Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

In the enclosed pools and marshy margins you can find mare's tail (Hippuris vulgaris), water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata), water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), celery-leaved crowfoot (Ranunculus scleretus) and water mint (Mentha aquatica). Crack willow (Salix fragilis) has invaded the reedbed and alder (Alnus glutinosa), alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus) and dog rose (Rosa canina) have been planted as a hedge at the top of the slopes. A meadow has successfully been created on the slopes, with false oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius), ragwort (Senecio jacobea), crow garlic (Alium vineale) and grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia). The reserve supports common and marsh frogs, toads, newts and common lizard, and a range of invertebrates including small copper butterfly, Roesel's bush cricket (Metrioptera roeselii), and dragonflies such as common darter (Sympetrum striolatum), migrant hawker (Aeshna mixta) and emperor (Anax imperator). Of particular interest is the range of visiting birds, such as green sandpiper and snipe, while sedge warblers have bred here.