Avon Wildlife Safari Day 23 - Will you see the hairy dragonfly?

If you've never been to Portbury Wharf then this is a great time of year to go and explore this wetlands nature reserve. With the Severn estuary on it's doorstep and large pools and ponds on the reserve, this wildlife haven provides invaluable wetlands habitat for rare species such as the otter and water vole. You can download a guide of what to look for here to you get the most from your trip. 

photo:Water vole at Portbury Wharf -Steve Hale

The ponds also attract a wide range of invertebrates like the hairy dragonfly, which provide food for bats, including the greater horseshoe bat that can be found hunting across the fields. The hay meadows and hedgerows also provide food and shelter for small mammals, which in turn provide food for birds of prey such as owls and buzzards. 

Due to it's mosaic of habitats and position on the Severn estuary, this is a great place to spot wildfowl and wading birds such as curlew, dunlin, cormorants, little grebes and redshank. You can read a full species list of birds recorded on the reserve since 2005 here and you can even download your own Portbury Wharf bird spotting guide to take with you.

There are several walks and  three different bird hides for you to enjoy so download a reserve map and get planning!