About the reserve

This is a top spot to indulge in some real urban birding, just a few miles from the city centre. There’s plenty to see all year around – in the spring, look (and listen!) out for robins, wrens, chiffchaffs, song thrushes, blackcaps, willow warblers, bullfinches and great spotted woodpeckers. Moorhen and kingfishers have also bred here. In the summer months blue-tailed and large red damselflies can be seen around the two large ponds. You might also spot small tortoiseshell, peacock, speckled-wood, orange-tip and ringlet butterflies visit the reserve. The marsh itself has stands of greater willowherb and common reed, as well as blunt-flowered rush, water figwort, ragged robin and meadow sweet. A stand of large ash trees, thick mature hedges and scattered guelder-rose bushes provide ideal shelter in the winter for blackbird, fieldfare and redwing. If you need to warm up, Brocks Hill Country Park visitor centres has a cafe, shop and facilities.