Maun Conservation Group

 

Our Wildlife


We are very lucky to have a great range of wildlife on our reserves. This is especially notable given that we are in an urban location and that all parts of the reserves are ex-industrial places. IE Mills, Mill Ponds, Spoil heaps, demolished buildings and bridges.
Quarry Lane is the main river valley that was once a sequence of mills and mill ponds. The river, despite being in an urban area has an amazing range of fish, predominantly roach but also Chub, Gudgeon and Bullhead. The river is also home to our Water Voles and Kingfishers.
Oakham is a reclaimed meadow and woodland, the meadow includes a good range of orchids.


Hamilton, an “off shoot” of Oakham is a less visited area but with a river path to Kings Mill and a quite wood.
All our reserves are sensitively managed, with an emphasis on good vegetation and deadwood to support the base layer in the food chain, invertebrates. There is a huge variety of wet & dry habitats, flowering and fruiting plants and trees. Open meadow and brush, and more wooded areas. All areas are appreciated by our impressive range of birds.


Please see the general summaries for all list on known inhabitants. Please visit and enjoy our wildlife, and if you spot something we haven’t, please tell us J. We recommend that you join our Facebook group where you will get news of day to day sightings.

Why Survey? Survey methods
Formal surveys are great for getting standardised data over a period of time, this shows trends and variations. Often they create a score so that we can compare with other reserves and see where we are at a national level. This information also goes to key organisations who are working to save key species such as Water Voles.
Surveys, by their design, are snapshots of information usually gathered over small periods of time. This often means that the full extent of the wildlife is never fully captured, eg the bird survey after several months has not recorded the kingfishers.


Current Formal Surveys

  • Birds
  • Butterflies
  • Water Voles
  • Riverflies (limited range)

Intending to start surveys soon:-

  • Bats
  • Fish
  • All Aquatic Invertebrates
  • All Terrestrial Invertebrates
  • Dragonflies & Damselflies
  • Flowering and/or Meadow Plants
  • Molluscs
  • Amphibians & Reptiles (No reptiles known on the reserves)

Recorded Sightings - We report all surveys and sightings to the correct national organisations and also our county recorders.

Survey Summaries & General Observations
A noted, formal surveys serve a very important role in collecting nationally standardised data, however we are also logging all confirmed sighting however seen, so that we have the big picture of the reserves. We perceive ad-hoc sighting as being just as important. So, when you are in our reserves, if you see anything please report it to us. All we need is What, Where & When. Via our Facebook group is best. You will see the results on the website.


Want to get involved?


The above keeps our volunteers busy, and if you would like to help you would be welcomed. We will also train you in the various survey processes if you are interested.
We also get our regular volunteers onto formal, external training where appropriate.
Just contact us for more info.