Potteric Carr NR

[thebeard]

i've heard good things about this nature reserve near doncaster, and have been looking at the website and it certainly looks good. it'd take me about an hour and a half to get there on the train, and then walk from donny town centre.

my question is... will it be worth the time/effort? has anyone been and will i be able to make a day of it?

[Boddie]

In a word, Yes

The bittern is displaying superbly this week and some of the best images I have ever seen of this bird have been achieved this week. It is a nice reserve and is far enough out of town to keep the idiots away. It'll take maybe 25 minutes walk from the station.

I dont think you will be disappointed

[Goatboy]

You'll definitely be able to make a day of it.

Yeah it's a good reserve. There's a good variety of habitats with plenty to see. I live about 2 hour's drive away but make sure I get there at least once a year.

[Paul mabbott]

It's well worth it and there are 'buses (not too many, admittedly) go past the site. The walk from the station and around the site is not too strenuous and the café is excellent!

[thebeard]

cheers folks, i guess i'll definately go then, probably at the end of the month. the bitterns may have disappeared by then but no worries i've got a reliable site in attenborough NR for them! is there anything else of interest which i might see? I'll probably go in the summer too, from the looks of the wildlife diary on the website, it seems like a quality wildflower and invertebrate habitat too!

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

...... there are 'buses (not too many, admittedly) go past the site.

They'll soon need a bus route round the site, it's getting that big !!

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by thebeard

...... I'll probably go in the summer too, from the looks of the wildlife diary on the website, it seems like a quality wildflower and invertebrate habitat too!

I'm not a bird person so I prefer spring-summer - a good variety of flowers, butterflies and small mammals - the latter are sometimes obliging in the wet grasslands to the north-east (maybe - near the railways - I'll check my directions ))

[Richard G.]

Wasn't there talk about having a meet here, some time ago?
Can't seem to lay may hands on the thread now though...

[tom00_uk]

I volunteer at PC, its a big place with a good range of habitats

ice now clearing from the ponds so it will be more of a game of hide and seek with the bitterns.

though they are seen daily.

Todays highlight was a close encounter with a stoat

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Tormentil

They'll soon need a bus route round the site, it's getting that big !!

Yep, it's huge. I can't get anywhere near round it all, but it's well laid out in so far as you can do however much you can manage with many planned routes to follow.
I like the place, if it's not always the best site for photography. They have feeders which get some interesting species but it always seems to be straight into the sun.
It's also a good site to go in spring/summer for insects life.
Well worth a visit.