Wildlife of the
ponds...
The Sugar Mill Ponds
is home to a rich variety of plants, animals, birds and insects.
Much of the surrounding area is intensively farmed and this coupled
with the fact that ponds are becoming rarer in the countryside,
makes the Sugar Mill Ponds very much an 'oasis' for
wildlife.Over 70 species of birds have been
spotted at the site ranging from wrens to whitethroats, blackcaps to
barn owls and redwings to reed buntings. Also let's not forget our
resident great crested grebes, herons, ducks and of course our pair
of beautiful mute swans.
If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse
of kingfisher, grass snake, bank vole, dragonflies, or hear the
cuckoo in spring as you walk around. Early summer evenings are also
a good time to visit the Ponds for seeing bats (4 species), or for
hearing the blood-curdling screech of a barn owl.
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Much of the site is carpeted with the
blue of speedwells and forget-me-nots through the spring and early
summer with campions and giant teasels coming on later. Whatever the
time of year you're bound to encounter an abundance of wildlife at
the Sugar Mill Ponds - who knows, if you're really lucky you may
even spot the wild man of the ponds also know as the warden!
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Peakock
Butterfly and Poppy drawn by year 5&6 pupils from
Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School.
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