Mammals of the Meadow
The meadow is home to a number of mammal species. Small mammals include common and pigmy shrews, bank vole and field vole, house and field mice and common rat. Moles are also present and their molehills are a common sight around the meadow. Foxes and badgers are both occasional visitors to the Meadow and stoat have been seen on a few occasions.
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Water voles are present along the river. Water voles are a key species in the United Kingdom and proposed for inclusion under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. They are also included in the draft Wiltshire Biological Action Plan.
Otters pass through along the river from time to time as spraint has been found on a few occasions. They were evident on a fairly regular basis for a couple of years 2003/04 but visits have declined since. More recently, 2014, an otter was visiting the pond for a while and spraint and the remains of their fish meals were found. Mink have also been seen on a few occasions along the river bank.
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Bats can be seen flying around the meadow at dusk on warm evenings. Species recorded on a bat detector since 1986 include pipistrelle, daubenton’s, serotine and noctule.
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Roe deer have occasionally been seen in the meadow and on Nadder island. On one occasion a muntjac deer was present for a few days.