Otley Wetland Nature Reserve
Access only available to BOG Members
SE 190458
Nearby
Sites |
Ben Rhydding |
|
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Specialities |
| Redshank |
| Common Tern |
| Jack Snipe |
| Wimbrel |
| Scaup |
| Shelduck |
| Wigeon |
| Goldeneye |
| Dunlin |
| Gadwall |
| Pochard |
| Coot |
| Lapwing |
| Golden Plover |
| Garden Warbler |
| Sedge Warbler |
| Reed Warbler |
| Whinchat |
| Lesser Redpoll |
| Oystercatcher |
| Grey Partridge |
| Water Rail |
| Snipe |
| Mistle Thrush |
| Kingfisher |
The gravel pits of Otley Wetland Nature Reserve have produced many outstanding records over the past 10 years. Entry however, is private, though much of the area can be viewed from the road on the Northern edge of the Reserve.
The alluvial deposits around Otley have been exploited over a number of years and have left amenity lakes to the east, as well as the west, of the town. The Bridge End site has a (pre)history stretching back to the early Neolithic, over 5500 years ago. It consists of water areas, recently-planted woodlands and reedbeds, rough grassland and stream edges. The reserve is part of a larger area of complementary uses, including a yachting lake, improved grazing land and mature woodland.
Birds include Little Ringed Plover, which has bred here, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and Common Tern all breed on the reserve or immediately adjacent, together with Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, and Lapwing. Visitors include Red Kite, Peregrine, Osprey, Little Egret, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Smew, Goosander, Water Rail, Little Owl, Kingfisher, Waxwing, Redwing and Fieldfare. The dragonflies and damselflies are a feature of this site, with 15 species recorded, of which seven have bred. The flora includes an extensive area of Common Spotted Orchids and some Bee Orchids, Red Bartsia, Creeping Jenny, Changing Forget-me-not and Gypsywort, all of which are local in the area.
Notable
Sightings - 2005 |
| 1st January 2005 A first winter Scaup |
| 2nd January 2005 Two Whooper Swans |
| 2nd to 22nd January A female Scaup was present |
| A Shelduck on 21st January, with four here the following day, and up to two on several days in February, March, April and June. |
| January 2005 A single Water Rail with two in February. |
| January 2005 98 Coot (maximum for first part of the year). |
| 3rd February 2005 Two jack Snipe and on 5th and 25th February, and three on 12th. In the second winter period, two were seen there on 16th December. |
| 5th February 2005 530 Jackdaw flying south-west. |
| February 2005 27 Pochard (maximum for winter period) |
| February 2005 A flock of 25 Goldfinch. |
| February 2005 10 Snipe |
| February 2005 7 Reed Buntings |
| 16th March 2005 Three Whooper Swans and one on the 22nd. |
| 18th March 2005 26 Wigeon |
| 18th March 2005 Year's first recorded Sand Martin. |
| 19th March 2005 35 Goldeneye (maximum for year) |
21st March a pair of Northern Shoveler, followed by two on 30th, and 1st April, and a different individual on 22nd April. |
| March 2005 203 Canada Geese (maximum for year) |
| March 2005 56 Tufted Duck (maximum for year) |
| 25th March to 27th April A party of up to 17 Pink-footed Geese were present in fields adjoining Otley Wetland. |
| Spring 2005 9 Grey Partridge in courtship display, but there was no subsequent evidence of breeding there. |
| 1st April 2005 A female Ruddy Duck and on the 20th a drake with possibly the same female. |
| 8th April 2005 The first House Martin of the year. |
| 12th April 2005 A Little Ringed Plover |
| 15th April 2005 Two pairs of Gadwall and there was a single bird on 1st May |
| 15th April 2005 40 Oystercatchers |
| 20th April 2005 Two Whimbrel flew over and another on 6th May |
| 23rd April 2005 First Swift recorded. On one day in May 150 passed over the reserve. |
| April & May 2005 Up to three Common Tern were seen and a pair was seen mating on 5th May, with this resulting in breeding success, and two young being ringed. |
| 1st May 2005 Two Arctic Terns |
| 1st May 2005 Two Yellow Wagtails. |
| 1st May 2005 320 Swallows, the year's highest recorded total. |
| 6th May 2005 28 Mute Swans |
| 6th May 2005 300 Sand Martins, the year's highest recorded total. |
| 6th May 2005 Two Dunlin |
| 1st June 2005 Reed Warbler heard singing and the last record was dated 7th August, though it is possible birds were there after that. Up to five singing males were present, but the only breeding report was of two pairs feeding young. However, in the absence of any ringing activity at the site in 2005, this may not represent the total breeding success there of this elusive species. |
| 4th September 2005 A Northern Shoveler, two Gadwall and male Pintail |
| 9th September 2005 A female Ruddy Duck and another bird there on 26th November. |
| 3rd October 2005 A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. |
| 10th November 2005 Single Blackcap. |
| 28th November 2005 to 22nd January 2006 A female Scaup |
| November & December 2005 Up to 40 Siskin. |
| December 2005 2 Water Rail |
| 24th December 2005 400 Jackdaws going to roost. |
| 28th December 2005 Chiffchaff |
| December 2005 158 Coot (maximum for latter part of the year). |
| December 2005 11 Snipe |
| December 2005 21 Cormorants |
| December 2005 Two Gadwall |