FoTR information about Wilstone Reservoir
Facilities
- Free car park
- Information boards
- Hide overlooking the reservoir
- Notice board in the hide
- There is a cafe at the back of the farm shop near the car park, open 10am to 4:30pm, with toilets for patrons only
- There is a pub and a shop about half a mile away in Wilstone village
Access
From the reservoir bank above the car park you can see the hide to the right. It is about 10-15 minute walk (if you don't stop to look at the birds on the way).
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (who manage Wilstone Reservoir for wildlife) hold a work party from 13:30 on the second Wednesday of each month, usually around the hide. Volunteers are welcome. Please note that this can cause disturbance so, while the work party is on, views from the hide can be disappointing.
A circular walk around the reservoir includes following the footpath along the edges of fields and along a section of dry canal giving a variety of habitats. This can take just under an hour of steady walking but allow 2 hours to include a visit to the hide and to do some bird watching etc.
Habitat
- The reservoir
- With varying water depths and the water level changes with the season exposing mud banks at the end of summer.
- Reservoir banks
- A large reed bed backed by woodland dominates the two southern sides. Concrete edges along the two northern sides.
- Drayton Bank
- The original reservoir bank. It is now a tree studded bank which runs away from the hide to the centre of the present reservoir then turns towards the reed bed.
- Reed bed
- with Blackthorn, Alder and Willow scrub behind. This is one of the few county sites where Green-flowered Helleborine can be found.
- Woodland
- with White and Lombardy hybrid poplars, mature Elder and an old overgrown fruit orchard.
- Fields and Meadows
- pasture, arable and set-aside land with hedgerows surround the reservoir
- Dry canal and Hedgerows
- Filled with scrub including Hawthorn, Elder and Blackthorn
Birds
- Open water
- Diving ducks, dabbling ducks including Wigeon and Pintail, huge gull roost in winter, Hobbies and terns in summer.
- Reed bed
- Teal, Water Rail, Hobbies, occasional Bittern.
- Concrete banks
- Common Sandpiper, wagtails, Kingfisher
- Drayton Bank
- Heronry and loafing wildfowl and waders.
- Fields and meadows
- Warblers in summer, thrushes in winter. Little Owl and Wheatear.
- Dry canal
- Bullfinch, warblers and buntings
- Woodland
- Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl, woodpeckers, tit species, Goldcrest
Other Wildlife
Dragonflies and damselflies
Butterflies and moths
Fox
Rabbits
Grey Squirrels
Brown Rats
Mink ... we think
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