Woolston Eyes Now Home to Two-Thirds of UK's Rare Grebes — SkimNews
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- Woolston Eyes recorded 35 breeding pairs of black-necked grebes in 2025, with 29 nesting in the newly restored wetland area—almost two-thirds of the UK's total breeding population.
- The site was previously a dumping ground for dredging from the Manchester Ship Canal and has been converted into a network of freshwater pools and reedbeds since 2021.
- Four pairs nested on the newly restored wetland in 2023, successfully raising 15 young, after the birds were already breeding on a nearby wetland.
- RSPB ecologist Gavin Thomas said the rapid growth in numbers shows how effective targeted conservation action can be at targeted sites.
- Robin Horner, also of the RSPB, reported over 60 birds were present on site this spring and called it a success story showing industry and wildlife can work together.
- Black-necked grebes average only about 55 breeding pairs across the UK each year according to the RSPB, making the Woolston Eyes concentration particularly significant for the species.
Why it matters: The colony grew from 4 breeding pairs in 2023 to 35 by 2025—nearly two-thirds of the UK's annual average of 55 pairs—in just two years on restored industrial land. With the national population that small, Woolston Eyes now carries a disproportionate share of the species' UK breeding success, proving degraded land can be rapidly returned to critical habitat for one of Britain's rarest nesting birds.
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