Wetland
Where land and water meet, and life crowds in.
Marshes, fens, reedbeds, ponds and wet meadows are some of the most productive habitats there are. The shallow, nutrient-rich water supports huge numbers of insects and amphibians, and those feed birds, bats and fish.
Wetlands also work as natural infrastructure: they slow floodwater, filter pollutants and store carbon in waterlogged soils. Over large areas they have been drained, which makes what is left more valuable.
357 species and 873 sightings have been recorded in wetland habitat by the Bosk community.
Species you may see in wetland habitat
- Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
- European Toad (Bufo bufo)
- Grass Snake (Natrix natrix)
- Bogong Moth (Agrotis infusa)
- Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
- Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
- Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
- European Common Frog (Rana temporaria)
- Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
- Green Treefrog (Dryophytes cinereus)
- Red-Bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata)
- Mile-a-Minute Weed (Persicaria perfoliata)
- Coypu (Myocastor coypus)
- Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
- Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
- Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
- Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta)
- Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
- Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
- Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
- Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)
- Common Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)
What to look for
- Mallard and Coot
- Grey Heron
- Common Frog
- Dragonflies in summer
Wetland through the year
Spring
Frogs and toads spawn; migrant birds return to breed.
Summer
Dragonflies and damselflies; reedbed warblers singing.
Autumn
Waterfowl gather and migrants pass through.
Winter
Ducks, geese and swans on open water; herons stand patiently at the edge.
Why Wetlands Matter
- Many amphibians, dragonflies and wading birds depend on them to breed.
- They buffer floods and clean water.
- Peat and waterlogged soils lock away carbon.
How to be kind to wetland wildlife
- Keep dogs on a lead near nesting birds.
- Never move spawn or pond life between ponds.
- Take litter and fishing line home.
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