<< back	Wyver Lane Nature Reserve, Belper	Grid Ref SK 34504930
List of Species Common Name  Azure Damselfly  Banded Demoiselle  Black-tailed Skimmer  Blue-tailed Damselfly  Broad-bodied Chaser  Brown Hawker  Common Blue Damselfly  Common Darter  Emerald Damselfly  Emperor Dragonfly  Large Red Damselfly  Migrant Hawker  Ruddy Darter  Southern Hawker	Location: North of Belper Site Owners: Amber Valley Borough Council Site Managers: Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Habitat: A large pool with associated Wetland in the Derwent Valley surrounded by mature mixed woodlands and pasture. Specialities: A hotspot for Ruddy Darter with a maximum count of 200 recorded by Derek Whitley on a site survey in 2002. The usual suspects otherwise. Access:  From the A6 turn onto the A517 Ashbourne road. Turn right onto Belper Lane and then right again onto Wyver Lane. Take great care this a very narrow residential road popular with walkers and farm traffic. Room for three well parked cars on the lane overlooking the main pool. If there is a twitch on park at the River Gardens (346482) or by the Talbot Pub and walk down. There is no access onto the reserve but you can watch the wildlife from the lane or from the Trust's hide. An annual permit is required to use the hide, £4 for members £8 for non-members available from the Trust. For Dragonfly watchers it is best to scan the Fishing Pool, the main pool and Top Pool from the Lane.  Then stroll down the lane checking out the fields and seasonal wet spots past Top Pool. Just before the Butts, an historic structure, of the old firing range is a small pool on the left of the Lane, which allows close views of Broad bodied Chasers, Hawkers and Darters. Further habitat creation making further seasonal pools would certainly benefit the Dragonfly community. Lying next to the River Derwent, Wyver Lane is one of the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's most important wetland reserves. It is within the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site  (Check out http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/enviro/dvmwhs.htm ) and is a lovely place to visit, with the surrounding hills making a great setting for a walk. Wyver Lane is the epitome of a local patch. Although this reserve has a hide, the mix of habitats gives the visiting naturalist the opportunity to seek out their own highlights. Importantly it also gives the chance to work the area and see what is about rather than follow the crowd. This is primarily a bird reserve put on the map by Eddie Walker in the 1970's. Belper is fortunate to have such an interesting reserve on its doorstep. Certainly the numbers of naturalists who work or are resident in the town value it and pop in on a regular basis. Whilst DWT is based at North Mill before and after work checks are popular, once they move to the Stone Centre watch records at Rose End Meadows soar! The reserve has many resident bird species, including Canada geese, Tufted duck and Little grebe. Throughout the year, many more species visit, depending on water levels, from waders such as Curlew and Common Sandpiper passing through in spring, to birds which breed here such as Lapwing. Uncommon birds and County Rarities are found, for example September 2003 saw two Pectoral Sandpipers gracing the muddy edges of the main pool. In June 2004 a Great White Egret was found on the main pool allowing many visitors to ''discover '' this reserve even if some dipped! The numbers of Dragonflies also attract Hobby, which give aerial displays as they feed on them, and Mayflies. Large numbers of gulls visit the reserve during winter - they are mainly black headed gulls, but you may also see common, herring, lesser and greater black backed gulls. They are joined by wildfowl escaping the icy north. In really cold conditions, numbers of duck species such as Wigeon can reach more than 100. The reserve is one of the few remaining areas of wet grassland in the mid-Derwent Valley and is the only site with large enough areas of undisturbed grassland for Wigeon to overwinter. To ensure that the many bird species continue to thrive here there is no access onto the reserve. Keep a keen eye out on the River for a chance of Otter and Goosander. Slow worms and Grass snakes are about too. Let the Trust know if you see water Vole and Mink too. Grub Stop: George's Award Winning Fish and Chip Shop on the A6. Pubs. The Talbot Arms at the end of Wyver Lane, The Fisherman's Rest on Broadholme Lane just off the A6 past the cemetery which is also worth a look for Dragons feeding amongst the sheltered paths and mature trees. Its great to sit outside the 'Rest with a pint, looking back over the Reserve and the distant woodlands for raptors and the chance of migrants. For the more discerning Ale drinkers the Queens Head on Chesterfield Road is worth a trip. It is a smoky pub but the wickets on the bar can be very enticing and if it is a warm evening you can partake with a pint outside looking over the town towards Hulland Ward.