Natural England - Aqualate: what makes it special?

Aqualate: what makes it special?

Centred on Aqualate Mere - the largest natural lake in the West Midlands - the reserve also includes reedbeds, woodland and low-lying wet grassland.

Geology

The Mere and the surrounding landscape were formed by retreating glaciers towards the end of the last ice age (approximately 30,000 to 10,000 years ago). The Mere itself is a depression in the sand and gravel scoured out by the retreating glaciers which has then in filled with freshwater. Rare and important Esker deposits (sand and gravel banks deposited by a glacial melt water river) are also found to the north and east of the mere. These rare and important geological features on the reserve are another reason why the site is nationally important.

The Mere and its wildfowl

The mere is the largest open body of water in the west midlands and is over 1 mile long. The mere itself supports a diverse fish population, in particular pike and bream, and large numbers of wintering and breeding wildfowl. Up to three thousand duck maybe present on the Mere in the winter months, mallard, teal, wigeon, pochard, tufted duck, goldeneye, and gadwall are generally the most numerous but historically Aqualate has always been important for its wintering shoveler.

Reedbeds and secretive birds

Aqualate supports a large heronry that has been on site for over 300 years. Another eel feeder and relative of the heron, found at Aqualate, is the Bittern. This shy and rare bird is a regular winter visitor to the reedbeds. The reedbed habitat also supports reed warbler, sedge warbler and reed bunting with the occasional visiting Marsh Harrier. The site also sees large murmurations of Starlings at dusk in the winter months.

Wet pasture and wading birds

The low lying pastures at the east and west of the reserve provide breeding areas for wading birds such as lapwing, curlew, snipe and redshank. Hunting barn owl and buzzard are also seen regularly over these fields.

A variety of mammals

Mammals found here include otter, polecat, stoat, water vole, yellow necked mouse, harvest mouse, together with bats such as Pipistrelle, Daubenton's, Natterer's, Brandt's and whiskered.

Rare flora

Although the shallow mere itself supports few aquatic plants, the surrounding mosaic of habitats makes Aqualate one of the prime botanical sites in Staffordshire. Many plants occur here which are unknown elsewhere in the county including brookweed and grey club rush. The western meadows are particularly rich and contain scarce species such as meadow thistle, common meadow rue, yellow flag iris and marsh arrow grass.

Management

Management of the reserve is necessary to maintain the wetland habitats. The reedbeds which fringe the mere require invading willow and alder to be removed to prevent drying out and active management is also required in the woodlands. In the meadows grazing animals are the main management tool, removing the annual crop of grass and producing the short tussocky structure required by breeding curlew, snipe, lapwing and redshank. The rush pastures at Aqualate are grazed by cattle belonging to neighbouring farms and by Natural England owned herd of Exmoor Ponies and Galloway cattle.

Please note that, apart from public rights of way, access to the reserve is limited to permit holders. The Mere and its wildlife can be observed at close quarters from the public observation hide at the east end of the Mere. The hide is suitable for wheelchair users and can be accessed from the public car park along an easy access way marked public right of way. For details contact Natural England's Shropshire and Staffordshire office. Several events including guided walks are held on the NNR every year; please see the West Midlands NNRs events page for details.