North Warren

North Warren RSPB Reserve (Suffolk)

On the Suffolk coast this area of grassy heath has birch woodland and gorse scrub and a mature fen area with willow scrub and reedbeds. Once covered with heather, this is a remnant of the once extensive Suffolk "sandling" heaths most of which have been lost. Dry sandy soils mean plant growth is limited and as well as grassland there are many areas of bare sand. The fen is gradually drying out and some of the ornithological interest has been lost, and Stone Curlew and Red-backed Shrike are former breeding species of the open areas. After many years of sympathetic management the reedbed here has been re-established and Great Bittern bred in 2000 after an absence of more than 50 years.

Other breeders include Nightingale and Turtle Dove, tits and warblers in the woodland, and Wood Lark, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat and Linnet in the scrub. The fen has Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler, Common Teal and Moorhen and Garganey is regular in spring.

During passage periods a wide range of waders can be seen including Whimbrel and Spotted Redshank and offshore there are movements of waterfowl, seabirds and divers. Some of the rarer species seen from here during seawatches include Sooty Shearwater, Long-tailed Skua and Sabine's Gull. Caspian Tern is among the other rarities recorded at North Warren. Bewick's Swan and Greater White-fronted Goose are regular in winter.

Red Deer, Badger and Otter, Harvest Mouse and Water Shrew are among the mammals recorded on the reserve. Butterflies number nearly 30 species including Essex Skipper and Green Hairstreak and 15 species of dragonfly have been recorded. Plants found here include Royal Fern, Mossy Tillaea and, now very rare in Britain, Corn Cockle.

North Warren is situated to the east of the B1122 between Aldeburgh and Aldringham in Suffolk.

Birds

Birds you can see here include:

Red-throated Diver, Manx Shearwater, Northern Gannet, Bewick's Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Common Scoter, Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Turnstone, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Common Tern, Turtle Dove, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Wood Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Nightingale, Whinchat, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting

Content and images originally posted by Steve