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Pleasley Pit Country Park

Situated near the border between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, with the river Meden separating the two counties, the former Pleasley Pit is now a country park. The listed pit building is the subject of a restoration scheme. The colliery opened in the 1870s and closed in the 1980s. Pleasley Pit Nature Study Group works to conserve the local wildlife and promote interest in the site.Last year for example, a good number of bird nest boxes have been erected. Volunteers are involved in maintaining the habitat to support wildlife.

Contact the Pleasley Pit Nature Study group for more information on these, as well as butterflies, moths, insects, birds, mammals and plants to be found on the site. Dragonflies and Damselflies can also be seen.

Visit: http://www.ppnsg.com/

On a  visit to the site in May 2008 the following birds were recorded: Skylark, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Lapwing, Swift, House Martin, Swallow, Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebe, Heron, Ruddy duck, Tufted duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Pochard, Canada geese, Mute swan, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Heron, Pied Wagtail and Kestrel. Recent visitors have included a Yellow Wagtail , Wheatear,Wood Sandpiper ,Barnacle Goose,Little Stint,Temminks Stint pair (May 2009 for these )

January 2009 a site visit produced the following sightings : seven Snipe ,a Little Owl,a Kestrel,some Fieldfare and Redwings, A flock of around 150 Siskin,with a few Goldfinch and Redpoll mixed in the same flock,Stock doves ,Jackdaws ,etc.Acouple of weeks previous a Kingfisher was using the purpose installed branch at the side of the water on the main pond (see very poor picture on this page),two green wood peckers were seen also nearby,another mixed flock on that occasion was mostly Goldfinch ,with some Linnet and Siskin mixed in.

http://www.derbyshireos.org.uk/pleasley.html