Cassiobury Park - Natural History

Natural History

The bird-life of the formal areas is typical of parkland in southern England. Nuthatches like the old timber; spotted flycatchers the more open ground; and redwings and fieldfares the more open ground yet. Common and black-headed, and sometimes lesser black-backed and herring, gulls form loose flocks on the lower reaches towards the Gade.

The canal, the river and its associated streams provide more interest for the bird-watcher. Teal Anas crecca, Water Rail Rallus aquaticus, Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea and Kingfisher Alcedo atthis are regular visitors or resident. Especially in freezing weather, the disused cress-beds can yield waders: most often Snipe Gallinago gallinago, but also Redshank Tringa totanus and Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus and, more rarely, Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus and Dunlin Calidris alpina. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta may also be found here in winter, and in January 1965, on some cress-ditches which have now been filled in, up to four spotted crakes Porzana porzana were present. The valley is a good place to see Willow Tit Parus montanus, Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus, and Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus. The alders attract flocks of Siskin Carduelis spinus and Redpoll C. flammea. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor is frequent.

Some of the old ditches and surrounding woodland have been made into a local nature reserve. Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris L. grows here, and there is a fairly large bed of Great Reed-mace Typha latifolia L.

An obvious feature of the riverside flora are three species of balsams: Small Balsam Impatiens parviflora DC, Jewel-weed I. capensis Meerburgh, and Policeman's Helmet I. glandulifera Royle. These are said to be escapes from the canal-wharves, where they arrived with consignments of imported timber.