Print pageSeasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
The wintering brent geese are supplimented by passage birds from the south coast, they remain until mid-May. Passage waders can be on the freshwater pools and wet grassland, with up to 50 whimbrels being a regular feature of April. The breeding redshanks are very vocal on the saltmarsh and can be seen harrying predatory gulls and crows. Lapwings, avocets, little ringed plovers, redshanks and even snipe can all be seen and heard displaying over the freshwater wetlands.
Summer
A fantastic time of year for passage waders, with a large variety of species and often a few surprises. Southbound migrants include many common, green and wood sandpipers feeding along the shallow margins of the numerous pools and channels. The sand martin nest bank should be a hive of activity - with over 70 occupied nests there will be hundreds of mouths to feed. The saltmarsh is alive with colour at this time of year, and it is the best time to see hunting marsh harriers or even perhaps the rare Montagu's harrier.
Autumn
The first returning brent geese arrive in September and can be seen grazing on the saltmarsh. The highest tides of the year are in September and force thousands of waders to seek refuge from the tide on the highest parts of the marsh, usually just over the sea bank. The early autumn period can be good for visible migration of swallows and yellow wagtails. Kingfishers take up a winter residence in the tidal creeks of the marsh and on the wetland pools.
Winter
The winter can be spectacular, with thousands of brent geese grazing the saltmarsh and thousands of ducks on the freshwater scrapes. Hen harriers, merlins, peregrines, barn owls and short-eared owls favour the saltmarsh or wet grassland. With luck you may see a small flock of twites, or even the elusive Lapland bunting.