Blacktoft Sands

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Address
RSPB Blacktoft Sands, Goole DN14 8HR
Grid ref
SE843232

You'll find Blacktoft Sands hiding on the south bank of the River Ouse, where the waterway widens to become the Humber Estuary. This magical reserve hosts a diverse population of waders, warblers and raptors, which can be easily spotted from the accessible trails and hides.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Open daily from 9am - 9pm (or dusk if earlier). Closed on Christmas Day.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
£4
Children
(under 16s) £1
Other discounts
  • Concession: £3
  • Family: £7

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Pushchair friendly
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Shop off-site

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

The nearest station is Goole 9 miles from the reserve, from here there is a bus service.

By bus

The Number 360/361 bus from Goole stops at the reserve entrance. For up-to-date times ring Busline on 01482 5929 29, or visit eyms.co.uk.

By bike

The National Cycle Network passes through Ealand and Keadby, both around 10 miles south of the reserve.

By road

From Goole, take the A161 road to Swinefleet, turn left at the mini roundabout in Swinefleet, turn right at the next T junction and follow the minor road for the next five miles through Reedness, Whitgift and Ousefleet. About 0.5 km out of Ousefleet heading towards Adlingfleet, turn left into the reserve car park.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Information for dog owners

No dogs apart from assistance dogs.

Group booking information

Groups are welcome at the reserve. Groups of more than 10 people will need to book in advance. A volunteer or member of staff will welcome and explain all about what the reserve has to offer. Available 7 days a week between April - September, and at weekends between October - March.

Schools booking information

School visits are welcome to the reserve, booking required. A volunteer or member of staff will welcome and explain all about what the reserve has to offer. Available 7 days a week between April - September, and at weekends between October - March.

What will the weather be like?

19 degrees, Cloudy

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 71Kb

Blacktoft Sands trail guide

Contact Blacktoft Sands

What will you see?

Our star species

Recent sightings

Bearded tit Panurus biarmicus, male perched in reed bed, Minsmere RSPB reserve, Suffolk

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Blacktoft Sands.

Read more

Nature spectacles

  • Raptor spectaculars - Blacktoft is one of the best places to see marsh harriers with up to 40 roosting in the reedbed in the winter and close few of feeding birds during the spring and summer. Winter roost often include hen harriers, merlins and barn owls.  
  • Beautiful waders - during the summer and autumn months enjoy close views of passage waders including spotted redshank, black-tailed godwit and ruff.

Seasonal highlights

Marsh harriers begin spectacular sky dancing displays from early March. Look out for summer visitors as the spring migration peaks in April and May. Up to eight species of warbler can be heard singing as the reserve comes alive with birds. Listen out for booming bitterns in the mornings and evenings. Avocets arrive back in early March start nesting in April. Ousefleet can hold passage waders especially in May.

Calm mornings from late June are great for seeing bearded tits around the lagoon edges along with reed and sedge warblers feeding young. Waders such as spotted redshanks and ruff begin returning from the middle of June. Spoonbills have become a regular visitors at this time of year. Look for the acrobatic marsh harriers passing food to each other in mid-air. Barn owls hunt for voles from late afternoon onwards.

Migrating wading birds feeding and resting on the lagoons including spotted redshanks, greenshanks, black-tailed godwits, ruffs and dunlins can be seen on the lagoons. Keep your eyes peeled for water rails running around the lagoon edges. Look out for spectacular roosts of sand martins and swallows. Listen for the 'pinging' calls of flocking bearded tits on calm October mornings. You can spot evening and morning flights of pink-footed geese over the reserve.

Many marsh harriers come in to roost during afternoon and evenings also look carefully for hen harriers and merlins coming into the reedbed to roost as dusk descends. Peregrines and barn owls are also often hunting. Hundreds of teals and wigeons provide a wildfowl spectacle from the Ousefleet hide. Stop near the flood bank to see the flock of tree sparrows.

About Blacktoft Sands

Habitat

Blacktoft Sands is part of the Humber estuary - one of the most important wildlife sites in the UK.

Reedbed covers much of the site and this is Englands largest intertidal reedbed, home to marsh harriers, bearded tits and bittern. Six shallow saline lagoons provide a wildlife spectacle throughout the year. An area of grazing marsh provides a home for wildfowl and waders through the autumn and spring and includes a large seasonally flooded area. A small area of mudflat, which is not accessible, provides a safe roosting area for large numbers of golden plovers and lapwings. Scrub between the hides attracts a great variety of warblers and a thriving colony of tree sparrows.

Conservation

Our reedbed, at 122 hectares, is the second largest tidal reedbed in the UK. The reedbed is managed by a combination of grazing with our six konik ponies, cutting areas of reeds and maintaining and creating pools within the reedbed.

The brackish lagoons inside the reedbed are used by breeding and wintering wildfowl up to 40 pairs of avocets, as well as waders and wildfowl on passage. We maintain good conditions for these birds by controlling the water levels.

The reserve's 32 hectares of grazing marsh are good habitat for waterfowl and waders, including large numbers of wintering lapwings and golden plovers. We keep the marsh in good condition by grazing it with cattle and sheep, as well as our six Konik ponies.

We have planted willow scrub on the reserve to provide habitat for declining countryside birds, including song thrushes and tree sparrows. Cetti's warblers have recently started to breed on the reserve, benefiting from the habitat between the scrub and the reedbed. We keep it in good condition by cutting on rotation.

Partners

Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Site information

Come to Blacktoft Sands throughout the year and see how many of our 270 species of birds you can see! The tidal reedbed is the largest in England and is important for its breeding bearded tits, bitterns and marsh harriers. 

Latest blog posts

read our blog

What people are saying about Blacktoft Sands

Avocets, marsh harriers, spotted redshank, whooper swan, goldeneye, black tailed godwit, grazing wigeon, beautiful great crested grebe, shoveling shovelers, dainty little teal and many more; over 40 species in 2 hours and all seen easily from the hides with a little local advice from the friendly RSPB staff. Blacktoft Sands reserve is an excellent day out for the seasoned birdwatcher and an excellent introduction to the UK's amazing diversity of bird species for the novice.

David Walker

We don't know much about birds - but there were friendly RSPB volunteers who showed us what to look out for. They made us feel very welcome. I would recommend Blacktoft Sands to anybody who wants to enjoy their day out, and see interesting wildlife.

John and Wendy Fisher

I went to the 'Hair-raising Harriers' event today and had a fantastic time. The guide made us all feel really welcome and was very knowledgeable. I had four 'firsts' (whooper swan, short-eared owl, golden plover, stone chat) and excellent views of marsh harriers and barn owls. It is a wonderful reserve and I will definitely be going back.

Libby Hood-Phipps

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Take part in RSPB Blacktoft Sands monthly wildlife challenge. Pick up the challenge from our reception and try to spot as many of the different types of wildlife as you can find listed on the sheet. The extra tricky things are marked with a star and if you see one of those then you win a prize! The challenge changes seasonally.

Look out also for some of our special events that are particularly suitable for families like our open days.

Events

Saturday 23 June
Meadow Discovery Walk
Aberdeen
Saturday 6 October
RSPB Blacktoft Sands
Merseyside
More events

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Volunteer

 You can volunteer for us in hundreds of ways. Explore these pages to find an opportunity that suits you.