Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB Cambridgeshire
Latest Rarities in Cambridgeshire
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15/04/2024 21:53 |
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Latest Photo
- ©
- Peter Cook
Site Location Details
Site location details and google satellite image for Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB
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- Latitude\Longitude: 52.30753 , -0.03246
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Site Details
RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes is one of the most important areas for birdwatching and enjoying wildlife in Cambridgeshire, with well over 200 bird species recorded, plus numerous butterflies, dragonflies and mammals. Originally created by extraction for the gravel industry, the flooded pits form a complex of ten main lakes; three having been designated specifically as a nature reserve.
Address
Fen Drayton Lakes RSPBRSPB Fens Area Office, The Grange, 20 Market Street, Swavesey, Cambridge, CB24 4QG
Contact Details
Telephone: 01954 233260
Email: fendraytonlakes@rspb.org.uk
Birding Sites in the Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB Area
Prominent Species at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB
Subscriber Content
Bird News Pro and Bird News Ultimate subscribers get additional site details such as specialities and commonly seen species.
Additional Site Details
Directions
The entrance to the lakes is signposted off Fen Drayton Road, between the villages of Fen Drayton and Swavesey (TL353680&ar=y). From here, you can reach the two car parks at Holywell Lake (TL342699&ar=y) and Elney Lake (TL339691&ar=y) by following signs posted around the site. The guided busway is now open, with a stop right in the middle of the reserve. A cycleway alongside the busway links the reserve to Cambridge and St Ives.Access
There are a number of public and permissive rights of way around the lakes and two open access fields next to the Holywell Lake car park. To cover the whole complex thoroughly will take a good 3-4 hours depending on what route is taken. The site is subject to periodic flooding and care must be taken as to which paths and bridleways can be accessed.Parking
Two car parks are provided; at Holywell Lake (TL342699) and Elney Lake (TL339691). Signposts direct you to both car parks, from the entrance off Fen Drayton Road. Cycle racks are also provided at both car parks.Facilities
Viewing screens are situated around Elney Lake and a hide overlooks Moore Lake. A manned Exhibition Trailer is on-site on weekends and through the school holidays. Information boards have been provided to give access details and free trail guides and events leaflets are available from the Elney car park and from the Exhibition Trailer.Key Areas / Routes
Drayton Lagoon - the oldest lake, steep-sided and deep with one small island. Attracts large numbers of waterfowl in the winter. Nesting terns, on rafts, in the summer.Holywell Lake - former settlement lagoon. Extensive reeds attract Bitterns, Cetti's Warblers and Water Rails.
Ferry Lagoon, Pond and Mere - the largest lake with many peninsulas and islands. Cormorants and Little Egrets roost in willows along the northern edge. Diving ducks in winter and nesting terns, on rafts, in summer. Newly created reedbeds and wader scrapes along the northern shore.
Swavesey Lake - small, quiet lake at the eastern edge of the complex. Marshy margins favoured by Snipe and Teal.
Far Fen Lake and Trout Pond - first lake seen when accessing the site by car from the entrance off Fen Drayton Road. Good place to look for Smew in the winter.
Oxholme Lake, Elney Lake and Moore Lake - designed as nature reserve, with many islands and inlets. Good all-round birding!
Site Photographs
If you would like to suggest a photo for this site, please email a copy to contact@birdguides.com along with the website address for this page. A member of our team will review your photograph for suitability and will credit the image to you (unless you request otherwise).
Best regards,
The BirdGuides Team.
Most Recent Gallery Photos
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Useful Links
This Birding Site currently has no useful links assigned to it. If you would like to suggest a link then please send the link in an email to contact@birdguides.com along with the website address for the page the link should be displayed on. A member of our team will review your link for suitability and add this to the site as soon as possible.
Best regards,
The BirdGuides Team.
British & Irish Records Archive Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB
All Records (Accepted, Rejected, Pending). To filter/search please enter a phrase. E.g. To filter Rejected records, type Rejected into the Search box, all columns can be filtered.
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