Cassiobury Park Hmwt Local Nature Reserve

Discover, in a corner of Cassiobury Park, a wildlife haven close to the heart of a bustling town.

The wet habitats found on the reserve were once shallow watercress beds, fed with water from the river through a series of ditches. These have developed into marshland and open pools, surrounded by wet woodland of alder and willow. This provides valuable cover and nesting sites for birds. There are also areas of grassland where birds such as goldfinches and greenfinches feed on the seed heads of thistles and teasels. Water rail, lesser spotted woodpeckers and siskins are typical birds here.