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RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

Hello

Am hoping to visit Middleton Lakes in the next week or so and would be grateful for some information

Is it only partly accessible at the moment due to flooding?

Is there a visitor centre there? Just looking for a map and cuppa:)

Will be coming from Wilnicote station, along the canal. Is it possible to access Dosthill on this route?

The RSPB site mentioned that it might be possible to see some owls. Any recommended locations/times for this?

Any advice would be much appreciated
 
Hi postmanhat, I know there is work going on at Middleton Lakes at the moment & it can get very muddy :eek!: There isn`t a visitor center there, only an information board but there is a great cafe & proper loos at the craft center which is adjacent to the car park. Also if you carry on walking down the canal you can get to Kingsbury Water Park. Several hides there & is well worth a look. We saw SE Owls over on the Dosthill side of the river from the lakes last winter, not sure if they are around this year. I`m not sure of the walk from the train station, I`m planning to do it sometime, let us know how you get on. See you on WAB ;)
 
postmanhat said:
Hello

Am hoping to visit Middleton Lakes in the next week or so and would be grateful for some information

Is it only partly accessible at the moment due to flooding?

Is there a visitor centre there? Just looking for a map and cuppa:)

Will be coming from Wilnicote station, along the canal. Is it possible to access Dosthill on this route?

The RSPB site mentioned that it might be possible to see some owls. Any recommended locations/times for this?

Any advice would be much appreciated
Click to expand...

Hello Postmanhat, The area floods quickly and the water levels drop quickly unlike our local Reservoirs so flooding is no problem at present. The only area closed is the circular wetland trail due to re-landscaping. Most of the reserve is accesible, always advisable to take wellington's in winter. There is no River bridge for the reserve at present so you can only go for the Dosthill side or West of the river part of the reserve, but not both unless you are prepared to walk a good distance and double back. No Short-eared Owl reported on the reserve this year, Barn Owls normally hunt after dark. Maps usually available from the RSPB free carpark and refreshments and toilets at the Middleton Hall craft centre.

Regards, John
 
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postmanhat said:
Hello

Am hoping to visit Middleton Lakes in the next week or so and would be grateful for some information

Is it only partly accessible at the moment due to flooding?

Is there a visitor centre there? Just looking for a map and cuppa:)

Will be coming from Wilnicote station, along the canal. Is it possible to access Dosthill on this route?

The RSPB site mentioned that it might be possible to see some owls. Any recommended locations/times for this?

Any advice would be much appreciated
Click to expand...

Hi Postmanhat

If you allow plenty, and I really do mean plenty of time, once you get off your train, you could have a very enjoyable, very full day ... there are two big 'buts' however.
Firstly, and you may realise this already, you would be walking at least 10 miles if you did all that you mentioned. Simply walking from the station to the canal and then along to, say, the Fishers Mill entrance onto the lakes/pits part of the reserve is over four miles if you look at Streetmap for example.
That's before you've walked/birded that area ... Or gone back to the craft centre area for your cuppa ... Or walked back to the canal to carry on to Kingsbury. And then of course, you are walking back to the station !
And finally, I guess others would join me in saying you really do need a scope round there ... making the challenge just a wee bit more interesting still !

I'll feel bad if I've put you off ... but I'll feel a lot worse if none of us that go there from time to time say nothing.

But all the best if you do go (how about going only if you know something interesting was there the day before ? ... Long-tailed Duck etc .. As you could draw a near blank if you very unlucky)

And let us all know how you got on.

Cheers

Andy R.
 
Thanks everyone. That's fantastic info. Great to know about the distance from the train station as the RSPB site indicates it's only a couple miles or something. Will bring my bike on the train

And also about needing a scope. Wasn't planning to get one until the trip to Norfolk at the start of May, but this could spur me on to loosen the purse strings. either way, I'll definitely be visiting soon. It's only 13 minutes on the train from Derby so haven't got an excuse not to anymore.

Thanks again :t:
 
Middleton Lakes

postmanhat said:
Thanks everyone. That's fantastic info. Great to know about the distance from the train station as the RSPB site indicates it's only a couple miles or something. Will bring my bike on the train

And also about needing a scope. Wasn't planning to get one until the trip to Norfolk at the start of May, but this could spur me on to loosen the purse strings. either way, I'll definitely be visiting soon. It's only 13 minutes on the train from Derby so haven't got an excuse not to anymore.

Thanks again :t:
Click to expand...

Hi Postmanhat, A scope is not absolutely essential at this time of year , it may aid you in picking out a Bittern in the reeds at Dosthill NR. However, in Spring with sometimes small waders like Stints's a scope would be recommened then from the end of April, May and early June.

Regards, John
 
17/2/13 DBP 2 Skylark up and singing on the Western arable, 2 Reed Bunting singing on the Reserve. North pit Goosander, 4 Shelduck, 130 Lapwing, Oystecatcher and a little Lapwing display.

Regads, John
 
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postmanhat said:
Thanks everyone. That's fantastic info. Great to know about the distance from the train station as the RSPB site indicates it's only a couple miles or something. Will bring my bike on the train

And also about needing a scope. Wasn't planning to get one until the trip to Norfolk at the start of May, but this could spur me on to loosen the purse strings. either way, I'll definitely be visiting soon. It's only 13 minutes on the train from Derby so haven't got an excuse not to anymore.

Thanks again :t:
Click to expand...

Now I reckon you know something I don't ! It's about 20 miles from Derby to Wilnecote by rail ... so the train will only ever get there in 13 minutes, providing it's going at record speed ... and decides to miss out stops at Burton and Tamworth !!!
It actually takes about half an hour ... but not enough to put you off any planned trip hopefully.

Cheers
Andy R.
 
Middleton lakes

20/2/13 Dosthill NR side Goosander, 25 Goldeneye, Cetti's.
Flying over the DBP side 3 Oyst (mobile), 2 Little Egret and 2 Shelduck. The north pit water levels down and looking good for waders at the moment.
Geoff Williams did the DBP side today, on the north pit Geoff saw, 6 Pintail, Ringed Plover and 2 Oystercatcher mating.
Photo taken today of the middle section.


Regards, John
 

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Jubilee Wetlands

Landscape Engineers Miles Waterscapes will be dewatering some of the pools in order to complete the fine details at the final waters edge and using excavators, bulldozers and dumpers will be re-working the central grassland areas to create a large mosaic of wetland features including spits, islands and scrapes. All will include shallow margins and profiles that allow wading birds to reach prime feeding opportunities whatever the water levels. Whilst the whole area will be excellent feeding and nesting habitat, the main features for attracting passage and feeding species will be two large sluice controlled scrapes in the project areas southern corners.

To improve the new habitats further the area will be grazed so stock fencing will be installed during the winter. The area will be seeded with a flower grass mix to encourage swift re-vegetation. This will benefit the birds using the area in the spring, discourage dock and will ready the area for grazing sooner. Our longhorns and new Konik ponies will graze throughout the grassland and keep areas open from encroaching scrub whilst adding diversity to the grass and soil structure.

To compliment the project we will also be completing some new visitor infrastructure. Two new footbridges and two viewing screens will allow access and close views over the two scrapes and a new trail will create a circular route. All should be completed by the spring but we will provide updates through the winter.

Details RSPB
 
Details RSPB website

One of contractor road vehicles was driving up the westside wetland track this afternoon, with staff aboard, and flushed a bittern mooching in reedbeds in the grassland area.

It flew off towards the river and one of the staff said " It was so close – I've never seen one that near before. It was huge."



Regards, John
 
9/3/13 DBP North pit water levels still down today despite the recent rain (previous dry conditions seems to have held some of the water), AGW Geoff Williams 2 Dunlin and 5 Ringed Plover.

Regards, John
 
13/3/13 DBP North pit, the hide is going up at the moment, although the north pit is ideal for passage waders and passage passerines nothing has been seen yet, not surprising with recent strong winds and very cold nights, any sensible migrant would lay low for a while.

Regards, John
 
Took a shufty down to the reserve this afternoon. Highlights were, 3 Redshank in amongst the working diggers. 4 Shelduck, 5 Little Egrets - 3 of them by Fishers Mill Bridge. 30 Fieldfare in the Oak at the top end of the North Pit together with a small flock of Linnets. 6 Meadow Pipits over by the bench at the North Pit. Curlew over North Pit heading north just before I left.
Lot of work still being done. Looks as if shingle islands are being constructed in amongst the large piles of earth that are still evident. Progress on the hide being made but still at ground level.

Brian J
 
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