Carr Vale NR
View south over the main flash (Brian Cuttell) |
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Map Reference: SK4570 Click here for OS map OS Maps: Landranger Sheet 120, Explorer Sheet 269 Habitat Lakes, wader flashes, sewage farm, scrub, arable fields. Directions Approaching Bolsover on the A632 from Chesterfield, continue over the roundabout at the bottom of Bolsover Hill then first right on to Villas Road at the crossroads. At a 90 degree left bend, carry straight on to a rough track past some garages and follow this to the right towards the sewage works. There is a small parking area at SK462702 next to the Stockley Trail. Alternatively, turn right at the roundabout and a new car park has been created at the end of the road. This is sign-posted Peter Fidler and Carr Vale Nature Reserves. The reserve is reached from here via a footpath over the reclaimed colliery tip. Bus Details The following Stagecoach services from Chesterfield (Stephenson Place) all pass close to the reserve:
Mon to Sat - 83 serves Villas Road, 81, 81A, 81B, 82 and 83 serve the roundabout on the A632. Sunday - 81A, 82A serve the roundabout on the A632.
Facilities The site is owned by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and has had a significant amount of habitat creation works carried out to produce ideal wildfowl, wader and warbler habitat. Good disabled access has been incorporated into the changes. A network of paths runs along the flash complex and there is a raised observation mound providing excellent views over the wader scrapes. Additionally there is a viewing screen overlooking the southern reed bed (from which Bittern and Jack Snipe have been seen) and there is another viewing screen overlooking the northern side of Meadow Flash. Access 24 hours all year. Information There are several interpretive boards around the site and notices showing the previous couple of months occurrences are displayed on the observation mound and on the notice board adjacent to the reserve pond. A monthly bulletin is published, hard copies of which are obtainable from Bolsover library with other copies lodged in the local studies department of Chesterfield and Matlock county offices. For those with internet access the monthly bulletin is also posted on the following websites: Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Ornithological Society and Ogston Bird Club. Very recent sightings are posted on these aforementioned websites as well as on Steve’s Birding Pages (Steve Mann’s excellent website). An annual report is published copies of which are lodged at Bolsover and Chesterfield libraries and at the county offices. Very detailed bird recording has taken place at this site for the last 30 years but inevitably visitors may visit the site and see something rare or unusual. If anyone does find something please post the sighting on the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust website for the information of the reserve’s recorder (Mark Beevers). The record will be credited to the finder. The only downside to this site is the lack of toilet facilities. The only downside to this site is the lack of toilet facilities. View south over the main flash (Brian Cuttell) What to see Bolsover Sewage Works and the M1 motorway are all close to the site but do not be put off, Carr Vale has a very high species density and will reward two hours of your time with at least 50 species seen with reasonable ease during a spring or autumn visit (keen birders will log up to 70 species during migration times and up to 60 in the summer). Daily visits by Mark Beevers and team (Ian Swain, Kevin Navin, with additional help from Dave and Sue Came, Arthur Gee, Tony Irons and Phil Snaith amongst others) have produced a massive total of 203 species including Derbyshire's first Common Rosefinch and Derbyshire's first Lesser Yellowlegs, which was found only 200 yards away only 11 weeks later in 1998! The average year list is 140+ and 148 species were recorded in 2007. Mark has kindly supplied the following information. "The site list includes: Black Kite, Red-rumped Swallow and Yellow-browed Warbler, all of which at the time were the third records for the county (and there has been another Yellow-browed Warbler, which is the 6th county record). 20 species of duck (including the 10th county record of Ring-necked Duck and Eider have been recorded whilst seven species, including Garganey and Shoveler, have bred at the site. 13 species of Raptor and 28 species of wader (including Avocet, two Pectoral Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs) have been seen and there is a good chance of a white-winged Gull in winter with a combined Glaucous and Iceland Gull total of 43 records (including a Kumlien’s Gull, which was the third for the county) since 1996. Other rarities recorded include Gannet, Shag, several Bitterns, Little Egrets, several Brent Geese, three Quail, a record flock of nine Little Auks, two Wrynecks (three if you count one just 100 yards south of the recording area), four Wood Larks, three Shorelarks together (6th County record), many Waxwings, five tristis Chiffchaffs, five Firecrests, Golden Oriole, two Great Grey Shrikes, Hooded Crow and both Lapland and Snow Bunting”. In winter the site is good for Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal and Gulls and if the conditions are right Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans. Several bird feeding stations are maintained (feel free to bring some seed with you if you visit as the bird food is funded by donations only) and the one on the observation mound attracts up to 35 Reed Buntings in the winter. Birds seen frequently during the summer include Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Common Tern, Little Owl, Grasshopper Warbler (amongst nine species of breeding warbler) as well as a number of red data species for the county. Willow Tits are common but Marsh Tits are a mega-rarity, there being just three records and the last was in 1997, so don’t even think about claiming one! Indeed Marsh Tit is an extreme rarity in the whole of the Doe Lea Valley. Carr Vale is not just about birds though and the site is also very good for Dragonflies (18 species) with the three of the four current extant (County) red data species present, often in good numbers. These are Emperor, Four-spotted Chaser and Black-tailed Skimmer and Ruddy Darter used to breed, whilst other notables include Banded Demoiselle, Red-eyed Damsel, Common Hawker (one record) and Broad-bodied Chaser. In 2006 Derbyshire’s third (and first twitchable) Red-veined Darter was discovered and eventually up to 17 of this scarce migrants were located, although only one was located in 2007 after which serious flooding occurred. Butterflies are also well represented with 24 species on the list including Comma and Brimstone. Speckled Wood is a recent colonist and Clouded Yellow, Ringlet and Holly Blue are also on the list. Also included in this list are Large Copper and Marbled White. The former we know was deliberately released and survived just one summer, the latter is likely to have been released but they have been seen in both 2007 and 2008. Mammals too are well represented with Roe Deer, Fox, Stoat, Weasel and Hare regularly seen whilst Water Voles can be searched for along the river banks. Harder to see but still nevertheless present in reasonable numbers are Water Shrews and Harvest Mice and the lush vegetation along the river hides a healthy population of Grass Snakes. All in all if you keep your eyes peeled you can have a very rewarding morning at Carr Vale." DOS Verdict Arguably the best site in the County, a very large number of species to see (Thanks also to Brian Cuttell for some of the above) |
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