About the reserve

The Sturts (East) reserve comprises six fields. Two of them, Waterloo and Smith's Meadow, are wet, rough grassland fields, separated by an old hedge. Both fields are subject to winter flooding, and the repeated silt deposition has built up a rich deep, moisture retentive soil. Ragged robin, marsh bedstraw, lesser spearwort and three species of juncus rush are found in the hollows and ditches, whilst plants such as common knapweed, devil's-bit scabious, pignut, meadow vetchling and cuckooflower occur on the areas of drier grassland.

A series of permanent and seasonal ponds across the reserve support a range of aquatic invertebrates, including several rare beetles. An interesting and notable variety of water plants flourish in and around the ponds, such as water-dropwort, water starwort, greater spearwort and the rare orange foxtail grass. Look for common blue, bluetailed, large red and emerald damselflies, as well as common and ruddy darters. Mammals recorded on the reserve include fox, bank vole, field vole, common shrew and harvest mice, which have been found in the rough, swampy grassland.

During periods of flood waders and wildfowl may be attracted in to feed. Lapwing and curlew have visited, while groups of mallard and teal are occasionally recorded. Snipe are a regular winter visitor to the wet flushes and hollows.