Marbury Reedbed Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Marbury Reedbed Nature Reserve is a nature reserve
managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
.
Sitting within Marbury Country Park, the Trust looks after the 15 acre Marbury reedbed nature reserve on the western banks of Budworth Mere SSSI. Looking out from the bird hide in the country park across the water, or taking the walk to reserve itself, there is a range of habitats to explore. The reedbed, carr woodland and semi-natural broadleaved woodland all demonstrate the various stages of ‘hydrosere’ succession (habitats changing from open water to eventual woodland). The open water contains a rich selection plants including water lilies, and provides valuable feeding and breeding habitat for kingfisher, little grebe and great crested grebe. The reedbed is almost exclusively composed of common reed and is a residence for summer songsters, such as reed and sedge warblers. In recent years the reedbed has been used as an over-wintering site for bittern and the Trust manages the reedbed for this secretive heron by cutting glades through the reeds to allow better feeding opportunities. The diminutive and shy lesser spotted woodpecker has also been seen occasionally in the reserve’s woodlands.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Cheshire and parts of the counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside, England...
.
Sitting within Marbury Country Park, the Trust looks after the 15 acre Marbury reedbed nature reserve on the western banks of Budworth Mere SSSI. Looking out from the bird hide in the country park across the water, or taking the walk to reserve itself, there is a range of habitats to explore. The reedbed, carr woodland and semi-natural broadleaved woodland all demonstrate the various stages of ‘hydrosere’ succession (habitats changing from open water to eventual woodland). The open water contains a rich selection plants including water lilies, and provides valuable feeding and breeding habitat for kingfisher, little grebe and great crested grebe. The reedbed is almost exclusively composed of common reed and is a residence for summer songsters, such as reed and sedge warblers. In recent years the reedbed has been used as an over-wintering site for bittern and the Trust manages the reedbed for this secretive heron by cutting glades through the reeds to allow better feeding opportunities. The diminutive and shy lesser spotted woodpecker has also been seen occasionally in the reserve’s woodlands.