Eco Comment – World Wetlands Day – 02 February

31 January 2025

When I mentioned the RSPB centre at St Aiden’s and Fairburn Ings the other week I had forgotten that we in Wakefield can bird-watch at Pugney’s Country Park. At various points around the park there are bird watching huts and especially round the smaller of the lakes many varieties of birds can be found, but what I had not realised is that if you go back to the roundabout and look behind the Swan and Cygnet pub on the A636 there is another stretch of water and wetland. It was only when researching World Wetlands Day for this weekend and doing a search for the nearest wetland to us in Wakefield that I found out that the Calder Park Wetlands Nature Reserve existed under that name.  

A walk that we have done over many years takes you from Thornes Road near the park over the golf course towards Horbury. It is an official footpath that goes alongside the railway track on a cycle path. When you reach the graffiti bridge you take a left until you reach the river. Veer right along the river bank until you reach the pedestrian bridge which has a cycle rail and brings you out behind the Navigation pub. A pleasant halfway point, especially if you have small people with you. Then it’s back to the rear of the pub and turn right behind some houses to come to the canal. Follow this, over a small footbridge next to the lock, negotiate a stile and low hanging branches of trees, occasionally frequented by cows and then you’re back on the riverbank. Carry on walking on the path which goes under the M1, another stile here and to your left is the river and on your right are some stretches of water that I now know to be the nature reserve.  

If you’d like to have an armchair view of the area I also discovered a lovely video, taken during lockdown by the Yorkshire Vlogger, available on Youtube. It’s a dog walkers paradise but also a cold-water swimming spot. I remember my son coming home one day saying that he went swimming there and I wasn’t happy! At the time I was thinking gravel pits and very cold water. Agh! I have also seen a post about the fact that the swimmers should be aware of the nesting birds in the reed beds and not swim near them. Anyway back to more pleasant thoughts. The walk is definitely a welly or boot walk because it can be very muddy but the Vlogger reckoned he could walk round both lakes in 45 minutes. I’d allow an hour, especially if you want to stop and watch the family of swans as well as the other bird life. There is no parking there per se so it’s either paying to park at Pugney’s and crossing the main road, paying to park at the Swan and Cygnet (online payment) or starting at Durker near the Navigation. 

If you’re really interested in armchair bird watching I also discovered an online site with photos and sightings of the latest rare birds seen here on Birdguides.com Calder Wetlands West Yorkshire. A great photo of a Great Northern Diver and one to look up; a Scarlet Tanager. What a great name. I’m trying to picture it as I write. 

As ever I appear to have gone a long way from the subject of this Eco Comment. Sadly the nearest Slimbridge type place to us is Martin Mere in Lancashire, close to Southport. (L40 0TA) There, if you want to visit you will find many different activities aimed at people of all ages exploring and helping to preserve these precious habitats. 

In fact as they so eloquently put it on their webpage wwt.org.uk ‘At WWT (World Wetlands Trust), we champion wetlands 365 days a year. But on 2 February, the world comes together to celebrate these habitats. Wetlands are super powered, flood-busting, nature-boosting, carbon -sinking and mood-lifting habitats that burst with life.’ 

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time for a wetland adventure. 

And if you’re enthused by reading this you can sign up for a free ticket to your own wetland adventure on their website. Alternatively, you can stay closer to home as I’ve just thought of another local wetland place between Stanley Ferry and Kirkthorpe. The Southern Washlands. The sun is shining. I might just go and put my boots on.

Susan Morgan
Eco Group

 

Want to read last week’s Eco Comment? Click here.

Want to know more about the Eco Group?

Wakefield Cathedral’s Eco Group brings together members of the congregation, volunteers and staff to work towards making the cathedral a greener place to work and worship.

The Eco Group achieves its goals through a variety of activities, including partnerships with local community groups.

We invite anyone and everyone to reach out if they are interested in joining the eco group, or simply finding out more about what we do.

 

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