Campfield Marsh

Campfield Marsh is found on the shores of one of the UK’s largest estuaries – the Solway Firth. A rich patchwork of habitats – saltmarsh, peatbogs, farmland and wet grassland – make up this wonderful wetland reserve and provide homes for an array of wildlife. That means wildfowl like ducks and geese in the winter and breeding waders, but also includes dragonflies and peat bog plants in spring and summer.

Scan the saltmarsh at high tide to watch the gatherings of Oystercatchers, Lapwings, Curlews and Dunlin between autumn and spring. Visit in winter to watch thousands of Teal, Wigeon, Pintail and Shoveler feeding on the flooded fields. In summer, head to the peat bog to see dragonflies and damselflies darting over the heather, while lizards scurry across the boardwalk in front of you.

From autumn through winter, the tidal sands are busy with thousands of wading birds. Come spring, migrant warblers set up territories and the gorse bursts into bloom.

We manage the reserve to create the ideal conditions for all the creatures who live here. We care for our peat bog by keeping the water high and allowing peat to accumulate. Grazing helps make our wet grassland ideal for waders and we’re busy extending it by creating ditches and drains on new areas of land.

We’re also converting swathes of semi-improved grassland into arable farmland to support Tree Sparrows, Reed Buntings, Linnets and Skylarks who snack on the seedheads of spent crops.