PEOPLE are being given the opportunity to explore wildlife hotspots along Droitwich Spa’s canal network.

Coney Meadow reed bed is home to hundreds of species, from birds like reed warblers and cuckoos to herons, frogs and otters.

On Wednesday, May 1, Dr Mark Robinson, national ecologist at the Canal & River Trust – the charity that cares for 2,000 of waterways in England and Wales – will lead a two kilometre walk, giving expert insight into the wildlife that makes the reed bed home.

Coney Meadow is the nature hub of the Droitwich Canals, a navigable 27-mile ring passing through Worcester and Droitwich. The canals were used throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth century to facilitate the salt trade, before becoming abandoned in the 1930s. Thanks to the work of volunteers and organisations, millions of pounds of funding was raised over the last four decades to restore the canals for wetland habitat and boats, culminating in the reopening of the full navigation in 2011.

Dr Robinson said: “Despite being only four years old, the reed bed has matured very nicely and we are seeing a huge variety of wildlife set up home there, including some rare and important species. There’s plenty to see on the walk and if we’re lucky we might spot some of the rarer species that have been reported in the area, like water rail or kingfishers.

“The restoration of the Droitwich Canals is a great example of what can be achieved if you band together and take action.”

The walk is free and will take around an hour. It’ll start at 10.30am at Salwarpe Church bridge, Copcut Lane, and is suitable for all people, with the terrain being rural path and roughish grassland.

Anyone wishing to attend is asked to book by emailing mark.robinson@canalrivertrust.org.uk For more information about the Droitwich Canals visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/droitwich-canals