The Reservoir Ponds (also known as Atkinson's Ponds) comprise two small lakes fed by spring water. The upper lake has recently been re-excavated to restore open water. The water in the upper lake is fairly clear, although there was some discolouration by algae later in the summer.
Aquatic vegetation includes abundant horned pondweed (Zannichellia palustris) and small pondweed (Potamogeton berchtoldii) with more localised stands of water-crowfoot (Ranunculus sp.) and stonewort (Chara sp.). Marginal and emergent vegetation includes extensive beds of bogbean and bottle sedge along with branched bur-reed (Sparganium erectum), yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus), reedmace (Typha latifolia), water horsetail, common spike rush (Eleocharis palustris), greater tussock sedge and greater pond sedge (Carex riparia). Bladder sedge (Carex vesicaria), brown sedge and rushes (Juncus spp.) also occur locally amongst the emergent vegetation. Greater spearwort (Ranunculus lingua) is a very uncommon species, found amongst tall emergent vegetation at the northern end of the pond.
Adjoining the emergent zone is a narrow fringe of fen-meadow which extends around much of the lake margin. Species here include ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cucculi), greater birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus), lady's smock, marsh pennywort, water mint (Mentha aquatics) and marsh bedstraw (Galium palustre) along with the uncommon marsh valerian (Valeriana dioica), marsh speedwell and fen bedstraw (Galium uliginosum). Patches of similar vegetation are allowed to grow up in the grassland near the southern end of the lake.
The spring feeding the lake is located at SE 7044 6983 (78 m AOD). The ditch draining the spring supports water-cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum), marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre), brooklime (Veronica beccabunga), ragged robin, water figwort (Scrophularia auhculata) and hoary willowherb (Epilobium parviflorum).
The lower lake is fringed by reedbeds, mainly in the partial shade of surrounding trees. The reedbed around the inflow is silted-up and invaded by stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and rough meadow-grass (Poa trivialis), although several massive plants of greater tussock sedge are present.
Birds seen on the lakes included Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Ruddy Duck. One Reed Warbler was heard singing from the lower lake reedbed with Marsh Tit in adjoining damp alder woodland.
The sandstone bank to the east of Reservoir Pond supports acidic grassland with creeping soft-grass, wavy hair-grass, common bent, sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), sheep's sorrel, tormentil, heath bedstraw, heath speedwell and foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). A single clump of polypody fern (Polypodium vulgare) was found.