Print pageStar species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Watch elegant avocets 'scooping up' microscopic, aquatic life in their amazing, sickle shaped beaks. They nest in mini colonies and are fierce defenders of their eggs and young. |  |
Look for marsh harriers gliding over the reeds with their wings held upwards in a shallow 'v'. In spring, pairs perform their breathtaking 'skydancing' displays high in the sky. |  |
Redshanks can be seen all year round and gather in tight-knit groups to roost at high tide. |  |
Large flocks of teals pack onto the flooded grassland in winter. The hides will provide close views and you can listen to their piping calls as they fly round in dense flocks. |  |
During winter, flocks of wigeons are a daily sight, with several thousand often on the reserve. Wintering birds arrive from early September and numbers build up to a peak, usually in January. |  |