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  • Boyton and Hollesley Marshes

Boyton and Hollesley Marshes

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Address
RSPB Boyton and Hollesley Marshes, Woodbridge IP12 3LR, UK
Grid ref
TM387475
What3Words
hockey.flick.cackling

Boyton and Hollesley Marshes are two vibrant coastal reserves in the lower reaches of the Alde-Ore Estuary. They are both grazing marshes, which means they’re great places for watching birds of prey, owls, butterflies and dragonflies, depending on the time of year.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Open at all times.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free, but donations are very welcome
Children
Free, but donations are very welcome
Car park cost

Free

Facilities

  • Car park
  • Nature trails

Accessibility

  • Full accessibility information (external website)

How to get here

By train

The nearest station is Melton (Woodbridge).

By bus

Bus route 160 Ipswich-Bealings-Woodbridge-Orford (stopping at Boyton village). Reserve is located 0.5 mile (800m) north-east of village.

By road

For Boyton: Boyton is situated approximately seven miles (11 km) east of Woodbridge. Follow the B1084 to the village of Butley. Turn right and follow the road through to Capel St. Andrew. Turn left and follow the road towards Boyton village. Approximately 0.25 mile before the village, bear left down a concrete track on a sharp right-hand turn where you will see a sign saying welcome to Boyton Marshes. Follow the track until you reach the small car park.

For Hollesey: From Woodbridge, follow directions to Hollesley Bay Prison. You will find a track leading down the side of the main prison with a clear 'Welcome to Hollesey Marshes' RSPB sign. Carry on down this track past the sign and you will soon reach a clearly signposted car park for the RSPB just within the prison grounds.

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
View on What3Words
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Contact Boyton and Hollesley Marshes

  • RSPB Boyton and Hollesley Marshes, Woodbridge IP12 3LR, UK
  • havergate.island@rspb.org.uk
  • 01394 450732
  • @RSPBSuffolk
  • Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

    Wading Avocet Illustration

    Avocet

    Avocets nest on the shallow pools at both Boyton and Hollesley Marshes.

    Barn owl

    Barn owl

    When the barn owls have young to feed, you could see them at any time of day.

    Standing Lapwing illustration

    Lapwing

    Watch the nesting lapwings here chasing predators that may come too close.

    Redshank, summer plumage

    Redshank

    Keep an eye out for the redshanks' towering display flights over the wet meadows in spring.

    Male wigeon

    Wigeon

    Wigeons arrive at Boyton and Hollesley Marshes in autumn and stay until the following spring.

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

In spring, look for breeding waders such as lapwings, avocets and redshanks, and nesting ducks. Spring migrants pass through and may include yellow wagtails, wheatears and whitethroats. Keep an eye open for a hunting barn owl.

In summer, nesting avocets and lapwings could have chicks on the pools. The first returning autumn migrants arrive from early July, including wading birds such as green sandpipers, spotted redshanks and ruffs. Look for dragonflies and grassland butterflies.

In autumn many wading birds continue to pass through, including greenshanks and whimbrels, while flocks of black-tailed godwits and avocets gather on the estuary. Hundreds of ducks such as wigeons and teals arrive for the winter.

Winter is a great time to see owls and birds of prey, including barn and short-eared owls, marsh and hen harriers and buzzards. Large flocks of wigeons, teals and feral geese gather on the marshes. The latter often attract white-fronted or a few tundra bean geese.

About Boyton and Hollesley Marshes

Habitat

Boyton Marshes is made up of wetland, grassland and coastal habitats. A new freshwater lagoon has been created at Hollesley which has many species of breeding wader including avocet and lapwing.

Conservation

Boyton and Hollesley Marshes are currently some of the best examples of coastal grazing marsh on the Suffolk Coast. At the moment, the sites sustain a healthy population of lapwings, avocets, redshanks and wintering ducks and geese.

We will maintain the coastal grazing marsh at Boyton and Hollesley to suit its breeding avocets, redshanks and lapwing, wintering wildfowl, and aquatic plants and invertebrates. Work will include selective winter flooding, grazing with cattle and sheep, controlling invasive vegetation and maintaining water levels.

Site information

Boyton and Hollesley Marshes are two coastal reserves in the lower reaches of the Alde-Ore Estuary. 

Latest forum posts

  • HOLLESLEY MARSH

    Good day RSPB, I am a frequent birder on the Hollesley/Boyton marshes. I was wondering if/when the Scrape at Hollesley was to be flooded..... Disappointed to have been up there recently to see very little water / birds. Still pick up 50 or so species...

    Posted 25/09/2019 by JK
  • Rare migrant bird arrival.

    01/07/18 at Boyton marsh, the first lagoon on the left, past the farm... 5 or 6 Ruddy-Headed Geese... Not sure how often these are seen here if ever?... was a first for me anyway. Photo attached, from Camera via phone.

    Posted 02/07/2018 by Gin
  • Finally made it to Hollesley!

    It could not have been a more beautiful March day on the east coast - it really felt as though Spring had arrived and it seemed that all our coastal birdlife was out to make the most of the weather while it lasted:  Limpy and I therefore made a much ...

    Posted 16/03/2017 by Clare
  • Spooky Tree

    Am I the only person that has noticed the spooky monster hiding inside the split tree near the new screen at Hollesley RSPB

    Posted 10/02/2016 by Old man of Minsmere aka John Richardson
Read our forum

Latest blog posts

  • Dec recent sightings

    If you are planning a visit to Hollesley Marshes soon here is what has been hanging around. 50 pink feet, 4 bean geese, 120 graylags, 20 barnacles, 280 canada geese, shelduck, shoveler, gadwall, wigeon, pintail, teal, 54 lapwing, 8 curlew, peregrine,...

    Posted 07/12/2018 by Lyndsey
  • Oct/ Nov highlights

    The scrape at Hollesley is now looking fantastic since drying it out over the summer. Our highlights for October leading into September are 4 Brent geese, 300 wigeon, 450 teal, 4 lapwing, 2 curlew, 6 godwit, 2 ruff, snipe, 2 green sandpiper, 3 redsha...

    Posted 14/11/2018 by Lyndsey
  • Hollesley Scrape in 2018

    Since its creation in autumn 2013 the Hollesley scrape has enjoyed amazing success! In the following four breeding seasons we have fledged 137 avocet, 100 lapwing and 43 redshank young. Highlights amongst other breeding species have included pintail,...

    Posted 13/02/2018 by Lyndsey
  • Recent sightings - 1st September

    You always know when you are leaving summer behind when all the breeding birds and their youngsters have started to move on and you start to see the autumn visitors and migrants arrive. It has been a busy time at Hollesley marshes with the scrape and...

    Posted 05/09/2017 by Lyndsey
Read our blog

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

For more information on events and to book tickets, please visit events.rspb.org.uk/boytonmarshes

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