Bellmoor Lake (IVNR)

Access via a large well-used circular footpath leading to and from the Rural Learning Centre. Viewing screens and platforms are present at key locations and excellent views of the lake can also be made in the comfort of the Rural Learning Centre building itself. There are two main islands, holding breeding Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and waders including Oystercatcher and Little Ringed Plover are present. Passage waders can often include Avocet, Ruff, Greenshank, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover and Turnstone. Self-established reed beds around the lake are home to Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting in summer and home to several Water Rails and occasionally to Chiffchaff in winter months. In autumn and winter large numbers of roosting gulls are present and more than 100 Snipe are often recorded on the islands. The lake itself attracts a sizeable group of wintering waterfowl including Goosander and Goldeneye. Some small ‘strip’ islands in the southern section hold good numbers of duck especially in winter and a regular autumn gathering of Great Crested Grebe can be found here.

Rarities have included:

• Great Skua (1993)
• American Golden Plover (1998)
• Caspian Tern (1998)
• Whiskered Tern (2003)
• White Stork (2005)
• Rough-legged Buzzard (1996 and 2011)
• Cattle Egret (2016)
• Sabine’s Gull (2019)

Scare species including:

• Black Redstart
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Garganey
• Gannet
• Kittiwake
• Caspian Gull
• Black-necked Grebe noted.