Kingfisher Country Park

Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom

Kingfisher Country Park

Meriden Park lake, within Kingfisher Country Park, which flows into the River Cole

Location| Birmingham and Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England
Coordinates| 52°29′37″N 1°47′42″W﻿ / ﻿52.4937°N 1.7951°W﻿ / 52.4937; -1.7951
Area| 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) approx.
Operated by|

* Birmingham City Council
* Solihull MBC

Website| www.birmingham.gov.uk/kingfisher

Kingfisher Country Park is a country park situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in England, straddling the historic border of Warwickshire and Worcestershire, mostly within the former. Initially designated as Project Kingfisher by Birmingham City Council, the park was formally declared a country park in July 2004. The country park is located along an 11 km (6.8 mi) stretch of the River Cole from Small Heath in Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood at the M6 motorway. It is a Local Nature Reserve.[1][2]

## Project Kingfisher

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The overall aim of the project was to preserve and care for the River Cole valley. The project was inaugurated in 1985.

### Funding

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Both the Birmingham City Council and the Solihull MBC sponsored the project in a joint venture. Charities and organisations that funded the project were:

* English Nature
* The Environment Agency
* Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
* Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

## Geography

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The country park has an area of around 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) [3] and crosses the border between Birmingham and the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. Within the original project, and now surrounding the country park, are several local nature reserves. These include Yorks Wood which was declared a local nature reserve by Solihull MBC in the 1990s after purchasing it in the 1980s. Other nature reserves include Babbs Mill Lake and Alcott Wood. Cole Bank, Smiths Wood, Elmdon Nature Park and Elmdon Coppice are proposed local nature reserves.[3]

Flowing through the country park is the River Cole which forms the River Cole Valley. The valley is home to different wildlife habitats and different types of landscape. The area contains a number of artificial lakes surrounded by plants ranging from grassland, wetland and woodland which dates back hundreds of years. Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst was dug to be a balancing feature in times of flooding at the river. Shard End Lake was created as a result of an old quarry being filled with water.[4]

The area is open to cyclists and walkers who can walk along the river towards other nearby country parks such as Shire Country Park and also walk to other places such as the Grand Union Canal, Coleshill, Kingshurst Brook, Meriden Park and Sheldon Country Park.

## Nature

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Animals seen along the river include herons, kingfishers (note the project name), water voles and mink. In the ponds created in Shard End, many invertebrates have nested as well as many amphibians. Skylarks have been seen around the course grassland and they have bred successfully for a number of years.

## See also

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* Yorks Wood
* Shard End Lake
* Babbs Mill Lake

## References

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1. ^ "Kingfisher". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
2. ^ "Map of Kingfisher". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
3. ^ a b "Native Woodland Plan NWP 015/207" (pdf). Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 22 December 2007.
4. ^ "Kingfisher Country Park". Birmingham City Council. Retrieved 22 December 2007.

## External links

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* Birmingham.gov.uk

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Parks and open spaces in Birmingham, England

Parks & gardens|

* Adderley Park
* Billesley Common
* Bleak Hill Park
* Brookvale Park
* Calthorpe Park
* Cannon Hill Park
* Cofton Park
* Cotteridge Park
* Eastside City Park
* Grove Park
* Handsworth Park
* Highbury Park
* Highgate Park
* Kingfisher Country Park
* Kings Heath Park
* Lickey Hills Country Park
* Lightwoods Park
* New Hall Valley Country Park
* Moseley Park
* Perry Hall Park
* Perry Park
* Pype Hayes Park
* Queens Park
* Selly Oak Park
* Senneleys Park
* Sheldon Country Park
* Shire Country Park
* Short Heath Park
* Sutton Park
* Swanshurst Park
* Walkers Heath Park
* Ward End Park
* Woodgate Valley Country Park

Gardens|

* Botanical Gardens
* Martineau Gardens
* St Thomas' Peace Garden
* Winterbourne Botanic Garden

Nature reserves
(not listed above)|

* Edgbaston Pool
* Harborne Reserve
* Moseley Bog
* Plantsbrook Local Nature Reserve
* Sandwell Valley (part)

Cemeteries|

* Brandwood End
* Handsworth
* Key Hill
* Lodge Hill
* Perry Barr Crematorium
* Warstone Lane
* Witton

Reservoirs|

* Aston
* Bartley
* Brookvale Park Lake
* Edgbaston
* Frankley
* Lifford
* Perry Barr (covered)
* Perry
* Witton Lakes

Related|

* Birmingham Parks Police

* Category

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