King’s Dyke Brick Pits
by Brian Stone
|
PBC Where to Watch Birds King’s Dyke Brick Pits by Brian Stone |
| Sightings for past week: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Sightings for past month: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Sightings for past year: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Please note that there are extensive new workings underway across most of this site. The deep pit is being filled in and there is no access along the track to the waterski club. Further information on the state of Dryside pit and access there would be very welcome - enquiries@peterboroughbirdclub.org.uk |
These pits lie just to the west of Whittlesea near the Kings Dyke Brick Works and are disused clay pits, now flooded.
There are three accessible pits called McCain, Drysides and King’s Dyke. Being brick pits they suffer from being rather steep sided, which limits the scope for marginal vegetation and shallow fringes, so the main bird interest is in the wildfowl. The western end of Drysides Pit is however shallower with muddy and reedy margins and can attract waders and other birds. Drysides Pit is also the largest pit and these facts make this by far the better of the pits.
The only drawback is that Drysides Pit is used extensively throughout the year for water and jet skiing. At these times birds can be forced to the far ends of the pit or onto the other pits or the nearby Stanground Washes. Visit the site early in the day, especially if at the weekend, to see the birds undisturbed.
Despite these drawbacks this is an excellent area for birds. Drysides Pit is perhaps most important for the numbers of Little Grebes which have been increasing and reached 51 during the October wildfowl count in 1998. There was also a Slavonian Grebe there on that day. Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Coot all occur in numbers up to 500 at times, especially during cold weather when these deep water bodies are among the last to freeze up. Shoveler and Gadwall are more sporadic but occur regularly in small numbers. Goldeneye are rather irregular with only 1 or 2 each winter. McCain and Drysides have both turned up the occasional Scaup, and Ruddy Duck is another occasional visitor. Canada and Greylag Geese are often around the pits and are occasionally joined in winter by other species such as White-fronted Goose.
Waders mainly occur at the west end of Drysides Pit, although Common Sandpiper can occur anywhere. Green Sandpiper are regular and occasionally over-winter. Dunlin, Redshank Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit all occur. Very large numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover can be seen flying over the adjacent farmland and washland. A couple of Sparrowhawks are usually in the area.
A couple of Kingfishers can usually be seen and Grey Wagtails occur most winters. The surrounding fields and rough ground have Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Corn Bunting. Passerines often gather around a small pool just on the western edge of the factory complex on the north side of Drysides Pit where rotting potatoes are dumped. This pool also turns up the odd Snipe.
Until recently the King’s Dyke pit was a deep reedy pit with shallow water and limited bird interest. However, it has now become more flooded and more waterbirds are using this pit. Good numbers of Little and Great Crested Grebes are currently present and look like they will attempt to breed. This pit may well warrant more attention in the future.
The sites can be reached from the A605 road west of Whittlesea. Coming from Peterborough, go through Stanground and turn left towards the McCain factory just after crossing King’s Dyke (this is called Funtham’s Lane). Just before the level crossing there is an area on the left where you can park and view the McCain Pit.
For Drysides Pit continue over the level crossing and follow the track past the factory and round to the left behind the factory complex. Continue to the gated entrance of the Kings Dyke Water-ski Club. Park here but do not block the entrance to the waterski club or any farm tracks. It is possible to walk along most of the northern edge, although please note there are no public rights of way so keep to tracks where possible. Cover is also limited along much of the bank so care must be taken not to disturb the birds.
King’s Dyke Pit lies on the east side of Funtham's Lane. Much of it can be seen from a gap in the hedge on the right just past the McCain factory. This is a particularly deep pit with unprotected sheer cliffs so take great care and do not approach the edges.
Dryside Pit can also be reached from Stanground. Starting from Stanground Lock, continue along Morton’s Leam, under the railway line and along the bank until you reach the western end of the lake (about 1.5km from Stanground Lock).
