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Gailey Lower Reservoir

36 ha

📷 Bill Boaden · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeSeasonal

Free entryDogs welcome36 ha

Getting here

52.69111, -2.09800

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦108+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Oystercatcher and Mallard
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦108+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Oystercatcher and Mallard
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Oystercatcher, Mallard, Black-headed Gull +105 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Oystercatcher, Mallard, Black-headed Gull +105 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Dog's Mercury, Lesser Celandine, Pendulous Sedge +23 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Dog's Mercury, Lesser Celandine, Pendulous Sedge +23 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — Red Dead-nettle, Dandelion, Ground-elder +3 more foraging species

Varies

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Hawthorn Shieldbug, Kidney-spot Ladybird · last seen 2026; Insects — Hawthorn Shieldbug, Kidney-spot Ladybird · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Monarch's WayWalking route990 km

approximate route of Charles II's escape

Named routeRef MWLength 990 kmRegional walking route

Staffordshire Way (Cannock Chase South)Walking route

Staffordshire Way, part Cannock Chase - south

Named routeRegional walking route

Forest of Mercia WayWalking route

Bentley Lane Park to Cannock Chase along the Wyrley and Essington Canal

Named routeLocal walking route

Wildlife to spot

19,071 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

19,071 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds68 species

autumn

2026

Mallard · Pochard · Canada Goose · Woodpigeon · Black-headed Gull +63

MallardAnas platyrhynchos
PochardAythya ferina
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Mute SwanCygnus olor
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
MagpiePica pica
RavenCorvus corax2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
TealAnas crecca2025
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Great TitParus major2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
Australian ShelduckTadorna tadornoides2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

spring

2026

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects2 species

winterautumn

2026

Hawthorn Shieldbug · Kidney-spot Ladybird

Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale
Kidney-spot LadybirdChilocorus renipustulatus2025

🌿

Plants21 species

winterspringautumn

2026

Lesser Celandine · Dog's Mercury · Pendulous Sedge · Summer Snowflake · Red Dead-nettle +16

Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis2025
Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula2025
Summer SnowflakeLeucojum aestivum
Red Dead-nettleLamium purpureum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

19,071 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds68 species

autumn

2026

Mallard · Pochard · Canada Goose · Woodpigeon · Black-headed Gull +63

MallardAnas platyrhynchos
PochardAythya ferina
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Mute SwanCygnus olor
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
MagpiePica pica
RavenCorvus corax2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
TealAnas crecca2025
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Great TitParus major2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
Australian ShelduckTadorna tadornoides2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

spring

2026

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects2 species

winterautumn

2026

Hawthorn Shieldbug · Kidney-spot Ladybird

Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale
Kidney-spot LadybirdChilocorus renipustulatus2025

🌿

Plants21 species

winterspringautumn

2026

Lesser Celandine · Dog's Mercury · Pendulous Sedge · Summer Snowflake · Red Dead-nettle +16

Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis2025
Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula2025
Summer SnowflakeLeucojum aestivum
Red Dead-nettleLamium purpureum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Bill Boaden · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Gailey Lower Reservoir

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Cannock ParkUrban park4.3 km→🦉SHOAL HILL COMMONNature reserve3.3 km→🌱Penkridge Festival GardenUrban park4 km→🌱Cannock ParkUrban park4.3 km→🌱Longford ParkUrban park4.8 km→🌱Kempson Road Play AreaUrban park4.1 km→

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