Summer Leys Panorama Drone Photo
Summer Leys - Nathalie Hueber
The Wildlife Trust for BCN has launched a public consultation about locking the gate at Summer Leys during specific hours.
Location
near Wollaston
Northamptonshire
NN29 7TD
OS Map Reference
SP 886 634
Know before you go
Entry fee
NoParking information
Car park off minor road to WollastonGrazing animals
YesWalking trails
Part wheelchair accessible. Some areas muddy in winter and after rain
Access
Partly wheelchair accessible
Dogs
Facilities
When to visit
Opening times
Open at all timesBest time to visit
AnytimeAbout the reserve
Summer Leys Gate Locking Proposal
The Wildlife Trust for BCN has launched a public consultation about locking the gate at Summer Leys during specific hours. Please read the PDF proposal linked below to find out more information. Details on how to submit feedback are at the bottom of the PDF document. Thank you.
Find out more about the proposal
About the nature reserve:
This large, ex-gravel pit is made up of a main lake with gently sloping banks, shallow areas of water and ponds, low lying islands, a large scrape and a fringe of reeds surrounded by grassland and wet woodland. This is ideal habitat for wintering birds: goosander, wigeon and gadwall reach nationally important numbers, joined by large numbers of roosting lapwing and golden plover.
Wading birds use the scrape and the shallow lake margins. Oystercatcher, ringed plover, little ringed plover and redshank stay to breed, while whimbrel, turnstone and common sandpiper often pass through during migration. Numerous pairs of common tern nest in a colony on the islands, so we cut back vegetation each autumn to keep them safe, and every few years we re-profile the wader scrape.
Otters are rare but regular visitors to the reserve, while the taller reeds and rushes around the lake may reveal the ball-shaped woven nests of harvest mice. Sixteen species of dragonflies and damselflies have been recorded here and it is one of the best places to see the uncommon hairy dragonfly, which dances around the edges of Marigold Pond in May and June. Late spring sees hobbies hunting insects over the reserve.
Kim’s Corner, a fragment of species-rich neutral grassland, is a good place to watch butterflies. In late summer, it comes alive with the songs of grasshoppers and crickets. We haycut in summer, followed by sheep grazing. To maintain the open natures of the lake banks, we coppice willow. We also cut back other vegetation and remove encroaching scrub. We have regular work parties at Summer Leys.