Ryurgh Wildlife Group, Mill Road Scrape nature reserve was started in 2005 and is a permissive reserve on land belonging to Sennowe Park. The reserve started simply as an unimproved grass field that was grazed by cattle a couple times a year.
The first phase of the development of a new small wetland reserve was to create a simple pool area with a couple of Islands. There have been a series of additional periods of enlargement of the scrape and the site now encompasses approximately an acre of water and eight islands that give a number of differing habitats within the area. We have also done limited hedge planting to screen the walkway to our bird hide from which most of the site is visible. Water is fed into the scrape from a small stream and feeds directly into the River Wensum.
Over time, the number of species recorded has increased and now stands at 143 species of bird, 13 species of dragon and damselfly along with numerous other insects including short-winged conehead, Rossell’s bush-cricket and Ivy bees (to name only three). Birds recorded regularly include, common tern, Wigeon, teal, green sandpiper, snipe and more. Rarer visitors have included common crane, greenshank, bar-tailed godwit and a smashing pair of Garganey.
During autumn and winter, we have some working parties where volunteers are welcome to come along and get involved. Our wildlife watching hide is open all year.
If you are a group member you are welcome to visit the wildlife watching hide and, if possible, to provide a record of what you have seen to info.ryburghwildlife@gmail.com . Your records will enable the hide management to compute and share species identification and numbers with organisations collecting data for the conservation of wildlife. We regret that it will not be possible to reply to each submission.