The Mere
The open water is used by large numbers of wildfowl for feeding, roosting and breeding. The islands are good for nesting on while the variable water depths provide good feeding areas for dabbling and diving ducks. The islands are also used by breeding waders and Common Tern.

Wet grassland
Thousands of wildfowl feed here in winter, Redshank and Lapwing breed here in summer.
The wader meadow, improved during 2004 attracts breeding Avocets and Little Ringed Plover.

Skylark nests
 

Limestone cliffs
These specially dug cliffs and pools have nesting holes prepared with high pressure water jets. Sand Martins and Kingfishers nest here.

Hides
These give excellent views over the project

Woodland
A woodland strip suuounds the project. Alongside the Cam this is predominantly poplars which might attract Golden Orioles as the trees mature.

Oystercatcher nests
 

Reedbed
About 20 acres in size, it holds increasing numbers of Reed and Sedge Warblers each summer. Marsh Harriers have bred for several years and our first young Bittern was seen in 2003.

Fen
A small fen has been created using seeds and plants grown from nearby nature reserves. This area is already botanically important and holds a thriving colony of the rare Water Germander.

Ditches
Ditches within the project attract a diversity of wildlife. Dragonflies favour the reed fringed ditches, fish breed profusely, and Bitterns love reedy ditches full of fish.

Ponds
Some ponds have been kept free of fish. This allows invertebrates to thrive without becoming fish food. Damselflies such as the Emerald favour these sites.

Limestone grassland
This contains a few interesting species such as Venus's-looking-glass and Night-flowering Catchfly. It is also one of the favourite nesting areas for Lapwing who lay their eggs on open grassland, but move their chicks to nearby wet areas to feed soon after hatching.