Thorpe Park No 1 Gravel Pit

File:Gadwall drake.jpg

Gadwalls such as this pictured (this example has distinctive male colouring) are not found widely elsewhere inland in England and contributed to the site's listing

Thorpe Park No 1 Gravel Pit is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Surrey, England. The designated SSSI status is as it is a habitat of gadwalls (Anas strepera, a quite large species in the main dabbling duck genus) as a wintering habitat and for the other wildfowl that winter there in small but regular numbers that include goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and smews (Mergus albellus).

History

The gravel pits at Thorpe Park were developed by Ready Mixed Concrete Ltd in the 1930s for the extraction of both sand and gravel for use in construction. They were intentionally flooded in the 1970s when the site was re-purposed for recreational use.

The site received its SSSI listing in 1999. The British Trust for Ornithology noted a Wetlands Advisory Service report of 2003 that suggested recreational activities at the site might have contributed to a decline in recorded gadwall numbers. The site is used for waterskiing but the activity is prohibited between 1 October - 31 March, which is the period when the gadwalls use it for feeding. At other times of the year, the number of participants is restricted.

Citation

The designated SSSI status is as it is a habitat of Anas strepera as a wintering habitat and for the other wildfowl that winter there in small but regular numbers that include Bucephala clangula and the Mergus albellus.

Further reading

• (University of Oxford PhD thesis)