Flora and Fauna
around Manvers Lake
In addition to its recreational offerings, Manvers Lake is a haven for nature lovers. The parkland and the lake itself support a diverse array of wildlife, making it a great place for birdwatching and nature photography.
Throughout the year, visitors can witness the changing seasons reflected in the flora and fauna, each visit offering a new and delightful experience.
All of the photos shown are taken by our Photography section of the Manvers Waterfront Boat Club or by visitors to the lake who have uploaded them to our Manvers Lake Photography facebook group.
Wildlife
Mute Swan
The Mute Swan is one of the most recognisable and graceful waterbirds. Despite its name, it isn’t truly mute - just quieter than other swan species. Easily identified by its all‑white plumage and reddish‑orange bill with a black knob, it is also one of the heaviest flying birds.
Often viewed as romantic, pairs are known for forming a heart shape with their curved necks.
Mute swans mainly feed on aquatic plants, especially waterweed, and usually mate for life, though some may have multiple partners.
Mute swans need a long run across the water to take off, and their wings produce a noticeable whirring sound in flight. Although elegant, they can be territorial - chasing away intruders during the breeding season. They build large waterside nests, typically laying 5–7 eggs. Cygnets are fluffy and brown and sometimes ride on their parents’ backs for warmth and safety.
For many years, two swans affectionately known by locals as Doris and Derrick lived on our lake. Derrick was a large, dominant swan who fiercely protected his territory and would chase off any other swans that ventured too close. Throughout their time here, the pair successfully raised many cygnets.
They became well accustomed to the club’s open-water swimmers and would often waddle over looking for food, or simply glide past as people swam.
Sadly, Derrick passed away in 2024, and since then we’ve begun to see many more swans taking up residence on the lake.
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a delightful and elegant waterbird, easily recognised by its decorative head plumes. During the breeding season, it displays an impressive head crest and a striking orange ruff around its neck. The species has white cheeks, a dark cap, a white neck, and a dark body.
Great crested grebes mainly eat fish, which they catch by diving underwater. They are excellent swimmers and often use diving as a way to escape danger.
They build floating nests among reeds at the water’s edge and typically lay around 3–5 eggs. Young chicks are often seen riding on their parents’ backs. The species is especially well known for its elaborate spring courtship display, during which pairs perform synchronised movements, rise upright from the water, and shake their heads while fanning out their decorative feathers.
Stand‑up paddleboarders at Manvers Waterfront Boat Club often have one of the best views of Great Crested Grebes in action. These elegant birds are expert divers, using their powerful legs and streamlined bodies to chase fish underwater. From a paddleboard, you might see one shoot past beneath the surface like a feathered torpedo, gliding silently through the water before popping up several metres away with barely a ripple.
Great Crested Grebes are wonderfully agile and can stay underwater for surprisingly long periods, which makes each sighting feel like a little moment of magic. If you’re out on a paddleboard, keep an eye on the water - you might spot one zooming around like an underwater rocket and suddenly reappearing somewhere completely unexpected. It’s like nature’s own game of peek‑a‑boo, and for many paddleboarders, it’s one of the highlights of being out on the lake.
Grey Heron
Grey herons are unmistakable, tall, prehistoric-looking birds with long legs, pointed beaks, and grey, black, and white feathers.
They can often be spotted standing like statues at the edges of ponds and lakes, patiently watching the water as they wait for their next meal. They inhabit rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, and estuaries, and mainly hunt fish, though they will also eat amphibians, small mammals, and insects.
Grey herons nest in colonies called heronries, often in trees near water, where they lay 3–5 pale blue eggs. The chicks usually fledge after about 7–8 weeks. While they tend to hunt alone, they are social during the breeding season and are strong fliers, travelling with their necks folded back in flight.