Restored Cheshire wetland now holds 64% of Britain's breeding black-necked grebes
A former dumping ground for Manchester Ship Canal dredgings has become the best place in Britain for the rare black-necked grebe. Woolston Eyes in Warrington now hosts 64% of the UK's average annual breeding population. From 2021, the RSPB and Woolston Eyes Conservation Group restored a dried-out, overgrown settlement lagoon, creating freshwater pools, reedbeds, willow scrub and rough grassland, with nesting islands designed to attract black-headed gulls -- black-necked grebes nest alongside them for protection from predators. Four pairs bred on the restored area in 2023, raising 15 young. By 2025, 35 pairs were recorded, 29 of them nesting on the new wetland. "It is fantastic to see black-necked grebe numbers increasing at Woolston Eyes thanks to the hard work of staff, volunteers and partners to create prime habitat for this rare and attractive species," said Gavin Thomas, an RSPB ecologist. "The rapid growth in numbers shows how effective targeted conservation action can be." The site is also a stronghold for willow tit, pochard and grasshopper warbler.
Woolston Eyes is a site of special scientific interest. The speed of recovery -- from four breeding pairs to 35 in two years -- shows what targeted wetland management can do for species that will abandon habitats allowed to become too overgrown. Water rotation between areas keeps the site productive for the grebe and other rare species that depend on it.
Source: ‘Nature thrives when given a chance’: restored Cheshire wetland now a haven for rare grebe (theguardian.com).
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