The Riddy

The Riddy is an 8.4 hectare flood meadow and Local Nature Reserve located in Sandy, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, bordering the River Ivel.

[1] Declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2006 by Sandy Town Council and designated an 'Urban Fringe' site, The Riddy is a species rich habitat,[1][3] being described by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire as "an oasis of wild flowers, bird song and a wonderful view among a sea of arable fields".

The pond, stream and ditches support aquatic plants, such as arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia), celery-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus), purple-loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica)[2] and duckweed.

[8] Chub (Squalius cephalus) and carp can both be found in the 500 yards (460 m) stream,[9] along with the nationally protected water vole (Arvicola amphibius).

Grey herons (Ardea cinerea) and common terns (Sterna hirundo) hunt fish, and in the autumn, song thrushes (Turdus philomelos) can be seen at the reserve.