fens birdwatching trail
Baston and Langtoft Lakes Birdwatching
Baston
An extensive network of old and new gravel pits just east of Baston and Langtoft villages. The pits range from large areas of open water of varying depths to smaller pits choked with reed beds though the latter are inaccessible.
what species and habitats can you find?
The open water is especially attractive to all wildfowl in winter and diving ducks in particular, and small numbers of waders in spring and autumn depending on the state of habitat and water levels. The site has the largest population of feral red-crested pochard in Lincolnshire, and one of the top 5 in England too. It also has our largest wintering populations of pochard and tufted duck and is a good bet for smew and ring-necked duck in winter.
Autumn & Winter species
Red-crested pochard are present all year round but numbers peak in October and November.
All the winter wildfowl but especially red-crested pochard, pochard, tufted duck, smew. finch flocks: redpoll, siskin, goldfinch and brambling.
Spring & Summer species
Breeding wildfowl especially red-crested pochard. Large common tern and black-headed gull colonies have attracted visiting caspian and gull-billed terns in recent years. Hobby numbers can be impressive with up to 10 in May as arriving birds take advantage of the dragonfly abundance.
In Summer all the spring birds are still present and if water levels fall wader passage can be interesting in some years.
useful tips
In winter, the Cross Drain attracts little egrets and waders such as green sandpiper as well as the occasional jack snipe and water pipit. It can be viewed from the bridges at TF153145 and TF160136, and surrounding fields can be good for golden plover flocks - particularly in autumn.
A hotspot for smew between January and March is the Old Wader Scrape (TF135138), which can be viewed from the road just southwest of Park Farm. The pits' resident population of red-crested pochards is also best seen on this pit - up to 1600 birds can be seen here.
The area from Park Farm eastwards also good for finch flocks in winter, with bramblings and mealy redpolls often found among the more familiar species. The flocks can range as far as the crossroads, and locating them can take time.
facilities
There are no public services in the immediate area of the lakes themselves but the villages of Baston and Langtoft have shops and pubs and Market Deeping 3 miles to the south has accommodation and takeaway food facilities including an excellent fish and chip shop.
getting here
Situated to the south of Baston Outgang Road and either side of Cross Road that runs south from it and joins the A1175. Most of the pits are in private ownership and have been developed for a variety of leisure interests. There is no access to the pits themselves but the lakes can be viewed from public roads and particularly a pull in at TF135153.
access
The roadside verges and bridleways are easy to walk on but please respect any advisory signs you see and don’t trespass off public rights of way on to private farmland, the leisure pits and working quarries.
opening times
There are no time restrictions on access to the area.
nearby
Baston Fen
Visit Baston fen for excellent bird watching opportunities. Enjoy the way marked route long the Macmillan Way along the River Glen bank.
