Astbury Mere Country Park - SJ845627
Extensive area of water formed by old quarry workings and now run as a trust and used for water sports and angling. Coin-operated carpark. Very popular with dog walkers and joggers
Nearby: The Cloud / Timbersbrook
Local birder Steve Seal has a blog and it includes a comprehensive record of sightings
Bagmere SSSI - SJ796648
An overgrown mere still with some water and reed beds and a designated SSSI.
No access to the mere but can be viewed from roadside vantage points.
Limited roadside parking ( double yellow lines ) on Brereton Heath Lane
Nearby: Brereton Heath LNR
Likely species:
all year round - Water Rail, Reed Bunting
Winter - Woodcock, Snipe, Starling murmuration
Summer - warblers
On passage - Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail
Borrow Pit Meadows - SJ788570
A 16-hectare site of mixed habitat adjacent to the Salt Line, managed by Cheshire East Council.
Nearby: Salt Line
Likely species:
all year round - Kestrel, Willow Tit
Winter - Goosander, Tawny Owl
Spring - Green Woodpecker
Summer - warblers
On passage - Cuckoo
Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve - SJ795653
A Cheshire East Council LNR comprising a water-filled quarry and surrounding mixed woodland, also a heath. Coin-operated and patrolled car park, very popular with dog walkers and horse riders, some fishing
Nearby: Bagmere SSSI
Likely species:
all year round - Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Tree Sparrow
Winter - Goosander, Little Grebe
Spring - Oystercatcher
Summer - Oystercatcher, warblers, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail
On passage – Whinchat
(The) Cloud / Timbersbrook - SJ896630
A small ( but important in a SECOS context ) area of upland moorland and conifer forest.
Nearby: Astbury Mere CP
Likely species:
all year round - Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Raven
Spring - Meadow Pipit
Summer - Wood Warbler, warblers, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Crossbill, Siskin
On passage - Wheatear
Crewe Business Park - SJ719549
Primarily a Business Park but managed very sympathetically for wildlife. Adjacent to Quakers Coppice.
Nearby: Quakers Coppice
Likely species:
all year round - Tawny Owl
Winter - Green Sandpiper, Waxwing, Redpoll, Siskin
Spring - Reed Bunting
Summer - Hobby, warblers
Crewe Golf Course - SJ743550
Situated at Haslington. It also includes the Valley Brook and surrounding woods.
Nearby: Winterley Pool
Likely species:
Winter - Linnet, Redpoll, Siskin
Spring - Green Woodpecker
On passage - Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail
Doddington - SJ714464
Includes two large lakes, woodland, the Hall and grounds.
Historically, SECOS members had arrangements with the Doddington Estate to assess to the bird hide. As the hide is no longer viable, members should only view the area from public footpaths, roads, etc.
Nearby: Wybunbury Moss
Likely species:
All year round – game birds, wildfowl, Stock Dove, Little Grebe, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Kestrel, Peregrine, Linnet, Reed Bunting
Winter – Whooper Swan, Pintail, Scaup, Goldeneye, Goosander, Water Rail, Jack Snipe, Snipe, Common Gull, Brambling, Redpoll, Siskin
Spring – Oystercatcher, warblers, Yellow Wagtail
Summer – Cuckoo, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Hobby, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail
Autumn – Green Sandpiper
On passage – Dunlin, Redshank, Osprey, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, White Wagtail
Doddington at sunset
Lawton Woods and Lake - SJ821557
Large area of woodland including a lake. Footpaths criss-cross the area - also churchyard, outlying farm buildings and fields, canal. Very popular with dog walkers
Limited parking by church but also accessible from the northeast, in Scholar Green – various entrances from the housing development
Nearby: Rode Pool
Likely species: ( this list includes farmland adjacent to the site )
all year round - Mandarin Duck, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Winter - Goldeneye, Goosander, Little Grebe, Woodcock, Snipe, Tawny Owl, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Brambling
Spring - Cuckoo
Summer - warblers, Spotted Flycatcher
Autumn - Hobby
Meremoor Moss - SJ745530
An area of wet meadows between the A500 and the railway line. This area had deep drains installed during 2018 and is probably now destroyed. Restoration work has taken place. It will be monitored to see how it reacts.
The area can be accessed from various points including using the Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk footpaths and a permissive footpath.
Likely species: ( the list includes the fishery and farmland adjacent to the site )
all year round - Stock Dove, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting
Winter - Golden Plover, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Stonechat, Siskin
Spring - Oystercatcher, Skylark, Wheatear
Summer - Oystercatcher, warblers
On passage - Quail, Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Hobby, Willow Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail
Mow Cop - SJ867586
A sandstone ridge of moorland habitat giving extensive views over the Cheshire Plain and which forms the Cheshire / Staffordshire border. Also contains dis-used quarries which are sometimes used for organised off-road events. Roadside parking in a couple of places
Nearby: Roe Park
Likely species:
all year round - Little Owl, Kestrel, Skylark, Meadow Pipit
Winter - Snipe
Spring - Cuckoo
Summer - warblers, Stonechat, Wheatear
On passage - Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Ring Ouzel, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit
Quakers Coppice - SJ724548
A wood of six hectares on the south side of Crewe owned by Cheshire East Council.
Limited parking weekdays and very popular with dog walkers - barbeques in summer
Nearby: Crewe Business Park
Likely species:
all year round - Stock Dove
Winter - Tawny Owl
Summer - warblers, Spotted Flycatcher
Roe Park - SJ847589
Large area of mixed woodland on the side of Mow Cop, like Welsh hill valley habitat.
Nearby: Mow Cop
Likely species:
Spring - Green Woodpecker
Summer - warblers, Spotted Flycatcher
Salt Line - SJ775582
A well surfaced trail along the old railway line towards Alsager, managed by Cheshire East Council.
Tree-lined, popular with dog walkers and joggers
Nearby: Borrow Pit Meadows
Likely species:
see Borrow Pit Meadow
Swettenham / Meadows and The Quinta - SJ800670
Farmland and mixed woodland by the River Dane.
Accessed from various places with a couple of footpaths
Nearby: Bagmere and Brereton Heath LNR
Likely species:
all year round - Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Raven, Skylark, Linnet
Winter - Goosander, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Hawfinch, Redpoll, Siskin, Yellowhammer
Spring - Goosander, Willow Warbler
Summer - warblers, Spotted Flycatcher
On passage - Hobby, Yellow Wagtail
Westlow Mere, Congleton - SJ855644
Previously known as Hulme Walfield Sand Quarry, now a trout fishery.
No records for 2010 – 2019
Winterley Pool - SJ747570
Large fished, lake with roadside parking, one or two benches and an interpretation panel
Nearby: Crewe Golf Course
Likely species:
Not many sightings between 2010 - 2019
Wybunbury Moss - SJ687502
The Moss is a Natural England nature reserve and lies within a hollow left at the end of the last ice age, but salt subsidence has since played a part. Visiting is limited to way marked paths through a smallish section of woodland and a circular walk around the Moss. Various access points. Paths are often muddy and soft underfoot so good boots or wellies are advised. There is parking in the village. Rare plants that live in this unusual but dangerous mossland habitat.
Nearby: Doddington
Likely species:
all year round - Tawny Owl, Green Woodpecker, Raven, Linnet, Reed Bunting
Winter - Redpoll, Siskin
Spring - warblers
Summer - hirundines, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Sparrow