Blithfield Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Blithfield Reservoir is a large drinking water
reservoir in South Staffordshire
, England
, owned by South Staffordshire Water
.
Some 800 acres (324 hectares) of reservoir was formed on land sold by Baron Bagot
to the South Staffordshire Water Company in the 1940s. Blithfield Reservoir was opened by H.M. Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother on Tuesday 27 October 1953.
The reservoir is a haven for wildlife, particularly birds, a fact that was recognised in 1988 when the reservoir and most of its surrounding woodland was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, (SSSI). There is also an education centre to facilitate visits by school parties.
Blithfield was once a 'members only' Fly Fishing destination, however, in recent years it has been opened up to day ticket holders. Day tickets are available from the Estate Office.
Blithfield reservoir walks give members of the public the chance to enjoy the area and it's wildlife. The reservoir has been visited by many scarce and rare migrant
bird
s, including an inland Arctic Warbler
(1993), Bonaparte's Gull
(1994 and 1996), Blue-winged Teal
(1996 and 2000) and Squacco Heron
(2004).
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
reservoir in South Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, owned by South Staffordshire Water
South Staffordshire Water
South Staffordshire Water PLC known as South Staffs Water, is a privately owned water company supplying water to parts of Staffordshire and the West Midlands, England....
.
Some 800 acres (324 hectares) of reservoir was formed on land sold by Baron Bagot
Baron Bagot
Baron Bagot, of Bagot's Bromley in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created on 12 October 1780 for Sir William Bagot, 6th Baronet.-Bagot family:...
to the South Staffordshire Water Company in the 1940s. Blithfield Reservoir was opened by H.M. Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother on Tuesday 27 October 1953.
The reservoir is a haven for wildlife, particularly birds, a fact that was recognised in 1988 when the reservoir and most of its surrounding woodland was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, (SSSI). There is also an education centre to facilitate visits by school parties.
Blithfield was once a 'members only' Fly Fishing destination, however, in recent years it has been opened up to day ticket holders. Day tickets are available from the Estate Office.
Blithfield reservoir walks give members of the public the chance to enjoy the area and it's wildlife. The reservoir has been visited by many scarce and rare migrant
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, including an inland Arctic Warbler
Arctic Warbler
The Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus borealis, is a widespread leaf warbler in birch or mixed birch forest near water throughout its breeding range in Fennoscandia and northern Asia. It has established a foothold in North America, breeding in Alaska. This warbler is strongly migratory; the entire...
(1993), Bonaparte's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
The Bonaparte's Gull is a small gull.The Bonaparte's Gull is a small species, larger only than the Little Gull and the Saunders's Gull among all gull species. Adults are long with a wingspan and a body mass of . They have a black hood and a short thin dark bill. The body is mainly white with...
(1994 and 1996), Blue-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
The Blue-winged Teal is a small dabbling duck from North America.-Description:The Blue-winged Teal is long, with a wingspan of , and a weight of . The adult male has a greyish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult...
(1996 and 2000) and Squacco Heron
Squacco Heron
The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a small heron, long, of which the body is , with wingspan. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.-Behaviour:...
(2004).