Wildlife on the Wetlands
Take a tour through the pages below to find out about our wetland wildlife through the seasons.
With 127 species of birds, 24 butterflies, 371 moths, 19 dragonflies and 255 plants found on the meadows so far, Avon Meadows has been revealed as a haven for wildlife and the Friends of Avon Meadows are finding more all the time.
If you would like to get involved monitoring the different plants, insects, birds or mammals that live on the meadows, please get in touch with Liz Etheridge, Wildlife Project Officer
For those of you who are interested in finding out more, detailed lists are on the Species Checklists page. Please use the "Contact Us" page if you would like to request an Excel spreadsheet of the master list. If you see anything unusual please send your record (and a photograph!) to sightings@avonmeadows.org.uk
For regular updates on wildlife on the meadows, don't forget to look at A Coot's Eye View, (see Links page) a blog from Avon Meadows and the Recent Sightings page on this website .
Summer Highlights 2018 (June to August)
BIRDS: Breeding species provide the main summer interest and this year our Mute Swans had 8 cygnets which had moved off site by early July. The cold winter and spring has resulted in Cetti's Warbler moving off sadly. We can only hope they recolonise. The status of Water Rail is uncertain too although they have been heard occasionally and were seen in spring.
Conversely, Common Cuckoo has apparently had a good season with 2 males and one female present through most of May and June. A new species for Avon Meadows was recorded in July, a Eurasian Nuthatch! This is quite a common bird in woodland but not often seen on open wetland areas. The scrape has all but dried out now but a Little Egret, Lapwing and Oystercatcher all visited from time to time while there was still water.
BUTTERFLIES: Butterfly numbers are picking up with Meadow Browns and Ringlets being particularly numerous at the moment. 13 species have been recorded so far this year.
DRAGONFLIES: 13 species have been recorded so far this year. Particularly numerous have been Banded Demoiselle (mostly by the river), Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Red-eyed Damselfly. Emperor Dragonflies have been recorded on the scrape.
MOTHS: Numbers are beginning to build, 6 trapping sessions have been held so far this year. With a total species count of 369 it is becoming more difficult to find new moths however we have recorded The Chestnut for the first time and two new species of micro-moth. So far we have recorded 116 species this year.
Page last updated 4 July 2018
