The Local Patch - Arrow Valley Lake and Park

The Arrow Valley Lake and Park was created by Redditch Development Corporation in 1973. The lake itself is approximately 1 mile in circumference is about 29 acres is size and is man made. The soil from the area helped build many of the highway embankments around the town. The Lake has good car parking, Visitor Centre and a a series of paths and walks. The facility is very well used by local people so an early morning visit is recommended if birding. The River Arrow runs through the side of park.

The parks exact border is difficult to gauge exactly however its approximately 2.5 miles in length and runs from Bordesley Abbey in the north to the Washford Mill in the South. The park has held a Green Flag award since 2005.

The lake itself lacks any real width so wildfowl don't appear to be that comfortable. There are two islands within the lake that are home to a heronry and host cormorants. The Grey Herons and Great Crested Grebes are perhaps the signatures birds of the lake. Kingfishers can be found if you are very patient but more riverside than the lake.

Following a post on Bird Forum a number of people including Phil Andrews kindly provided me with a list with birds that have been recorded at the lake in the past. Highlights include :- - Red Kite 22/04/2009, 26/05/2009, Hobby 08/07/2007, Mediterranean Gull 11/02/2006, Kittiwake 13/01/2007, Little Gull 26/12/2008, Black Tern 08/06/2009>10/06/2009, Arctic Tern 17/04/2009, Sandwich Tern 2 on 05/05/2005, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 2 on 02/04/2005, 1 on 28/02/2008, Mealy Redpoll 13/03/2009, Eider 2001, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Nightingale, Water Rail, White-fronted Goose (2009), Iceland Gull, Smew and Common Redstarts.

The park does have a range of habitats that are sadly not managed as well as they used to be due to resource cutting from the Local Authority. The Visitor Centre feeders used to be very popular with the local winter finches however since the centre went to private hands they have never been refilled. 

I will try and take some images of the different places worth a visit as the blog develops.