Description
A developing site depending on water levels. Geese including Gâscă cu cioc scurt and occasionally Gârliță mare, lots of duck in the winter and spring: Rață fluierătoare, Rață mică, Călifar alb, Rață lingurar, Rață cu cap castaniu and Rață pestriță. Egretă mică and Egretă mare with Stârc cenușiu regular. Cârstel de baltă, Becațină comună, Becațină mică, Fluierar de zăvoi, attractive to large numbers of Nagâț, Culic mare and Ploier auriu. Erete de stuf, Șorecar comun, Șoimul rândunelelor are noted with Pițigoi de munte and common warblers, Mărăcinar negru and Ciocârlie.
The fen has a new viewing screen and interpretationpanel managed by Durham Wildlife Trust. The area is best viewed from the screen at the interpretation panel. Castle Lake hide is nearby.
Details
Access
You can reach Bishops Fen by walking a circular route from Bishop Middleman village following the Brightwater trail and also viewing Castle Lake. Parking is available at the farm at Church street. Press P on the map for directions. Two hours circular walking route. This route is shown on the map.
You can also reach Bishops Fen from Hardwick Park. A walk of approx. 1.4 miles. Follow public footpath from the Hardwick Park Visitors Centre west 300m and bare north at the end of the woodland. Follow this path for another 30m before turning west to follow the footpath for 350m. Once on the farm track north of Brakes Farm, follow the farm track north 550m before crossing a small beck. Continue north on the footpath passing large ponds on your right. You will arrive at the old railway line walk that dissects the Bishop's Fen Nature Reserve after around 800m.


