How to get there:
Skylarks is part of the Holme Pierrepont complex of now abandoned gravel pits. Follow the signs for the National Water Sports Centre from the A52 then ignore the left fork near the camp site but continue as if for Blotts night club. After about one mile there is organised parking on the left and the right of the little used road and informal parking nearby.
Information
Skylarks nature reserve was declared in the 1980s and was one of the first wheelchair accessible reserves in the UK due to its association with the Skylarks care home nearby. During 2014 Notts Wildlife Trust acquired an extension to the original reserve. Birders knew this as Blott's Pit and despite appeals for a more appealing name the latest reserve is now considered as a southern extension of Skylarks or remains known as Blott's Pit.
The original reserve is young birch, willow and alder woodland with laid out walks and at its eastern end, a large reedbed with an area of shallow scrapes bordering an area of open water.
On the south side of the road there is access to the new reserve with interpretation panels giving guidance to suggested walks that take in the wildlife-observing opportunities. The reserve is fundamentally a wetland abandoned gravel pit with enhanced habitat in the form of reed beds and islands. Cetti's Warblers are resident and Little Ringed Plovers breed. In the winter, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Teal should all be readily seen from the screens whilst egrets might include Great White as well as the now common but neverthess, beautiful Little Egret.
Amongst the diverse flora are several plants of Pale Galingale(Cyperus eragrostis) at one of its very few Nottinghamshire sites and Changing Forget-me-not (Myosotis discolor) is one of several locally unusual plants to be found on the sandy soils that are a by-product of the gravel extraction; there are even a few plants of Heather (Calluna vulgaris) in places - I don't think this occurs anywhere else in Rushcliffe.
More information at NWT
NGR SK 621 390
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