Fens Pools showcase the largest area of open water in Dudley and comprises three pools Grove Pool, Middle Pool and Fens Pool.
Facilities
Resting benches
Areas of shaded and un-shaded grass/pathways
Car Parking/ close to road side access points
Fens Pool Centre
High bird feeding stations
Water based resting platforms
Management of Fens Pools
Wardens take care of the Fens Pools Nature Reserve with work that includes vital management of habitats. Managing habitats such as hay cuts of grasslands and introduction of a pond connection network throughout the reserve enable a wide diversity of species to be sustained and therefore conserved.
Wildlife
The diversity of habitats within the reserve sustain a wide range of animal species.
The area is surrounded by shrubbery, mosaic scrub and pioneer vegetation. This great richness has been developed upon the abandoned wastelands left from the coal and iron industries. The pools are the focus of outstanding scenery and with bird resting and feeder platforms the area is ideal for bird watching. There are also many unusual plants including Ploughman's spike, blue fleabane, musk thistle, mouse eared hawkweed, southern marsh orchids and yellow birds nest.
As the largest area of open water in Dudley, the Fens Pools are important for migrating and over-wintering waterfowl, regularly attracting ducks such as shoveller, gadwall and pochards. Rare winter visitors include bittern and red-necked grebe.
The pools and surrounding habitats also attract summer visitors such as house martins and swifts foraging over the pools, whitethroats, chiffchaffs and blackcaps. Wading birds have been observed such as water rails, common snipe and oystercatcher. The pools provide a sustainable feeding ground for resident herons, and visiting cormorants, as well as kingfishers. Breeding birds on the pools include mute swan, great crested grebe and other water fowl.
Small ponds are frequent throughout the reserve to sustain an abundance of amphibians including toads, frogs and newts. The pools are a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) due to their large population of great crested newts - the largest population in the UK. However unfortunately the population is declining throughout the country making the species endangered so the habitat of Fens Pools is crucial for the species survival.
The pools, ponds and surrounding grassland and scrub environment sustain a wide range of invertebrates. There is a wide diversity of damselflies and dragonflies such as large red, azure blue and blue tailed damselflies and ruddy darter dragonflies. Butterflies are frequent throughout the reserves with small tortoiseshells and orange tips being prominent along with peacocks and common blues. Net-winged insects such as lacewings have also been observed along with a variety of moths, shield bugs and pollinators such as bees.
Although hard to observe, mammals such as foxes, muntjac deer and badgers have been identified to inhabit the site. There are a number of active badger setts which have been observed for an insight into badger behaviour.
