Description
The Cossington Meadows wetland was quarried for gravel during the 1980s and 1990s, the pits then being filled and the area relandscaped, with several deep holes in the north of the site filling with water to form lakes. The Trust has created new wader scrapes and grazes the grassland areas. The deeper pools attract wildfowl such as Boz ördek, Tepeli patka and Bahri and in winter parties of Fiyu and Çamurcun are common and rarer ducks seen have included Kadife ördek and Çıkrıkçın. Around the muddy edges of shallow water can be found waders such as Yeşilbacak, Poyrazkuşu, Kızılbacak, Kızkuşu and Küçük halkalı cılıbıt. Birds like Yalıçapkını, Dağ kuyruksallayanı and Kerkenez can often be located. Kır baykuşu regularly winters on the reserve. During heavy winter rains, the river floods. As the flood water recedes, shallow pools of water form on the reserve. The pools dry up in the summer creating muddy habitats for wading birds.
Details
Access
The reserve is situated to the west of Cossington village, alongside the River Soar. There is also access at several other points, where public footpaths enter the reserve. Cars can be parked off the road outside the main entrance on the Syston Road or in the small public car park adjacent to Cossington Parish Church. On the map you see a circular walk of 6,5 km around Cossington meadows and Cossington lakes.
