Look out for willow tits which have been heard recently along the brook. Also look out for Redwings, Fieldfares, Siskins, Long Tailed Tits, Nuthatches and Kingfishers, as well as the normal garden birds you would expect to see in the winter.

Buzzards have nested near to the reserve and can often be seen soaring overhead.

It will soon be time to look out for this year’s Starling murmurations and winter migrants, especially at Hales Hall Pool.

Cheadle Angling Club spotted juvenile Oystercatchers flying around Hales Hall Pool (April 2018)

A number of people have recently said that they have not seen any water voles in the brook.

However there is evidence of water vole burrows and latrines in the section between Ashbourne Road and Oakamoor Road. A recent survey in the summer of 2018 has located 11 latrines in this section with a further 5 in the area behind Ullswater Drive.  A number of  water voles have been seen by members, particularly in the middle section of the reserve. Unfortunately there has been no evidence of water vole activity south of Ashbourne Road.

As part of the planning application for the old JCB site a survey also recorded the presence of water voles in this area.

We can now be found on Facebook.

We are looking to enhance the water vole environment by creating ponds and backwaters at various locations along the brook in the near future.

Our newly sown wildflower meadow should be even better this summer after the addition of extra seed sown in 2016 from the Coronation Meadow’s project.

This website has been designed by Adam Hardwick at The JCB Academy. Adam designed the website as part of his website design training which is an option on the academy’s extension activities.