Aldermaston Gravel Pits is a biological
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...
north of
Aldermaston in
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...
.
It was purchased by
Natural England in 2003.
This site consists of mature flooded
gravel
Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone.
Gravel is classifi ...
workings surrounded by dense fringing vegetation, trees and scrub, affording a variety of habitats for breeding birds and a refuge for wildfowl. The irregular shoreline, with islands, promontories, sheltered eutrophic pools and narrow lagoons provides undisturbed habitat for many water birds including surface feeding ducks such as
teal (''Anas crecca'') and
shoveler (''Anas clypeata''). The surrounding marsh and scrub are important for numerous birds including nine breeding species of
warblers,
water rails (''Rallus aquaticus''),
kingfishers (''Alcedoa atthis'') and an important breeding colony of
nightingales (''Luscinia megarhynchos'').
References
{{SSSIs Berks
Kennet and Avon Canal
Nature reserves in Berkshire
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Berkshire
West Berkshire District
Aldermaston
Quarrying in the United Kingdom