Lytchett Fields

We're working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Many have now re-opened in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although some facilities are not yet available. Some reserves remain closed for now. See our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).

Address: RSPB Lytchett Fields, Slough Ln, Poole BH16 5NB

Grid ref: SY9689

See our updates page to see which reserves are open.

Lytchett Fields is one of the premier wetland sites in Dorset, a series of protected pools with islands for roosting birds. The reserve has seen more than thirty species of wading birds visit since its creation in 2013, including black-tailed godwit, redshank, dunlin, greenshank, lapwing and snipe.

Plan your visit

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free

Children: Free

Facilities

Viewing point

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

From Hamworthy train station turn right outside and walk down Junction Road, turn left onto Turlin Road and then right onto Keysworth Road. Cross the open space toward the Rugby Club across the grass. Continue to walk north west across the rugby pitches to the boardwalk leading to Lytchett Bay View. Continue on to Border Drive. Turn left until you reach Shore Lane. Turn right and walk until you reach Sandy Lane. Turn left walk for 1 km. Slough Lane will be on your left which will take you to the reserve entrance.

By bus

The nearest bus stops are on Dorchester Road outside the Methodist Church.

By bike

There are no cycle paths - please follow the directions by road or from the station.

By road

From Upton follow signs to Lytchett Minster on the B3067 (Dorchester Rd) and Sea View Road is the first left after the Upton Methodist Church. Turn right onto Watery Lane and follow the road as it bends round to the left, there is a free public car park on the left. From the car park walk down Watery Lane onto the reserve.

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

Due to the easily disturbed wildlife on the reserve no dogs are allowed on site at anytime, except registered assistance dogs.

We welcome small groups for self-led visits to Lytchett Fields, due to limited parking we cannot accommodate coaches or large numbers of cars.

For further details, please phone 01929 553360 or email arne@rspb.org.uk.

12 degrees, Sunny day

Contact Lytchett Fields

RSPB Lytchett Fields, Slough Ln, Poole BH16 5NB
arne@rspb.org.uk
01929 553360

What will you see?

Our star species

Green sandpiper

A passage migrant and winter visitor to Lytchett Fields. Expect the first ‘autumn’ migrants from mid-summer onwards until winter when some stick around to enjoy the plentiful food available in the mudflats. Often first spotted heading skywards making plenty of noise and showing off their bright white tails.

Little ringed plover

One of the first spring migrants to appear in mid-March when birds are looking their sharpest with their black and white plumage and a good view will reveal their yellow eye-ring. This is a busy little wader and spends plenty of time feeding up to continue its migration to its breeding site.

Marsh harrier

Marsh harriers are one of the top predators to hunt the reed beds. You can spot them year round, but early spring is the best time to look up and see their ‘skydancing’ display hundreds of metre above the reed beds.

Water pipit

A scarce bird nationally but one you might encounter during the winter at Lytchett Fields. Similar to the Rock Pipit but is only a winter visitor which heads down from mountain tops in central and southern Europe. If you’re lucky to encounter one just before it heads back to breed, you’ll notice a wonderful pink flush to its plumage.

Black-tailed godwit

One of the more numerous species at Lytchett Fields especially in winter and during migration times. Watch them feed using their long bills which probe the mud looking for worms. As with a lot of waders their breeding plumage is different to their winter plumage and Black-tailed godwits are no exception. Look out for their striking orange stripy plumage in the spring and late summer.

Nature spectacles

During Autumn, raptors such as marsh harriers and peregrines visit the reserve daily creating panic among the large numbers of waders and waterfowl – a great spectacle for us to witness.

A large gathering of displaying shelducks and little ringed plovers are frequently seen from late March. Wader migration reaches its peak in late April and May with northward bound ringed plovers, dunlins and whimbrels all stopping off.

Having spent the summer on the reserve, non-breeding black-tailed godwits are joined by early returning godwits from Iceland, many still in their rich, ruddy breeding plumage. Little ringed plovers and green sandpipers are especially prominent in July.

As we move into September autumn migration is in full swing. The diversity of August continues but the species start to change. Lapwings, snipe, redshanks and dunlins become commoner and we say goodbye to the early migrants.

At high tide, teals, dunlins and lapwings are present in good numbers and greenshanks, black-tailed godwits and green sandpipers are seen daily. Raptors, including the occasional hen harrier. Spoonbills can drop in at any time.

About Lytchett Fields

Habitat

It is one of the premier wetland sites in Dorset. The reserve is comprised of a number of fields, one is planted with crops for wildlife, some are reedbeds but the majority are wet tidal mud and grassland. The harbour floods the site on each tide and this has created a food rich marsh unlike anything else in Dorset.

Conservation

Lytchett Fields is a rapidly changing site from freshwater to upper saltmarsh caused by a breach in the sea wall.

We manage vegetation through mechanically cutting and grazing animals, to keep on top of rush, spartina and reed.

In fresh water areas we mechanically clear ditches to create a mosaic of successional ditch habitats.

We manage an 8ha arable field for nationally important arable plants as well as providing winter finch feeding areas.

Site information

A successful visitor access trial, made possible thanks to a partnership between the RSPB and local charity Birds of Poole Habour, has made the reserve open to the public.

Due to the wet nature of the reserve, Wellington boots are highly recommended.

Marshside

Lytchett Fields

Arne

Lytchett Fields