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Owned by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust,Carr Vale has got to be one of the best places in Derbyshire,to see birds and other wildlife too,notably Hares.Its  afavourite of mine!The site covers around 5 acres if you were visiting purely to walk around it would take around ten minutes to walk from the Stockley trail  carpark to the viewing platforms ,however you need to allow a good couple of hours if you want  to look at the birds!Situated at the bottom of the hill that is crowned by Bolsover castle,access is by road  via the A632 to Chesterfield and is signed posted from the mini roundabout. From the car park ,walk past the sewage farm,to the main ponds to reach the screened viewing platforms( of which there are three.) Adjacent are the Stockley trail,and Peter Fidler reserve ,cross the road by the mini roundabout ,for the (sign posted) much smaller Snipe bog reserve.You could quite easily drive past on the M1 ,from which you can see Sutton Scarsdale Hall and Bolsover castle and be completely unaware that out of site is a nature reserve.The ponds can be seen from Sutton Scarsdale Hall (but not from the motorway!)Habitat of the site consists of lakes ,flashes (purpose built to attract waders),reed beds,arable fields,trees and scrub.The Peter Fidler reserve ,is a former colliery tip,( the main ponds of Carr Vale can be seen from above.)The site is well recorded a local dedicated team put in many hours of bird observation,their sightings are displayed from one of the viewing platforms.

In spring and autumn visiting birds ,pause on migration to feed and roost.Passage waders can give good views,as can summer visitors like swallows skimming the water for insects.Around september time swallows gathering before returning can number tens of thousands.In spring the reeds are full of warbler song notably sedge and reed warblers.Other warblers can be seen on almost any other part of the site including the Stockley trail and Peter Fidler reserve.Birds of prey can be seen all year round.Recent years have seen breeding waders ,lapwing for example and unusually for Derbyshire ,Oystercatcher have bred on the site within the last few years.Winter is the best time to see waterfowl: wigeon ,teal,gadwall and pochard for example can be seen in good numbers.Theres a wood pigeon roost of several hundred.Good numbers of gulls use the main pond to roost.Terns,pipits,buntings,wagtails,larks,geese,swans and game birds are also regularly seen.Contact Derbyshire Wildlfe trust http://www.derbyshirelifetrust.org.uk/ On a visit to Carr Vale in may 2008 ,I saw a male Roe deer and a water vole.More than 200 species of bird have been recorded on the site.British Deer Society website (excellent site!) http://www.bds.org.uk/

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