The Story So Far

Wildlife Under Threat

Shropshire’s Birdwatchers have been shocked to hear that one of their lakes, just north of the M54’s junction 4, could see developers moving in to cut down hedges and trees in a huge building project in Priorslee. This new development could see 600 new homes built in the next 5 years.

Back in April 2005 local anglers were concerned to hear that Celestica were knocking down their factory just north of the lake and building a new complex some 200yds away next door to RICOH, thus providing prime real estate for new residential homes and an industrial estate on its old site.

Further to this there has been an indication that a new Secondary School is to be built just off Castle Farm Way, thus providing schooling for hundreds of children in the local area once the new housing estates are built.

If this isn’t bad enough bird watchers have since learnt that Telford & Wrekin Borough Council are also proposing to build a link road from the B5060 to Teece Drive in Priorslee. This link road would potentially destroy the habitat along the north bank of the Lake and thus ending nearly 40 years of bird watching in this area.

Priorslee Balancing Lake was built in the 60’s to provide water to Celestica formerly known as NEC and to the Fire Services for topping up their tenders. During its development the north bank was planted up with a wide variety of trees, of which some of the more mature ones have already been cut down within the grounds of Celestica. Unfortunately for one pair of Song Thrush’s they won’t be nesting here again, as contractors came across their nest of eggs as they were hacking down the trees.

The undergrowth was allowed to grow untouched for many years and thus provided a fantastic habitat for 8 species of Warbler to breed. These summer migrants from Africa, which include the Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler rely on this type of habitat to breed in. They are not the only birds to nest here, as there are at least 20 other species, such as the Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Hedge Sparrow, Treecreeper, Reed Bunting, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and in some years the very scarce Tree Sparrow.

This cover also allows several water birds to breed here that would not if the cover was reduced: Great Crested Grebe (the species whose persecution led to the foundation of the RSPB), Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard and in some years Little Grebe.

This 300yd stretch of woodland also provides a feeding ground for hundreds of other birds including many unusual birds to the County, including many rarities.

Recent years the Lake and its small wood, have seen Great Northern Diver, Black-necked Grebes, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, Hobby, Bittern, Purple Heron, Black Tern, Kingfisher, Waxwing, Red-rumped Swallow, Grasshopper Warbler, Firecrest, Wood Warbler, Common Wheatear and Brambling along its shores. Indeed one very scarce bird that would definitely be lost to the lake would be the Water Rail, regularly seen every winter in the stream in the north west corner of the lake.

Commoner species on passage throughout the year are too many to recall, but Yellow, Grey and Pied Wagtails, Iceland and Common Gulls, Arctic, Common, Little and Sandwich Terns are but a few that are regulars to this Lake.

In the autumn and winter the trees and bushes provide excellent roosting and feeding sites for Redwings, Fieldfare and other Thrushes that visit here from the continent. There is currently a Greenfinch roost here that has numbered 145 in recent weeks. The reed beds are also a winter roost for up to 25 Reed Buntings and they often host roosts of the fast declining Starlings.

This habitat is so diverse that there are at least 3 species of Bat found here and additionally the orchids, possibly Marsh Orchids can be found around the banks

With the proposed new road and the possibility of new homes backing onto the lake, this secluded and important habitat will disappear and along with it many birds and animals that rely on its wellbeing.

It’s inevitable that our green belts are given up for development, it’s happening everywhere you look. All we ask is that the developers for this project think about what they are about to destroy and after they have completed it ask themselves this question – Was it really worth it?