Rodley Nature Reserve facts for kids
The Rodley Nature Reserve is a special place for wildlife. It is a wetland area created in 1999. You can find it near Rodley, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. The reserve is on the north side of the River Aire. It used to be an old water treatment plant.
How the Reserve Started
In 1992, Yorkshire Water suggested turning the old water treatment plant into a nature reserve. They talked with local wildlife groups, and everyone liked the idea. After a few years of planning and raising money, the reserve was built in 1999. A government minister who looked after the environment, Michael Meacher, officially opened it the next year.
Between 2004 and 2006, five new ponds were made. These ponds were designed to be homes for dragonflies. Each pond had different types of native plants growing in it. From 2007 to 2009, even more areas were added. This included four more ponds, a long ditch, a marshy area, and several open water spaces.
What Kind of Place Is It?
The reserve is on a special path that many birds use when they travel long distances. These birds include waders and waterfowl. In winter, the area often floods, which makes it a great home for these birds. The nearby River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal also provide good places for them. The canal is even a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which means it's a very important place for nature.
Besides the water areas, the reserve also has woodlands, grassy fields, and bushy areas. All these different parts make it a home for many kinds of plants and animals.
Animals You Can See
Many animals live and breed at the reserve. You can find frogs, toads, and newts here. Fifteen different kinds of dragonfly have been seen, and many of them lay their eggs here.
Birds you might see all year round include the little grebe, tufted duck, gadwall, shoveler, kingfisher, dipper, oystercatcher, lapwing, and common tern.
In winter, visitors like the snipe, water rail, pochard, wigeon, teal, and common merganser arrive.
Smaller birds that live there all year or visit in summer include the linnet, reed bunting, greenfinch, bullfinch, chiffchaff, willow warbler, garden warbler, grey wagtail, blackcap, common whitethroat, and song thrush.
Visitor Information
There is a car park right by the entrance gate. In the middle of the reserve, you will find a visitor centre. Next to the visitor centre, there is parking and toilets for people with disabilities.
