Magor Marsh

Magor Marsh Reserve

Magor Marsh Nature Reserve in mid-May
Magor Marsh

Magor Marsh Nature Reserve

Type Nature Reserve
Location Monmouthshire
Nearest city Magor
Coordinates 51°34′34″N 2°49′37″W / 51.576°N 2.827°W / 51.576; -2.827Coordinates: 51°34′34″N 2°49′37″W / 51.576°N 2.827°W / 51.576; -2.827
Area 36 hectares (0.360 km2; 0.139 sq mi)
Operated by Gwent Wildlife Trust
Hiking trails The Dragonfly Trail and The Butterfly Trail
Website Gwent Wildlife Trust

Magor Marsh is a 90 acres (36 ha) wetland reserve, located on the Welsh side of the Severn Estuary. It is managed by the Gwent Wildlife Trust. It has a great variety of habitats, including damp hay meadows, sedge fen, reedbed, scrub and wet woodland. There are also a large pond and numerous reens at the reserve.

Magor Marsh Nature Reserve is the richest site in Wales for wetland beetles and soldier-flies, and its pattern of drainage ditches and other features have remained unchanged since the 14th century.

Geology

The soil of Magor Marsh is mostly peat with a depth of around 15 feet. Under this is alluvium laid down in the river Severn estuary. The level of water must be kept near the surface to preserve the peat.[1]

Wildlife

Flora

There are two hay meadows in Magor Marsh. They are maintained using traditional methods. The meadows are grazed during autumn and winter. The hay crop is mown in mid-summer to provide winter feed. By late spring the fields are a mass of flowers.

In the meadows there are species like lady's smock, ragged robin, yellow flag, lesser spearwort and meadow thistle.

The common species in the reeds are teasels, common reed, hemp agrimony and purple loosestrife.

In the reen grow water horsetail, reedmace, marsh marigold and azure damselfly. Osier, crack willow and sallow are typical species in the wet woodland of Magor Marsh.[1]

Fauna

Magor Marsh includes breeding grounds for common redshank and common snipe. Reed warbler, grasshopper warbler, cetti's warbler, reed bunting and chiffchaff live also in the reeds of Magor Marsh.

In the reen the most common species are grass snake, great silver beetle, smooth newt and otter.[1]

In the pond of Magor Marsh the visitor may see water rail, coot, grey heron, little grebe, moorhen, little egret, Eurasian teal, shoveler and kingfisher.[1]

In the wet woodland the typical species are great spotted woodpecker and musk beetle. Cuckoo can be heard in the summer. In the meadows of Magor Marsh the common butterflies are orange tip and meadow brown.[1][1][2][3] [4]

European water vole can be found within the reserve.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Magor Marsh, leaflet (pdf), August 20, 2013
  2. ↑ Magor Marsh Reserve, leaflet
  3. ↑ Severnside Forum: Magor Marshes - a summary of ecological information
  4. ↑ BBC: Magor Marsh
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