Rodley Nature Reserve

A Description of the Habitats and Associated Wildlife

Duck Marsh Reedbed Wet Grassland River Willow Coppice Dragonfly Pools Hay Meadows Tim's Field Scrubland Sensory Garden Manager's Garden Entry Road
Back

Lagoon

Description
The lagoon is just over 2 hectares in size and incorporates 3 islands which provide valuable nesting sites for a variety of water birds. It receives its water from the River Aire via two wind pumps. The margins are well vegetated and provide ideal habitat for breeding warblers. There is a hide on the road side of the lagoon.

All Year
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Grey Lag Goose, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting and Kingfisher.

Spring and Summer
Common Tern, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and Common Whitethroat. Common Tern and Oystercatcher bred for the first time in 2006. Hirundines hunt for insects over the lagoon. Various species of dragonfly occur.

Autumn and Winter
Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Goosander, Water Rail, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Common Gull and Black-headed Gull.

Duck Marsh

Description
The duck marsh has been designed to provide ideal feeding conditions for migrant waders and wintering wildfowl. It receives its water via a sluice gate on the lagoon. The marsh is allowed to dry out gradually over the summer to become colonised by annual weeds. In autumn the water levels are gradually raised which releases plant seeds as food for dabbling ducks. Muddy edges provide perfect feeding conditions for waders. A hide is situated at one end of the duck marsh.

All Year
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Grey Lag Goose, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting and Kingfisher.

Spring and Summer
Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler and Common Whitethroat. Occasional Garganey. Various species of dragonfly occur.

Autumn and Winter
Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Goosander, Water Rail, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Common Gull and Black-headed Gull.

Reedbed

Description
The third part of the wetland system, this consists of two parallel areas of water surrounded by reedbeds. The reedbed receives its water via a sluice gate on the duck marsh. A hide is situated at the end of the first reedbed. This hide also looks onto the wet grassland.

All Year
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Grey Lag Goose, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting and Kingfisher.

Spring and Summer
Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Common Whitethroat. Hirundines roost in the reedbed in the summer months Various species of dragonfly occur.

Autumn and Winter
Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Water Rail, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Common Gull and Black-headed Gull.

Wet Grassland

Description
The fourth and final part of the wetland system, the wet grassland receives its water via a sluice gate on the reedbed. The area floods in winter, providing a feeding and roosting site for wintering water birds and remains damp in spring and early summer to create ideal conditions for breeding waders. The wet ditches provide ideal habitat for dragonflies and amphibians. Water is returned to the river via a sluice gate at the bottom end of the wet grassland.

All Year
Canada Goose, Grey Lag Goose, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting and Kingfisher.

Spring and Summer
Sedge Warbler, and Common Whitethroat. Various species of dragonfly.

Autumn and Winter
Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Water Rail, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Common Gull and Black-headed Gull. Spotted Crake was recorded in October 2005.

River and Riverbank

Description
The reserve is situated in a “U” shaped bend of the River Aire and acts as a flood plain for the city of Leeds.The river can only be seen from the bridge and at the bottom end of the reserve where the scrubland begins. The banks are well wooded with mature deciduous trees.There is a weir which cannot be seen from the public areas.

All Year
Canada Goose, Grey Lag Goose, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker and Jay.

Spring and Summer
Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat.

Autumn and Winter
Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler and Goosander.

Willow Coppice and Path

Description
Situated between the road and the Duck Marsh, the coppice was planted by Yorkshire Water as a trial area for generating electricity from short rotation coppice. Fenced and gated, the coppice provides a safe haven for various breeding birds and mammals. We continue to coppice sections of the area each winter and the coppiced wood is used on the reserve for building screens and fences.

All Year
Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Pheasant, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting. Marsh Tit and Willow Tit have also been recorded on occasions. Chiffchaff regularly overwinters.

Spring and Summer
Several species of warbler breed in the coppice including Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. The Willow Path provides ideal habitat for various species of butterfly including Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Comma, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Peacock and Meadow Brown

Dragonfly Pools

Description
Developed in 2005, there are now four pools, all planted with a different mix of native water plants. The ponds are home to a wide range of invertebrates, frogs, toads and newts. A fifth pond is in course of construction. This will have decking on two sides and will be available to school parties for pond dipping. To date, 15 species of damselfly and dragonfly have been recorded on the reserve.

All Year
Various water birds visit the ponds. Grey Wagtails and Pied Wagtails are often seen. The surrounding area is a home for Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird and Reed Bunting.

Spring and Summer
Frogs, toads, newts and a variety of dragonflies and damselflies including Emperor Dragonfly.

Hay Meadows and Hedgerows

Description
There are 2 hay meadows, the Mike Fisk Meadow and the John Ackroyd Meadow. Each meadow is surrounded by a hedge containing ten types of native shrubs and trees. The meadows cover an area of 3.45 hectares under CSS.

All Year
Kestrel, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon and Stock Dove

Spring and Summer
Wheatear, Stonechat, Whinchat and Meadow Pipit move through in spring and hirundines hunt for insects over the meadows throughout the summer. Typical meadow butterflies occur.

Farming for Birds Field (Tim’s Field)

Description
This field is planted with a mixture of cereals, quinoa, kale and sunflower which all provide a rich harvest of seeds for various bird species. The field covers an area of 1.83 hectares under CSS.

All Year
Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Stock Dove and Wood Pigeon.

Spring and Summer
Breeding Lapwing. Hirundines hunt for insects over the field throughout the summer.

Autumn and Winter
Linnet, Greenfinch and Goldfinch.

Scrubland

Description
This is a large area of low-growing scrubby willow, tussocky grasses and tall perennial herbs at the bottom end of the reserve and covering almost 20 acres. There is currently no access for visitors.

All Year
Roe Deer, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Blackbird and Wren.

Spring and Summer
Common Whitethroats are numerous in this area with occasional Lesser Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler.

Sensory Garden

Description
Created in 2005, the garden consists of raised beds around the visitor centre planted mainly with native wild flowers. Another raised bed is planted with Mediterranean herbs. There is also a mixed shrub bed which includes a number of native species.

Spring and Summer
In spring Orange Tip butterflies lay their eggs on Dame’s Violet and Jack-by-the-Hedge. In summer the flowers attract a range of butterflies including Small Tortoiseshell, Small and Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma and Red Admiral. White Letter Hairstreak was recorded in 2006. Various moth species also nectar on the flowers. Various species of bee and ladybird also visit the flowers.

Manager’s Garden

Description
A hide looks onto an enclosed garden which was the site of the garden of the manager of the old sewage works. The garden is surrounded by mature deciduous trees and bushes. There are bird feeder stations and a shallow pond for birds and mammals to drink and bathe at.

All Year
Bluetit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, occasional Green Woodpecker, Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Stock Dove.

Spring and Summer
Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat. Common Redstart was recorded in 2006. Butterflies include Speckled Wood.

Autumn and Winter
Reed Bunting, Redwing and Fieldfare.

Entry Road

Description
This is the area between the main gates and the bridge across the river. On one side there is a dense bank of trees and shrubs and on the other an old, disused mill building.

All Year
Species which are not usually seen on the rest of the reserve can often be seen here, for example, Collared Dove and House Sparrow. This is also a good area for Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit, Bluetit, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Bullfinch. Kestrel nests in the old building every year.

Spring and Summer
Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Autumn and Winter
Redwing and Fieldfare.