Dawson City Clay Pits

Best viewed from the public footpath on the Humber Bank, the reserve consists of two disused clay pits with associated reedbeds and adjoining scrub and pasture. The pits are particularly important for a wide range of birds, not only as a breeding site but also as a migration staging post.

There are 108 species of birds recorded on the reserve with over 20 species breeding, including reed and sedge warblers, water rail, garganey and, in the past, bittern. Snipe are regular visitors. Migrant waders include green and wood sandpipers, redshank, greenshank and ruff. Numbers of surface-feeding ducks, such as shoveler, teal and mallard, are at their greatest in late winter and early spring. Vagrants have included spoonbill, green-winged teal, Bewick's swan, little bittern, red-crested pochard and pectoral sandpiper.

A 9-hectare (23-acre) block of old pasture was added to the reserve in 1991. This is a good area for curlew, the numbers of which in winter are often in excess of 200, and for other waders, especially when the fields are flooded in winter. The reserve extends to part of the foreshore, from where both passage and wintering waders may be seen.

Management consists of grazing and occasional hay-cutting of the pasture. 

Nearest postcode: DN19 7NQ

Please note - postcodes are for the nearest registered address as we are unable to get postcodes for nature reserves. Please use the maps provided here to locate the entrance to the reserve.