Wildlife along the New Junction Canal

Low Lane Swing Bridge, near the village of Kirk Bramwith. © www.penninewaterways.co.uk

The Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve is made up of Thorne, Hatfield and Crowle Moors. It consists of lowland raised bog and covers an area of 8201 acres. It's a vast wilderness full of weird and wonderful wildlife in the form of:

birds: the rare European Nightjar, hen harrier, sparrowhawk, merlin and short-eared owl

mammals: fallow and roe deer, brown hare and water vole

reptiles: adders and common lizard

invertebrates: over 3000 species, including the largeheath butterfly

plants: cottongrass, bog-rosemary and cranberry as well as the more common bracken, heather and birch

fenland plants: marsh cinquefoil, common reed and willow

flowers: southern marsh orchid, greater yellow rattle and bird's-foot trefoil.