Overview

Joe's Pond is a four hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest

Site of Special Scientific Interest

A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...

 that lies to the east of, and adjacent to, the Rainton Meadows

Rainton Meadows

Rainton Meadows is a nature reserve just to the east of East Rainton, Sunderland, north-east England. The reserve, which covers 60 ha, and the adjacent Joe's Pond Site of Special Scientific Interest, are managed by Durham Wildlife Trust.-Information:...

 nature reserve. It was originally notified, as Nicholson’s Pond, in 1968. Its main feature is a deep freshwater pond, but the surrounding area contains a variety of habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

s that provides shelter for over 140 species of birds and other wildlife.

The pond occupies the site of a former open-cast coal mine. It was leased in 1951 by one Joe Wilson, who began to manage it for wildlife and from whom the site derives its name. It was purchased in 1970 by the Durham Wildlife Trust

Durham Wildlife Trust

Durham Wildlife Trust, founded in 1971, is a registered charity which aims to protect wildlife and promote nature conservation in parts of County Durham and Tyne and Wear, England...

, which manages it in conjunction with the adjoining Rainton Meadows

Rainton Meadows

Rainton Meadows is a nature reserve just to the east of East Rainton, Sunderland, north-east England. The reserve, which covers 60 ha, and the adjacent Joe's Pond Site of Special Scientific Interest, are managed by Durham Wildlife Trust.-Information:...

 nature reserve. The site actually consists of three ponds: the smallest (the "Balancing Pond") helps to prevent pollution of the main pond by trapping seepage from adjacent coal waste tips; another, slightly larger pond (the "Overflow Pond") is used to control the water level in the main pond, to which it is linked via a sluice gate.

The site is located to the north of East Rainton

East Rainton

East Rainton is a village in the City of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in the north east of England. It is situated alongside the A690 road between Sunderland and Durham, near Houghton-le-Spring. It is home to Rainton Meadows, the nature reserve....

 and to the south of Chilton Moor

Chilton Moor

Chilton Moor is located between Houghton le Spring and Fencehouses on the Tyne and Wear/County Durham county boundary. The name of the village differs depending on whom you speak to , but both are acceptable....

. It is easily accessed from the A690

A690 road

The A690 is a road in County Durham running from Sunderland in the east through Durham to Crook.-Sunderland section:Throughout the Sunderland section it is known as either Durham Road or New Durham Road, and is one of the major routes in and out of the city. A single carriageway section runs from...

.

Joe's Pond is an excellent bird watching site, with over 140 species to be seen, including wintering common teal

Common Teal

The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...

, common pochard, and tufted duck

Tufted Duck

The Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.- Description :The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.The adult female is brown with paler...

, and, in summer, Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...

s. The surrounding scrub areas host large winter flocks of thrushes

Thrush (bird)

The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...

and all five species of owl are regularly seen.