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The Hewenden area is dominated by the reservoir but also includes an old railway viaduct and surrounding fields. Harden Beck runs from the reservoir to Hallas Bridge and the wooded beck-side runs into Goit Stock. The reservoir has a mature woodland around half of its area but doesn't yield a great deal of birdlife. The reservoir itself often doesn't hold many water birds no doubt due to the high numbers of fishermen on match days. It does, however, occasionally get a scarce bird. In the past Whooper Swan, Iceland Gull, and Yellow-legged Gull have been recorded here. Great Crested Grebes try to breed almost annually and have recently succeeded after many years of failure. Waders are generally not found at Hewenden but Redshank and Common Sandpiper are sometimes seen using the reservoir sides. Hewenden rarely shows any shoreline at all. Ducks other than Mallard are considered rarities.

The viaduct has a breeding colony of Swifts as well as Jackdaw and Stock Dove. The wooded beck-sides are quite good for Redpoll in the winter months. The scrubby area near the road side in the bottom of the dip between Harecroft and Cullingworth can be good for passage warblers. So far Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler have been recorded here as well as Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler. Little Owls use the dry stone walls in the surrounding farmland.