After a closure lasting 6 frustrating months, Langford Lowfields is now (partially) open! The lower lying sections of the Visitor Trail are still underwater and so currently it is only the new route between The Beach Hut and Corfe Castle (the 360 Viewing Area), that can be accessed, however this takes you out into the middle of the reserve, past the booming Bittern, the display of Cowslips and may well give you good views of what is currently a daily spectacle of Cattle Egrets. They could be anywhere on site, so spend a bit of time checking all the large white birds. Alongside the Bittern and Cattle Egret, there are also Little Egret, Great White Egret and Grey Heron on site, so if you're fortunate, you may even be able to see 5 heron species in a day.
The padlock and chain were ceremoniously removed from the entrance gate on Monday morning and since then it's been brilliant welcoming people back on site to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. We still have more water than we need and the reedbed is looking absolutely battered after being submerged for so long, but with Spring highlights including swift, hobby and cuckoo having already been seen, with water levels dropping, vegetation greening up and the odd brave reed warbler clinging onto the sparse reed stems, it feels like we're on the road to a reedy recovery. The rest of the Visitor Trail will be opened as soon as it dries out and we complete the tidying up process.
The Grand Unlocking, one of the most prestigious ceremonies to ever take place anywhere ever. Photo by esteemed special guest Stuart Carlton
Some of the herd of Cattle Egrets making use of the Floating Bridge (the bridge will be put back into it's proper position in the near future). Photo by Stuart Carlton.