Fen Drayton Lakes

Last updated

Fen Drayton Lakes, Cambridgeshire
Fen Drayton nature reserve - geograph.org.uk - 278642.jpg
Fen Drayton nature reserve
Cambridgeshire UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Fen Drayton Lakes, Cambridgeshire
Location Cambridgeshire
Coordinates 52°18′29″N0°02′13″W / 52.308°N 0.037°W / 52.308; -0.037
Type Lakes
Basin  countriesUnited Kingdom
Surface area267 acres (1.08 km2)
Max. depth5 m (16 ft)

Fen Drayton Lakes is a complex of lakes, lagoons, ponds and a river, situated close to Fen Drayton, Holywell and Swavesey in Cambridgeshire, England. The complex was formerly a gravel extraction site until 1992 when gravel production ceased and the pits were allowed to flood to provide a nature reserve and bird sanctuary.

Contents

Waters

All the waters on the complex were created in the process of gravel extraction site which started in 1953 and continued until 1992 when gravel production ceased. [1] The extraction pits naturally filled with water and preserved as a nature reserve and RSPB bird sanctuary. [2] The complex consists of 12 waters; Drayton Fen (90 acres (36 ha)), Ferry lagoon (160 acres (65 ha)), Ferry pond, Ferry mere, Holywell lake, Swavesey lake (30 acres (12 ha)), Oxholme Lake, Moore Lake, Far Fen lake, Elney Lake, Trout pond, Springhill lagoon, located alongside the River Great Ouse. [3]

Bird species

Since the extraction of gravel began in 1953, at least 213 species have been recorded in the area with some 65 species being regular breeders. Recent bird species sighted include barn owl, bittern, blackcap, honey buzzard, common crane, cormorant, great egret, little egret, red-footed falcon, black-headed gull, goldeneye, marsh harrier, purple heron, hobby, glossy ibis, kingfisher, sanderling, snipe, starling, bearded tit, Cetti's warbler, reed warbler, willow warbler, and whiskered tern. [4] [2] [5]

Angling

Fishing is available via syndicate membership on Drayton fen, Ferry lagoon, Holywell lake and Swavesey lake and the water contains specimen carp, bream, tench, roach, rudd, eel and perch. [3] These lakes are prone to flooding and as such fish populations are somewhat of a mystery, [6] however, Ferry lagoon is now famous for producing British record sized bream, firstly a bream caught by James Rust of 19lb 10oz in March 2005, then to Mark McKenna of 22lb 9oz in September 2009. [7] Both of these were eclipsed by the current British record (to Dec 2017), of 22lb 11oz caught by Scott Crook at Ferry lagoon in April 2012. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titchwell Marsh</span> Nature reserve in the United Kingdom

Titchwell Marsh is an English nature reserve owned and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Located on the north coast of the county of Norfolk, between the villages of Titchwell and Thornham, about 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the seaside resort of Hunstanton, its 171 hectares include reed beds, saltmarshes, a freshwater lagoon and sandy beach, with a small woodland area near the car park. This internationally important reserve is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and is also protected through Natura 2000, Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar listings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ouse Washes</span> Nature reserve in the United Kingdom

Ouse Washes is a linear 2,513.6-hectare (6,211-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest stretching from near St Ives in Cambridgeshire to Downham Market in Norfolk. It is also a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a Special Protection Area for birds, a Special Area of Conservation and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. An area of 186 hectares between March and Ely is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and another area near Chatteris is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust manages another area near Welney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulicat Lake</span> Brackish water lagoon in India

Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India,, measuring 759 square kilometres (293 sq mi). A major part of the lagoon lies in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. The lagoon is one of three important wetlands that attracts northeast monsoon rain clouds during the October to December season. The lagoon comprises the following regions: Pulicat Lake, Marshy/Wetland Land Region (AP), Venadu Reserve Forest (AP), and Pernadu Reserve Forest (AP). The lagoon was cut across in the middle by the Sriharikota Link Road, which divided the water body into lagoon and marshy land. The lagoon encompasses the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary. The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lagoon from the Bay of Bengal and is home to the Indian Space Research Organisation's Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotswold Water Park</span> Lake system and park in England

The Cotswold Water Park is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system, straddling the Wiltshire–Gloucestershire border, north-west of Cricklade and south of Cirencester. There are 180 lakes, spread over 42 square miles (110 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RSPB Dearne Valley Old Moor</span> English wetlands nature reserve

RSPB Dearne Valley Old Moor is an 89-hectare (220-acre) wetlands nature reserve in the Dearne Valley near Barnsley, South Yorkshire, run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). It lies on the junction of the A633 and A6195 roads and is bordered by the Trans Pennine Trail long-distance path. Following the end of coal mining locally, the Dearne Valley had become a derelict post-industrial area, and the removal of soil to cover an adjacent polluted site enabled the creation of the wetlands at Old Moor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spittal Pond Nature Reserve</span> Wildlife sanctuary in Bermuda

Spittal Pond Nature Reserve is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Bermuda, located close to the Atlantic coast of Smith's Parish. Surrounding the third largest pond in Bermuda, Spittal Pond, it covers an area of 60 acres (24 ha). It is one of 13 parks or reserves managed by the Bermuda Department of Conservation Services which protects and conserves environmentally critical areas and habitats. The pond reserve, a wetland site, is one of the seven Ramsar Sites in Bermuda, which was approved on 10 May 1999 for the criteria of its unique characteristics such as its lagoon which is permanently brackish, ecology featuring wet grassland and mangrove forests, seasonal shorebirds, other ver run waterbirds and European eels. It is also home to many types of species mostly including birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fen Drayton</span> Human settlement in England

Fen Drayton is a small village between Cambridge and St. Ives in Cambridgeshire, England, and between the villages of Fenstanton and Swavesey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldermaston Gravel Pits</span>

Aldermaston Gravel Pits is a 24.6-hectare (61-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Aldermaston in Berkshire. It was purchased by Natural England in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sevenoaks Gravel Pits</span>

Sevenoaks Gravel Pits is a 73.7-hectare (182-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Sevenoaks in Kent. It is managed by Kent Wildlife Trust as the Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roswell Pits</span>

Roswell Pits is an 8 hectare nature reserve on the eastern outskirts of Ely in Cambridgeshire. It is managed by the Environment Agency. It is part of the Ely Pits and Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)) and Geological Conservation Review site. The SSSI designation for both biological and geological interest. The site was formerly managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Middleton Lakes RSPB reserve is a 160 hectares nature reserve, formally opened on 19 May 2011, created and run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds at Middleton, Warwickshire, England, just south of Tamworth. The Northern part of the reserve lies in Staffordshire, yet the reserve is only a few minutes from the outskirts of Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marazion Marsh</span> Nature reserve in Cornwall, England

Marazion Marsh is a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reserve situated in a shallow river valley, half a kilometre to the west of Marazion, Cornwall, UK. It is separated from the coast by a shingle bar and small sand dune system and contains Cornwall's largest reed bed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birding in Chennai</span>

Housing more than 200 resident and wintering bird species, Chennai has long been a haven for bird watchers. It is one of the few urban areas in India with diverse range of birds including greater flamingo, black baza, osprey, Indian eagle-owl, Coppersmith barbet, Spot billed pelican and pied avocet can be seen. The following are some known birding hotspots in and around Chennai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attenborough Nature Reserve</span> Nature reserve in Nottinghamshire, England

Attenborough Nature Reserve is a nature reserve at Attenborough, Nottinghamshire, England, located 5 mi (8 km) south west of Nottingham city centre. It is owned and managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, supported by Broxtowe Borough Council, following the completion of purchase from Cemex UK in December 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tring Reservoirs</span> Reservoir in England

Tring Reservoirs is a group of four reservoirs close to Tring on the border of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, England. Their purpose is to feed the Grand Union Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portrack Marsh Nature Reserve</span>

Portrack Marsh Nature Reserve is a 50 acres (20 ha) reserve by the northern bank of the River Tees between the Tees Barrage and the Tees Viaduct, near Portrack housing estate in Stockton-on-Tees borough, County Durham. It is the last remaining wetland on the lower Tees. The site is bounded by Marston Road, a disused railway line, the Northumbrian Water's waste water treatment site, the River Tees, the Tees Barrage White Water Course, the grounds of The Talpore pub and a Tees Barrage access road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frampton Pools</span>

Frampton Pools is a 59.84-hectare (147.9-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. The pools are on the edge of the village of Frampton on Severn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wraysbury and Hythe End Gravel Pits</span>

Wraysbury and Hythe End Gravel Pits is a 117.2-hectare (290-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wraysbury in Berkshire. It is part of South West London Waterbodies Ramsar site and Special Protection Area.

RSPB Dungeness is a nature reserve owned and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stodmarsh SSSI</span>

Stodmarsh SSSI is a 623.2-hectare (1,540-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Stodmarsh, north-east of Canterbury in Kent. Parts of it are a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, a National Nature Reserve, a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.

References

  1. ↑ "Photo Gallery Group 22". Railway Ramblers. 2017.
  2. 1 2 "rspb1" (PDF). RSPB. 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Fen Drayton Lakes". fendraytonlakesangling.com. 2015.
  4. ↑ "rspb2". RSPB Recent sightings. 2016.
  5. ↑ "RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes: enjoy an abundance of wildlife at this huge wetland reserve". Cambridge Independent. 2016.
  6. ↑ "Fen Drayton Lakes News". bayeswaterfishing.co.uk. 2017.
  7. ↑ "Bream record broken". Angling Times. 2012.
  8. ↑ "British Record Fish list 2016". Anglers Mail. 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.