Bird Watching Sites in the Peak District

Ogston Reservoir lies approximately two miles south west of Clay Cross in the northern area of the Amber Valley. It was formed in the years of 1957/58 by damming the River Amber at the south end of the valley adjacent to Ogston Hall. Originally its purpose was to meet the demands and requirements of the now closed Avenue (Carbonisation) Plant at Wingerworth. With the Avenue Plant providing their own water demands on site, the reservoir through its water treatment plant now serves the whole of North East

Derbyshire with domestic water. The reservoir covers some two hundred acres and is bound by steep banks on the eastern side, the dam wall and by shallow banks along the rest of its perimeter. In winter the water level is usually full to capacity but from spring to late autumn in some years the level can drop considerably. This allows the more shallow areas to show expanses of mud, which is an ideal habitat for the birds on spring and autumn passage, especially wader species. At this time the areas of Milltown Inlet and Carr Pond dry up and the River Amber and Carr Brook can be seen.