyons Landfill Ltd. I saw a couple of lorries entering so it is in use. The entrance is at Pole Hole Farm, midway between Gilston and High Wych.
I work in the waste industry and I suspect that there will be no access to a working landfill site.
Might be worth another look in better weather!!!

Ian






HI guys
I Tthink access may be from the old A414 midway between Gilston and High Wych but not sure. I am off work on Wednsday so may go and take a look.
Will report back.

Ian

[django]

[QUOTE=ianrose82]HI guys
I Tthink access may be from the old A414 midway between Gilston and High Wych but not sure. I am off work on Wednsday so may go and take a look.
Will report back.

IF YOU GET TO RIVERWAY HARLOW(car showrooms roundabout) YOU GET THE GAS HOLDERS ON YOUR RIGHT YOU WILL THEN GO OVER THE RAILWAY BRIDGE THE NEXT TURNING ON THE LEFT LEADS TO THE COUNCIL DEPT JUST PAST THE SECURITY BLOCK HOUSE ON YOUR LEFT THERE IS A PATH TO THE RIVER ON YOUR( RIGHT) TAKE PATH AND GO STRAIGHT ON OVER RIVER THE PITS WILL BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU TURN RIGHT OFF BRIDGE THERE IS A SMALL GAP ON YOUR LEFT WHERE YOU CAN CLIMB DOWN BE CAREFUL CAN BE SLIPPY

[django]

[QUOTE=ianrose82]I had a quick look (pouring with rain!). The site appears to be a landfill site operated by Lyons Landfill Ltd. I saw a couple of lorries entering so it is in use. The entrance is at Pole Hole Farm, midway between Gilston and High Wych.
I work in the waste industry and I suspect that there will be no access to a working landfill site.
Might be worth another look in better weather!!!

Try getting to the pits further down the pits opposite (AT THE BACK OF) Harlow Council Depot at the rear of glass works are great you can get there via Riverway and the path on the right just past the security block house of the Council Depot you can walk out away keeping river behind you and there it a good spotting point where you can see loads of birds on the gravel bars

[django]

I could be persuaded to join you guys. I'd never even heard of the pits!! The shame.......
SEE POST ON HOW TO GET THERE HARLOW PITS

[django]

Hey man! This is also my patch! How cool! Would be great to have someone else to talk about it with! Sorry i'm just quite excited! Regular sightings Kestral path under railway arch that leads to Lady Gibards Gardens,Siskins? thistle fields opposite Beckams place,Heron Gravel pits rear of Harlow Council depot Riverway, also Grebe Cormorant,Ruddy Duck Pochard,Black Back Gulls,also loads of rabbits on high ground overlooking pits , there are supposed to be otters close to the river run off just past the riverside apartments close to the Harlow Mill about 200yards from the Mill bridge going towards Stortford.

[ianrose82]

Regular sightings Kestral path under railway arch that leads to Lady Gibards Gardens,Siskins? thistle fields opposite Beckams place,Heron Gravel pits rear of Harlow Council depot Riverway, also Grebe Cormorant,Ruddy Duck Pochard,Black Back Gulls,also loads of rabbits on high ground overlooking pits , there are supposed to be otters close to the river run off just past the riverside apartments close to the Harlow Mill about 200yards from the Mill bridge going towards Stortford.

Thanks for this...all noted for future use :-)
The pits sound promising - the route from the Council Depot sounds better than trying to get in "through the front door".
I went over to Amwell today....poured with rain just after i got there. Not too much about..Lapwing,Cormorant,Gadwall,Tufted Duck and hundreds of Coots and Gulls (I'm not good with Gulls)

Ian

[django]

Thanks for this...all noted for future use :-)
The pits sound promising - the route from the Council Depot sounds better than trying to get in "through the front door".
I went over to Amwell today....poured with rain just after i got there. Not too much about..Lapwing,Cormorant,Gadwall,Tufted Duck and hundreds of Coots and Gulls (I'm not good with Gulls)

Ian No dont try the front door where they are working you will get some 7 ft ape man telling you to ""%%**88$$** OFF they cant get at you if you go in from the area I POSTED// SUNDAY is a good day because they are not working and you can get right up close to the gravel bars with no hassle,been using this route for long time and never had any trouble.there is one single Grebe all on his own on the first lake without gravel bars I have called him Fred let me know if you spot him

[mini-colster]

Wow, i cant thank you enough lol! i'm really excited, i'm gonna print off this whole thread. thing is i dont often go right down there, that's basically why i've never been to the gravel pits. But they sound awesome, i'm definitley going to investigate in half term. And keep looking on my 2005 thread.

[django]

Wow, i cant thank you enough lol! i'm really excited, i'm gonna print off this whole thread. thing is i dont often go right down there, that's basically why i've never been to the gravel pits. But they sound awesome, i'm definitley going to investigate in half term. And keep looking on my 2005 thread. Hope the weather holds out for you went out Friday 21st and wow did it hammer down best of luck and mind that slippery climb down

[JSlee]

went today - parked at Gilston, walked the canal-side route on the N bank. There are three lagoons and you can cover two but not the third (and largest). Saw c30 Wigeon, c50 Gadwall, c50 Tufties, 3 Teal, 2 Cormorant, some Gulls - mainly BH, some common, pair LBB. Not much else but that's Feb for you.

Suspect in Spring/summer the viewing is more difficult as the hedges and trees acquire leaves. There has clearly been some access through the fence just N of Latton lock, but I suspect that anyone walking onto the site will put up all the birds on the water.

In summary, it looks promising, and I suspect extended viewing would give some good records, but nothing that doesn't get seen at Amwell or in the Lea valley. The primary emotion would be frustration due to the difficult and distant views. So unless you're a local patch nut like me, probably not worth it.

[django]

Its one of those places you have to sort of work at, you can go for a long time and nothing much happens then suddenly out of the blue the water is packed standing room only,there are now a pair of Grebes staying close together all the time wonder if I will see their mating dance later in the year.