Avon wood is a private project to create a new biodiverse woodland in Warwickshire. All of the species planted are native, and the saplings provided by Warwickshire based nurseries. The site is a former arable field, situated on the B4115 between Hill Wootton and Leek Wootton.
The plot is 32 acres bordered to the north by the road and south by the River Avon. Saplings were planted in December 2018. The design comprises four distinct areas, the central block of the site is designated as oak woodland, 34% oak, plus significant numbers of hornbeam, beech, lime, alder and silver birch. Where the woodland borders the road is designated as oak with edge colour, still 34% oak, but with higher proportions of wild cherry, lime, whitebeam and rowan. By the river, which is subject to occasional flooding, the mix is wet woodland, mainly different species of willow. In total 18,100 saplings from 30 native tree and shrub species have been planted. The southernmost 2 acres have been planted as a wildflower meadow.
The south part of the site is within the Warwick 100 area and the team have been asked to keep records of notable birds on their visits:
2025 records
This year we will keep a record of all birds seen.
Barn owl
black-headed gull
blackbird
blue tit
bullfinch
carrion crow
chaffinch
chiffchaff
common gull
cormorant
dunnock
fieldfare
goldfinch
great spotted woodpecker
great tit
greenfinch
green woodpecker
grey heron
herring gull
jackdaw
jay
kingfisher
lapwing
lesser black-backed gull
linnet
little egret
little grebe
long-tailed tit
magpie
mallard
meadow pipit
moorhen
pied wagtail
raven
redpoll
redwing
robin
rook
shoveller
siskin
skylark
song thrush
sparrowhawk
starling
stock dove
teal
treecreeper
water rail
Woodcock
woodpigeon
wren
yellowhammer
2024 records
17th Jan - Barn owl, water rail, meadow pipit, stonechat, kestrel
26th Jan - large flock of finches including 40+ lesser redpoll, 4 little egret, 1 cattle egret
19th Feb - 12 teal, 2 Egyptian goose, grey heron
14th Mar - Pair mistle thrush, 2 little egret
14th April - Common whitethroat
15th April - 2 oystercatcher
11th May - yellow wagtail
16th June - hobby
