Eurasian hobby
This is described by Natural England as one of Britain's few remaining areas of washland which are vital for the survival of wildfowl and waders. It is used as a flood storage reservoir for the River Nene and is flooded for most of the winter and is pasture in the summer. It is important for birds all year. In the wintering wildfowl include wigeons, teals, pintails and Bewick's swans. In the breeding season the nesting species include common crane, black-tailed godwit, garganey and common snipe. The cranes also winter in the area and flock in nearby fields. They reserve is also good for birds of prey including Western marsh harrier, Eurasian hobby and short-eared owl.