I could go on at great length about this but I'll keep it short!
The Elche authorities have got the right idea about this area, but are failing miserably to maintain it correctly. It is now 3 years since it was last cleared, and it really should have been cleared every year or it becomes what we have seen over the summer - an overgrown mess which is good for a few specialised species but poor for diversity and viewing purposes.
The idea is to have a shallow water area for birds and animals which do not need the depth of water available in the main pool. Once they have finished installing what looks like some extra drainage and water supply channels (to keep the standing water fresh and clean), over the next few months before the start of the growing season it will become an absolute magnet for birds such as Snipe (the one with the unfeasably long bill), various types of waders such as Sandpiper species, and smaller birds which will come down to drink and bathe. Next spring's reed growth will provide nesting areas for Reed Warblers and Moorhens, as well as a safe refuge for frogs and similar species.
However, the reeds need cutting back from the channels to provide diversity during the summer, and the rangers have spectacularly failed to do this. We can't be too critical, as this is better than what went before, but it always seems that those who advise the authorities on these matters are running a good twenty years behind their equivalents in the UK - the RSPB, English and Scottish Natural Heritage, the Woodland Trust etc who know how to create good habitats like this and most importantly have the expertise to maintain them to the benefit of both a variety of species and those of us who enjoy watching them.
