A wetland near Warrington that was once used as a dumping ground for material dredged from the Manchester Ship Canal has become the UK's largest breeding colony for black-necked grebes, one of the country's rarest breeding birds. Conservationists at Woolston Eyes, managed by the RSPB and the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group, say the site now holds almost two-thirds of the UK's breeding pairs, showcasing how targeted habitat restoration can rapidly benefit endangered species.

Since 2021 the former dredging site has been converted into freshwater pools and reedbeds, with four pairs first nesting there in 2023 and successfully raising 15 young. By 2025 the number had grown to 35 breeding pairs across the reserve, 29 of them in the newly restored area, with over 60 birds recorded on site this spring. The UK typically sees only around 55 breeding pairs of the species nationwide, making the RSPB describe the project as a rare example of industry and wildlife working together.