Doc. Ref. No. AWS174/4/06/d No. Ref. Doc.

Fax 01480 326981 01480 Fax

website www.wildlifebcnp.org website

Tel 01480 323900 01480 Tel email @wildlifebcnp.org email

Tel 01954 713500, Fax 01954 710051 01954 Fax 713500, 01954 Tel

Cambridge CB3 6DH CB3 Cambridgeshire PE29 6XQ PE29 Cambridgeshire

Broad Street, Great Cambourne, Cambourne, Great Street, Broad

Huntingdon

The Manor House, House, Manor The

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Anglian Water Anglian

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Grafham Water nature reserve rafham Water Gnature reserve was created in the mid 1960’s. The site is a mosaic of woodland, grassland and wetland habitats. The reserve covers 80 hectares, is owned by Anglian history of Grafham Water Water and managed in partnership with Grafham Water reservoir was created to the Wildlife Trust. provide people with drinking water. The area chosen was a shallow valley containing Grafham Water is farms and woodland, and was completely designated as a Site flooded in 1966. of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) mainly The Wildlife Trust has been managing the due to the wetland nature reserve since English Nature habitats that attract designated the site as a SSSI in 1986. nationally important The nature reserve includes fragments of Speckled Wood butterfly numbers of birds. the lowland landscape that existed before Designation as a the reservoir was created. These fragments SSSI is primarily a include ancient woodland, unimproved mechanism to meadow and farm ponds. The reserve also protect sites that are covers part of the reservoir and the of national dynamic shoreline habitat. conservation interest Part of the nature reserve because of the is a bird sanctuary wildlife they covering the areas of Meadow Cranesbill support. Littless and Dudney

creeks. This also Marsh Woundwort includes 18 hectares of the reservoir surface. Common Spotted Orchid Great Crested Grebe water birds

Grafham Water is probably one of the prime ‘birding’ sites in the county, with rare and scarce birds such as Grey Phalarope and the occasional Great Northern Diver alongside the more familiar resident Mallards and Greylag Geese. Sulphur Tuft fungi Cowslip Spindle berries Primrose With nine miles of shoreline and over 120 species recorded each year, there is something to see at map of reservoir most times of the year; the autumn drawdown zone attracts a variety of waders such as Common N Sandpiper and Dunlin. Flocks of wintering water birds are what make Grafham special, earning it Savages SSSI status with nationally important numbers of Spinney Coot and Tufted Duck along with significant Sanctuary Bay numbers of Great Crested Grebe. Nature trails and woodland paths

Footpaths and cycleways Savages Bird hides Creek Tower

Nature reserve and woodland Grafham Water reservoir Bird sanctuary

Parking

Toilets

Visitor information Littless Wood Restaurant

Refreshments Nature Pochard reserve Littless Creek Other winter visitors include Pochard, Goldeneye, Goosander, Smew and Wigeon.

Dudney The reservoir can be great for gull watching too Creek with upwards of 30,000 birds roosting in mid-winter along with sightings of Mediterranean, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls. There are five bird hides around the Dragonfly Pond reserve but many species can be viewed from the Fishing Lodge, three car parts around the site. Tackle Shop, Wildlife Trust Office Wildlife and Harbour Garden View Restaurant Valley Perry Creek Mander Park

Bee Orchid ponds woodland scrub

The reserve has several ponds, the largest being the There are two Scrub areas consist of Dragonfly Pond, which was created in 1987 in a woodlands both having prickly species such as horseshoe shape to provide maximum bank territory areas that are ancient, Hawthorn, Blackthorn for the many species of dragonfly and damselfly that meaning they are at and other small trees can be seen during the summer months. The pond least 400 years old. mixed with climbing is also home to Great Crested Newts, which Ancient woodlands are plants, Bramble and Dog Bramble (blackberry) hibernate in the surrounding grassland and return to important as they are Rose. This provides a the pond in the spring to mate and lay their eggs. our richest and most home to invertebrates, This once-rare and protected species is now quite diverse habitats and the insects, spiders and common in our region and can often be seen in the best link to the original molluscs and a safe water on a warm afternoon. wildwood that existed nesting site for birds. before people came to The reserve has a Britain. Savages Spinney nesting population of Nightingales which nest Littless Wood is an abandoned coppice of Ash, Oak near to the ground in and Hazel. There is diverse ground flora including areas of scrub. Bluebells, Ground Ivy and Dog’s Mercury. Nightingale Savages Spinney is also ancient woodland of grasslands standard Oak trees grown for timber. The ground flora of Savages Spinney is similar to Littless Wood The grasslands around the reserve are species rich, but also has the shiny leaved Spurge Laurel. containing Common Spotted Orchids, Oxeye Daisy Nuthatches, Tree Creepers and Greater Spotted and Cowslip. Inhabiting the grassland is a wide Woodpecker can be seen foraging within the range of invertebrates including butterflies such as woods. The rides (paths) within the woodlands are the Common Blue and Marbled White, whilst birds home to many invertebrates including Glow Worms. feeding on the invertebrates include the Green male Great Crested Newt Woodpecker. The grasslands are managed by taking The platforms around woodland a hay cut in the late summer months. the pond provide a safe area for school children enhancement projects on educational visits to volunteering Unfortunately, only very tiny fragments pond dip and discover If you would like to help for themselves the of ancient woodland exist scattered and isolated. These woods are very out with conservation amazing variety of work on the nature creatures that live in the susceptible to change such as the introduction of alien animals and reserve, a mid-week water. Family learning team meets every events are run plants. Muntjac Deer from Asia eat the volunteer ground flora and young saplings in the Wednesday at the throughout the year on Mander Car Park. a variety of topics to wood preventing natural re-growth. encourage families to The Wildlife Trust in partnership with For more details, please visit the reserve and find Anglian Water has worked to conserve contact the Wildlife Trust out more about the areas of ancient woodland by erecting on 01480 811075. wildlife here. deer fences within the woodlands.

pond dipping Bluebells charcoal burner