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Sandy Heath (Quarry)

Sandy
Woodlark – Steve Blain
Overview
Location
Birds

Overview

Sandy Heath is a large area across the road from the RSPB headquarters at Sandy. It is made up of mixed grassland, paddocks, some scrub, pine woodland belts, a tree nursery and a restored sand quarry.

More about the site

Location

– Access

– Parking

– Viewpoint

Grid ref: TL203493

W3W: ///tolerates.grandson.gloom

Coordinates: 52.128923, -0.243993 (directions)

Access

Access via footpaths and tracks from RSPB The Lodge car park – with a charge for non-members at RSPB The Lodge. Head north across the road and along a belt of trees to the pylon. Here the track continues to join the Everton Road (where you can also park and walk south). At the pylon, the track also runs right along the south side of the tree nursery towards Everton.

Sandy Heath Quarry is part of the RSPB Lodge Reserve and has a way-marked track around the perimeter

Parking

RSPB The Lodge car park.

Additional information

Sandy Heath is a regular site for Stonechat in passage and winter, and has attracted Ring Ouzel on a couple of occasions. The fields are sown with seed crops favoured by finches and buntings and can attract large flocks in the winter. Over 100 Bramblings were counted here in the winter 2015/16. A flock of eight Woodlark wintered here in 2008 and there have been several records in the winter since.

In passage times, you may be lucky enough to see Redstart, Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Pied Flycatcher and Wheatear. However, you are more likely to just enjoy the view. While these species have all been recorded here, records are few and far between. You stand a good chance of seeing Mistle Thrush (a large roost occurs here) and maybe a Little Owl or two. Whatever you see, it is a beautiful place to walk!

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