The mere is the largest natural glacial lake in the West Midlands at over one mile long. Surrounding the Mere are extensive reed beds, which support reed warbler, sedge warbler and reed bunting and the occasional visiting marsh harrier and osprey. The site also sees large murmurations of starlings at dusk in the winter months. Aqualate supports a large heronry that has been on site for over 300 years.
The low lying pastures at the east and west of the Reserve provide breeding areas for lapwing, curlew, snipe and redshank. Hunting barn owls and buzzards are also seen regularly over these fields.
Mammals found here include otter, polecat, stoat, water vole, yellow-necked mouse, harvest mouse, and bats such as pipistrelle and Daubenton’s.
