Hay-a-Park Gravel Pits

Good for: Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies

A large, flooded former gravel pit and several smaller lagoons, with reedbeds, grassland and scrub.

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Parking

Limited parking alongside Hay-a-Park Lane, 200 metres past the railway bridge and opposite the rugby club.

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Access

Public footpaths, accessible from Hay-a-Park Lane. Access is through a gate, just past the railway bridge, and an opening in the hedge, adjacent to the parking area.

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Terrain

The footpaths are mostly level, but sometimes uneven. Some areas of the site require only a short walk from the parking area.

Habitat:

Grassland, Lake, Reedbed, Scrub

About the location

An important site for waterfowl, especially during the winter months. Large numbers of Greylag and Canada Geese, along with Pink-footed and occasional Barnacle Geese. Ducks such as Teal, Pochard, Mallard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Goosander are regularly seen, and there is always a chance of spotting one of the rare grebes or divers. Reed and Sedge Warblers favour the reed beds and scrub during the summer months, while Grasshopper Warblers are more often heard than seen. A range of dragonflies and damselflies is present. Hay-a-Park was formerly a good site for butterflies such as Common Blue, Small Copper, Wall Brown and Large and Small Skippers, but in recent years the flower-rich grassland has been encroached by scrub and as a consequence, butterfly numbers have declined.