Wildlife

Nightingale Valley and St. Anne’s Wood are a haven for wildlife in Brislington. They are designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) due to their biodiversity.

Plants like wood anemone, dog’s mercury and golden saxifrage indicate an ancient woodland habitat. In spring the hillsides of St. Anne’s Wood become carpeted in bluebells and wild garlic.

The woods are an important home for lots of birds, with over 33 species recorded. Look out for our resident pair of kingfishers as they wizz past with a flash of electric blue. We also have tawny owls nesting in specially-made boxes.

Although mammals are often harder to see, we have strong populations of foxes and badgers in the woods. We’ve found otter spraint at several places along the brook, showing that these elusive animals do occasionally pass through. We’ve also recorded five species of bat, some of which may be using our bat boxes.

As well as the kingfishers, the brook also supports fish like the european eel, bullhead and stickleback. We regularly survey the brook for riverfly larvae, as these species are useful indicators of pollution levels.

We run events to help you discover more of the valley’s wildlife, including dawn chorus walks, owl prowls and evening bat walks.

You can help record the wildlife along the Brislington Brook by uploading your sightings to the iNaturalist App. (Offsite Link: https://www.inaturalist.org/).