Largely undisturbed the woods support a healthy population of Great Spotted Woodpecker and reverberate to the bold ‘chwuit-chwuit’ calls of Nuthatches in the spring. Up to nine pairs of Common Buzzard have been reported in the park over the past few years. This species like many other large raptors became extinct in the lowlands of Britain returning to Warwickshire only in the 1980’s. The first confirmed breeding wasn’t until 1991. Now the Buzzard is everywhere and doing very well. Following in its wake is the Raven. This giant black bird often seen as a harbinger of doom or death has recently begun nesting on the castle estate and is further evidence of the improved environmental quality of both Warwick and Warwickshire.
New Waters, the lake created by Capability Brown is perhaps the area’s best kept secret. The lake borders Nursery wood and has the largest reed bed in southern Warwickshire. In the summer these reeds come alive to the chirruping calls of Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler. The reeds blend nearly seamlessly into the woodland with patches of Willow and Alder Carr along its length. The lake is of sufficient size to attract wildfowl such as Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Mute Swan and Moorhen. On one bank in tall pine trees a Heronry recovers. Grey Herons are colonial nesters and congregate in late winter to mate and build nests. The Heron was particularly affected by the pollution of Britain’s waterways from pesticides and fertilisers and the historic heronry at Warwick became extinct in 1974. Luckily when the water quality had improved they returned and began nesting in the same site in 2001. Over the following 7 years the heronry has grown to some 18 nests that produce upwards of 30 Herons a season.
New Waters with its deep waters, fish, crayfish and swan mussels is perhaps the town’s best hope for the return of the Otter to the region. The site is very quiet and there is no public access so far however only fleeting feeding evidence and the occasional spraint have alluded to any interest in the site by the Otter.
The estate has several barns and many of the trees are ancient with plenty of holes and crevices. These both provide excellent dwellings for bats. A colony of Natterer's Bat is present, whilst not a common species they are a widespread one first recorded in Warwickshire in 1848. Natterer’s specialise in tree top hunting they fly over woods and parkland where they hover and swoop upon moths and insects.
Part of the castles estate lay to the north of the town. Wedgnock was established by the counties 5th Earl, Henry de Neuburg. This estate was made up of woodland and farmland. In 1268 it was recorded as consisting of 80 acres of arable land, 60 acres of meadow, pannage, herbage and woods. By 1394 the estate had its own Parker, Keeper and three Under-keepers. The estate seems quite productive with registers in the 1400’s detailing the sale of 79 oxen, 37 cows, 32 sheep, 40 dairy cows, 2 bulls, corn, oats and hay fodder. The estate was accessed by Wedgnockeway which ran from the Saltway northwards towards Kenilworth. The road was described in 1455 as being in a very poor condition and was probably used by Queen Elizabeth I when she travelled from Warwick Castle to Kenilworth Castle. Wedgnock grew along with the castle but became an estate in its own right with farms, manors, a chapel and a deer park. The estate in 1845 was 2831 acres in size of which 42 were the deer park. Today the deer park is gone but it is still evident in the local names, Deer Park Farm and Deer Park Wood among them. There are two other woods at Wedgnock, Blackbrake Plantation and Larch Covert. The latter was used as a rifle range for awhile but is now part of a wider outdoor pursuits centre based off Wedgnock Lane. The lane itself is a bridle path and it is from this that you can see a number of species rarely found elsewhere around the town. The lane passes through arable and sheep pasture and the hedgerows are good places to spot Yellowhammer, Bullfinch, and Brambling. The fields are used frequently by Red-legged Partridge and Buzzards are often seen over the hills. Nearer Deer Park Farm in the winter flocks of Linnet and Siskin can be seen and the small woods, used for game, are home to Goldcrest and Coal Tit.
