Kirkby Gravel Pits

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England, Lincolnshire

Overview

Kirkby Gravel Pits is a nature reserve, managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, situated on both sides of the Old River Bain approximately 1.5 km/ 1 mile south of Kirkby on Bain.

The habitat consists of flooded sand and gravel pits whose levels are managed to coincide with the needs of the bird population and their seasonal requirements. The pits have reeds and willows around them along with other vegetation, scrub, and maturing wooded areas. ^[1]

Birds

Notable Species

A point to consider here might be how the habitat is managed so the 173 species that have been reported to eBird^[2] have as near the optimum habitat as possible.

Water levels, in the main pit, are controlled by the means of a tilting weir that has been in place since 2001. In the spring, levels are lowered so that islands are present for nesting birds. Further lowering as summer wears on makes it more suitable to waders and waterfowl. Then in winter, the levels are raised so that vegetation is removed and overgrowth is controlled. Other aspects of the habitat not related to the water, are managed by various means so appropriate conditions are met, as best as can be done, for each time of the year and current species. ^[1]

Rarities

As of 3 November 2020, no rarities have been noted for this location.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Wigeon, Great Black-backed Gull, Northern Lapwing, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Jackdaw, Common Swift, Bank Swallow, Common Wood Pigeon, Graylag Goose, European Starling, Green-winged Teal, Redwing, Common House Martin, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Chaffinch, Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Gull, Rook, Eurasian Skylark, Fieldfare, House Sparrow

Other Wildlife

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Site Information

History and Use

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Areas of Interest

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Nearby Areas of Interest

The following are eBird Hotspots located nearby in Lincolnshire. ^[2]

Woodhall Spa Airfield – Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

Kirkby Moor – Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

Ostler's Plantation- - Forestry Commission owned woodland next to Woodhall Spa

Moor Farm – Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

Access and Facilities

Situated on the Old River Bain, 1.5 km/0.9 miles south of Kirkby on Bain.

Some of the surrounding pits are private property and are only viewable from the public right-of-way.

Address:

Kirkby Gravel Pit

A153 Kirkby on Bain

Lincolnshire, LN10 6YN, England, UK

Coordinates: 53.13092 N 0.15405 W

Map Reference: TF236609

OS Explorer Map 273 A Lincolnshire Wolds

OS LANDRANGER Map 122 SKEGNESS & HORNCASTLE

Contact Details

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References

1. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust – Kirkby Gravel Pits - https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/kirkby-gravel-pits
2. eBird – Kirkby Gravel Pits - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1035841

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Kirkby Gravel Pits. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 23 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Kirkby_Gravel_Pits

Maps

1. Kirkby Gravel Pits on StreetMap
2. Woodhall Spa/Kirkby Area on Google Maps

Search for photos of Kirkby Gravel Pits in the gallery