Press Releases - March/April 2007
Item 8

No. 2007/03/38
March 2007

Birds give a ‘thumbs up’ to Norfolk’s newest wetland.

The British Trust for Ornithology has just completed £27,000 of improvement works at its Nunnery Lakes nature reserve on the southern edge of Thetford. The work, which began in 2003 with the creation of a scrape to provide valuable habitat for breeding birds, has also seen the re-profiling of water meadow to create a wetland for wading birds, and the addition of an artificial Sand Martin colony.

Created to provide nesting and feeding opportunities for some of our scarcest breeding birds, the new wetland has been given the stamp of approval by the birds, with eight pairs of Lapwings, and single pairs of Redshank, Little Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher already breeding. It is hoped that more will follow suit. The Transnational Ecological Network in partnership with the BTO, the Environment Agency, Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council, made this project possible.

To mark the completion of this important work to provide a wetland habitat that is rare in the Norfolk/Suffolk Brecks, Mr. Patrick Hacon, Chairman of Norfolk County Council, declared Norfolk’s newest wetland officially open today. Mr. Hacon, who cut a ribbon overlooking the scrape, said, "I am delighted that Norfolk County Council has been able to play a part in the creation of this important new wetland, as part of the Transnational Ecological Network project. Together with The British Trust for Ornithology, Suffolk County Council and the Environment Agency, we have managed to restore this key habitat at a time when wetlands are disappearing across Britain. The result of this work will ensure that some of our most threatened birds have the space in which to feed and breed, and as part of a network of wetlands, provide a staging post for waterbirds on migration."

The Nunnery Lakes reserve is situated on the southern outskirts of Thetford, close to the BTO’s headquarters, and has open access to visitors throughout the year during daylight hours. There are 1.7 km of footpaths that take in a variety of habitats, which include unimproved pasture, river, woodland and open lakes, and the newly improved wetland and scrape, the latter being overlooked by a public hide. Around 60 species of birds breed here and many more over-winter or pass through. Kingfisher is regularly seen along the river, and the lakes are home to the beautiful Great-crested Grebe.

Chris Gregory, Nunnery Lakes site manager, said, “This project has helped us create wetland habitats for breeding waders along the Little Ouse. The scrape is also an important wetland feature, not least because of its proximity to the hide, which enables visitors to enjoy close views of the many different kinds of birds that can be seen here.”

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Notes for Editors

1. The BTO is the UK’s leading bird research organisation. Over thirty thousand birdwatchers contribute to the BTO’s surveys. They collect information that forms the basis of conservation action in the UK. The BTO maintains a staff of 80 at its offices in Norfolk and Stirling, who analyse and publicise the results of project work. The BTO’s investigations are funded by government, industry and conservation organisations.
2. Nunnery Lakes is the Trust’s only reserve and lies in the valleys of the rivers Thet and Little Ouse. About 60 species of bird breed on the reserve and other wildlife includes Roe deer, Otter, Grass Snake, Common Lizard and a wide variety of butterflies and dragonflies. Several scarce Breckland plants occur on the site including Tower Mustard and Mossy Stonecrop. The reserve lies alongside the national headquarters of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and can be accessed from Nuns Bridges, via a kissing gate on the north side of the Little Ouse, 100m east of the bridges. There is a car park to the south of the river opposite Mill Lane. The reserve is open daily during the hours of daylight.
3. Transnational Network 111 is a North Sea Programme European Interreg project which is seeking to create an ecological network of wetland habitats in the North Sea area and to support and implement interdisciplinary concepts for the restoration of wetland systems. The counties of Norfolk and Suffolk are working together with the Dutch provinces of Drenthe, Groningen and Overijssel and the German regions of Niedersachsen and Bremen. Drenthe is the Lead Partner of the TEN Project.
4. Images of birds and the reserve are freely available for use in association with this press release. Please contact to request an electronic version. Please quote reference number 2007/03/38
5. Bird Information. For lots of facts and figures about wetland birds go to www.bto.org/birdfacts
6. The BTO has an ISDN line available for radio interviews.
   

For further information please contact:

Chris Gregory on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)
Paul Stancliffe on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)