Open
water of sand and gravel quarries
Open water, both shallow and deep, and its vegetated margins
offer support for a range of interesting wildlife. Birds, fish
and dragonflies are most often seen but they are only the most
noticed of a set of thousands of species including water-boatmen,
water-snails and other invertebrates, frogs, newts, small mammals
and more. Deeper pools are favoured by many species of fish
and are used by duck and other diving birds. Shallower areas
and the edges of pools are used by dabbling duck and other
water birds as well as by wading birds which probe the mud
for snails and other invertebrates.
The vegetated swamp at the edge of the water is important for
nesting sites for birds and also for dragonflies whose larvae
climb the plant stems before the adults emerge as flying insects.
Soft banksides of pools are used by a variety of hole dwellers
and nesters including the water vole and the kingfisher.
Deep, cold pools in the base of hard rock quarries are a very
different habitat and support a less rich range of wildlife. |
