Location: SP391425 - On the road towards Balscote from the A422, Stratford Road, west of Banbury. Open access to BOS members at all times.
SatNav location: 52.080718, -1.429958. Nearby postcode: OX15 6JT.
Viewing is from a screen by the entrance and a short trail leads around the perimeter to a second viewing screen by a small, reed-fringed pond. Please note that this path is closed from April to July to prevent disturbance to breeding birds.
Wardens: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Mark Ribbons
Purchased by the BOS in 1998, this 6.2 ha disused quarry site provides a wonderful wetland habitat for birds. Part of the reserve is a wetland flash area formed by seasonal rainfall that may dry out in summer. There is also a deep pool which retains water all year.
The wet area attracts breeding Lapwing and Little Grebe, passage waders in April/May and Snipe and Teal in winter. Sand Martin breed in an artificial tower by the quarry. Around 100 species of birds are seen annually at the reserve with around 30 species breeding there including Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Linnet and Yellowhammer.
The reserve is amonst the best sites in North Oxfordshire for butterflies with 24 species recorded including large numbers of Marbled White along with Common Blue, Small Copper and Small Heath. The ponds and seasonal wetland have attracted 15 species of dragonfly.
The BOS management team, Steve Holliday and Mark Ribbons, are working to a 4-year rolling Reserve Management Plan. The priority habitats for the reserve have been agreed as the seasonal wetland with its breeding Lapwings, Little Ringed Plovers and roosting Curlew, the unimproved grasslands which are particularly good for plants and invertebrates and the areas of scrub and hedgerow.
A major project in 2018 was the re-profiling of the quarry floor to tackle the long-standing challenge at the reserve of holding water longer into the summer when waders are breeding or roosting. The wetland is rainwater-fed and regualr visitors will know that any water on site quickly evaporates if we have dry spells in spring and early summer.
With the help of an excavator and 6 ton dumper truck on site, with earth movement not seen since its days as a working quarry, we were able to provide more depth to areas of the quarry floor where seasonal flooding occurs and to create two new islands and new scrapes. The excavation work was made possible by a grant from Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment (TOE) who have generously funded a number of projects for the BOS.
We have a small team of regular volunteers and any extra help would be greatly appreciated! The main project at present is to remove young willow seedlings from the quarry floor to keep it open and suitable for waterbirds. This work is currently supported by volunteer work parties from BBOWT and Wild Banbury helping with hedgerow and scrub management.
If you have any queries do get in touch.