Some examples
of winter visitors are many species of duck, green sandpiper, greenshank,
curlew, lapwing, jack snipe and, in the lower reaches, Bewick’s swans.
The river supports a bewildering range of upwinged flies (mayfly family),
including the rare Potamanthus luteus. Caddis flies, stone flies, several
rare crane flies, Hawthorne flies and numerous others flying insects are
seen on or by the river.
Other invertebrates are the Atlantic stream crayfish and the fresh water
pearl mussel, both declining species and specially protected.
The bluebell, disappearing in so much of Britain, can be seen in huge numbers
in the Usk valley especially in the beech woods bordering the Monmouthshire
and Brecon canal. Other spring flowers in abundance are the cowslip and
primrose. You may see the occasional spike of the early purple orchid in
undisturbed locations. Other orchids in the wider Usk valley are such gems
as the common spotted orchid, bee orchid, green winged orchid, twayblades
and, adjacent to the tidal reaches, the marsh helleborine.
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