Rye Meads

England, Hertfordshire

Overview

Formerly known as Rye House Marsh. Within the Lee Valley Regional Park, Rye Meads consists of riverside marshland with shallow pools and muddy scrapes, reedbeds and fen with wet meadows and willow scrub.

There are numerous drainage dykes and areas of extensive open water in the adjacent sewage works where terns nest on artificial islands.

Birds

Notable Species

As well as the very successful Common Tern colony the reserve has breeding Mallard and Tufted Duck, Eurasian Coot, Moorhen and Common Kingfisher.

The reedbeds have Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting and other breeding species of the reserve including Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Linnet and Lesser Redpoll.

Passage birds include waders such as Little Ringed Plover, Common Redshank and Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper, and large numbers of hirundines pass through.

In winter there are large roosts of Corn Bunting, finches and thrushes and Common Kingfisher, Water Rail and Common Snipe are usually present. Great Bittern is a rare but regular winter visitor as is Water Pipit.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Great Crested Grebe, Great Bittern, Grey Heron, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Common Tern, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Western House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Other Wildlife

Wetland plants such as Ragged Robin, Fen Bedstraw and Pink Water Speedwell are found here as well as Marsh Marigold and Water Forget-me-not.

Bats of at least five species fly over the area at dusk, Harvest Mouse is common and Muntjac and Water Vole occur on the reserve. Native crayfish and Grass Snake are also common.

Site Information

History and Use

This is primarily an educational reserve but the public are welcome at all times - see RSPB web site for details.

Access and Facilities

There is a car-park, visitor centre with toilets and six hides, two of which have disabled access. To reach Rye House Marsh Reserve leave Hoddesdon on Rye Road and the car-park is situated just past Rye House railway station.

Grid reference: TL389103

Contact Details

Phone: 01992 708383

External Links

• RSPB: Rye Meads
• Rye Meads on Streetmap

Content and images originally posted by Steve

Reviews

Sheila C's review Good day here last Saturday 4th March 06 - saw common & jack snipes, grey wagtail, goldcrest, muntjac deer and more common stuff like coots etc, then up to Amwell Lake, where saw bittern and lots of cormorants. Well worth a visit - helpful volunteers at centre and boards with days sightings, also feeders, books etc for sale.

Pros

• Good hides
• visitor centre with fine toilet facilities and hot drinks machine with coffee room overlooking feeding station