Strumpshaw Fen and the Broads

It was feeling rather spring-like by the end of February, but winter was not going to leave so soon. March 2023 saw a sudden switch in temperature and we had some snow, hail, sleet and also plenty of rain which has caused the riverside trails to be very muddy again. Wellies are still needed if you are hoping to venture as far as Tower Hide! Strong winds on the 13th also forced us to close the reserve for the day for safety…

February 2023 has been a month in which spring and winter was battling it out to be the most dominant. Some days it has been rather chilly with misty morning scenes and even a few gusty days, in which I witnessed bearded tits trying to hang on to reed heads as they attempted to feed while being blown around like a cowboy riding a rodeo horse.

But despite the winter trying to linger on, it has been rather spring like…

The new year began fairly mild with days of rain, strong winds and the odd sunny spell here and there. By mid-January, however, the temperatures dropped to zero for the second time this winter and the first time this year. The reserve froze over once again and during most mornings, the vegetation and everything else was decorated in the spiky icy formations of hoar frost. For brief periods of time, Strumpshaw transformed…

Strumpshaw Fen Review of the Year 2022

A lot has happened in 2022. Queen Elizabeth II dies, Russia invaded Ukraine and we had three prime ministers within a span of 12 months. It has been quite a year for Strumpshaw, too. Now that we have entered into 2023, I make my first ever end of year report as we look back on the challenges and results from our survey teams at Strumpshaw and along the Mid Yare Valley in 2022.

Wild…

Can you believe that 2022 is almost over? A year of monthly reports almost complete. Only December left to do. So, what has been seen this month? It is time to look back on the final month of 2022.

Rainbow at Reception (Dec 5th)

December has been a fairly quiet month and a very cold one. There's been days of heavy mist, rain and even rainbows. However, temperatures then dropped below zero. Strumpshaw was frozen solid…

November. A strange month at Strumpshaw, a month that was warm in the first half and cold in the other. There's been misty starts and plenty of rain throughout, resulting in a lot of mud. One minute there's nothing, not even a duck on the broad, but a moment later, something turns up out of nowhere to delight those who stick around long enough. And there has been plenty of these unexpected surprises seen by you, our lovely…

Halloween marks the end of October. There are no tricks to be seen here though, only treats. Several of them. What kind of treats? It is that time again to look back at what wildlife highlights that were seen this month. But before we do, there's a couple of things to address.

Firstly, seasonal path closures. The meadow trail is now closed until mid-may next year. The Fen Trail will be closed beyond Tower Hide until…

We here at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen were saddened to hear the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizibeth II.  On the day of her funeral, September 19th, we closed our reception building as a mark of respect.

As we welcome our new king to the throne, it wasn't just the monarchy that was changing this month. Signs of the seasons moving from summer into autumn were everywhere. The extremely hot and dry weather of the previous…

Norfolk was declared as a drought region this month as the country embraced a second heatwave. If you remember my last report (end July), the view from Tower Hide was dry as a bone. In fact, there weren't many places on the reserve that had water last month. Thankfully, despite all the odds, the view from Tower Hide is a lot different now. The water has returned!

View from Tower Hide (22 August)

By the beginning…

It has been a bit hot recently, hasn't it? A heatwave hit the UK this month with temperatures reaching around 40°C! Strumpshaw was sweltering! Thankfully, no wildfires occurred. However, water levels have dropped and parts of the reserve had dried up. The views from our Fen and Tower hides were more dried mud than water. Don't worry, this is as expected for this time of year. But, if you are hoping to do some pond dipping…

Spring was fairly warm for the most part this year and with summer now here, it has only gotten hotter and hotter. The birds had been fairly busy feeding their young and we've been overjoyed with species such as our marsh harriers which have had a great breeding season. However, June is the time when the birds take a bit of a backseat and the insects take the spotlight, so there's no surprise that we've had more insect…

The Meadow Trail at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen is always full of interest. It is a real delight to wander along the mown paths surrounded by a colourful community of wetland plants such as ragged robin, meadow buttercup, delicate, pale lilac cuckooflower, southern marsh and common spotted orchids that carpet the area.

Southern marsh orchid                     Common spotted orchid

A major attraction of course are the dragonflies that…

May Sightings

SWALLOWTAIL SEASON HAS BEGUN! I'm sure many of you will be happy to hear that and have been making your way to Strumpshaw to see these rare and beautiful butterflies. 

Swallowtail on yellow flag iris in front of Reception Hide

After a terrible season last year, due to a wintery spring that disrupted their emergence by a couple of weeks, the warm weather back in May meant that the season got off to an…

Photo: Reception building fully open with our volunteers ready to welcome you in.

After what seems an interminably long time, the reception hide at the Fen has been fully opened. The makeshift annex served its purpose well, but in my mind was always a barrier to proper interaction with visitors. Everyone made the best of things in trying circumstances, but it just wasn’t the same. Hopefully, that’s now all behind us…

April's Sightings

After a very warm March, it was rather odd to begin this month with snow as a cold snap hit the UK. Thankfully, it wasn't as cold or as long as last year's icy spell which delayed many emerging plants and insects by a couple of weeks. This spring seems to be continuing as normal and even got warmer with very few April showers. April this year has been a very productive month and there's a lot to…

After the cold, grey, seemingly endless winter it is so good to feel the warmth of Spring sunshine on our faces; to see brimstone and peacock butterflies, awakened from hibernation, flitting around the woodland where the dappled light gives new life to plants lain dormant for months; to be able to listen to the uplifting song of newly arrived Blackcaps, the soft twittering of Swallows and the gentle tumbling notes of…

Exploring the reserve. Photo by Leila Balin (rspb-images.com)

Many of us recognise that we feel happier and more relaxed when we’re out in nature – whether that’s at a nature reserve, a park or a garden. This innate feeling is recognised in scientific research that shows access to natural space positively affects our wellbeing.

Connection with nature offers such clear benefits, which can become a part…

If you love an early coffee, then we have good news, as Reception will be serving you at 9:30 am instead of 10 am as we move over to our summer opening hours. For the time being our reception hide remains closed off to the public but our welcome team are operating from our outside booth which is open daily from 9.30am-5pm.  Light refreshments, snacks and ice-creams are all available.

There's more good news as the Fen…

I can’t promise there won’t be more egg puns in this blog… but read on to hear all about the spring events we’ve been busy planning!

Great crested grebes will soon be nesting in the reeds. Photo by Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com).

Join us for some eggstraordinary goings on at Strumpshaw Fen this Easter

From 2^nd to 19^th April, we’ll be welcoming families to celebrate the new life we’re seeing all…

Hello! I’m Barry Madden, a volunteer at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen with the reception meet and greet team on alternate Mondays and the events team throughout the year.   I’ve been asked to pen a few words every month with news from the welcome hub, bringing to you a round up of the seasonal delights we have on offer, something I’m all too happy to do. By way of introduction, however, it might be as well to provide you with…

February is usually the month of love, but this year it was the month of storms. Valentine's Day was soon followed by three storms in one week. The worst of these being Storm Eunice which absolutely battered the country. At Strumpshaw, the reserve was closed for the day as several trees were toppled over, including the tree by Reception Hide, which fortunately fell away from the building. All hides and facilities from…

January Highlights 2022

 A new year, a new face. Hi, I'm Sean and I will be taking over from where our warden Ben has left off, bringing you a monthly blog of recent sightings and highlights from Strumpshaw Fen, Buckenham and Cantley Marshes. With over 10 years experience of spotting and identifying wildlife to visitors at Strumpshaw Fen Reception Hide and writing a regular blog of my own (called The Autistic Naturalist…

We are currently recruiting for a Visitor Engagement Volunteer (residential) to help us deliver the first class visitor experience that RSPB nature reserves are famous for this spring and summer. In this role, you will be instrumental in liaising with our visitors, developing and delivering a varied events programme and assisting with marketing and communications.

If you want to spend your day with people who are passionate…

For the RSPB team at Strumpshaw Fen, flooding is a regular part of our lives but the last few days we have faced some extremely challenging flood events.

Last Saturday night and Sunday morning a tidal surge, driven by Storm Malik, pushed seawater up the River Yare, reaching a level of 1.40 m in the Environment Agency level gauge at Brundall. This is the highest level ever recorded, beating the previous record from Nov…

You don’t need a garden to get involved with the Big Garden Birdwatch…

… come and visit us at Strumpshaw Fen or explore your local green patch instead! Our bird feeders are busier than ever, and we have friendly volunteers on hand to help with all your bird identification queries. So, if you have never taken part in the Birdwatch before, your local RSPB reserve really is the perfect place to join in.…