RSPB marks 50 years at wildlife-rich reserve

A kingfisher perching on a branch at Strumpshaw Fen nature reserve in Norfolk. The bird has a mixture of teal and orange coloured feathers.

Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,

Strumpshaw Fen is home to diverse species which Deavin said were easy to spot

ByNeve Gordon-Farleigh

Published8 minutes ago

A nature reserve tucked away on the Broads and home to some of Norfolk's most threatened wildlife is celebrating 50 years.

Strumpshaw Fen covers 450 hectares (1,112 acres) of diverse wetland — the equivalent of 630 football pitches.

Reserves manager Helen Deavin said the site supported "rare and unusual species", including nesting bitterns, the swallowtail butterfly and a pair of cranes that successfully raised a chick this summer.

"One of the lovely things about Strumpshaw is that the wildlife is quite accessible," added Deavin, who called the reserve a "hidden gem".

Marsh harriers, bearded tits, flocks of waders and overwintering ducks and geese are a regular sight for visitors, along with otters, water voles, fen raft spiders, orchids and rare sharp-leaved pondweed.

"There's this incredible, really quite rare wildlife but actually it's really possible for people to see it, get some great views and really experience the magic of the Broads," added Deavin.

"By developing habitats where wildlife feels safe and can find the right food and places to shelter and raise a family, teams across the years have created a reserve that helps populations of rare species not only survive, but thrive."

She said the summer's heatwaves had been "tough", but they were hoping for a cooler, wetter autumn, with the reserve braced for flood events and "saline surges" with seasonal tides.

Strumpshaw is hosting various events to celebrate the milestone, including guided walks around the site on Sunday.

The reserve started off as unmanaged fenland and was taken over by the RSPB in the mid-1970s.

'It has become a place full of memories'

Image gallerySkip image gallery

Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,
Chinese water deer - a species which escaped from a Bedfordshire estate 100 years ago - are doing well at Strumpshaw
Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,
Deavin said it was easy for people to spot wildlife which call the reserve home
Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,
Otters and voles could be seen from the site's hide at reception, Deavin said
Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,
Strumpshaw's reedbeds provide an essential habitat for Bearded Tits
Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,
The previously unmanaged fenland now supports a variety of wildlife
Image source, Shaun WhitmoreImage caption,
Swallowtails were "one of the rarest and one of the most spectacular" butterflies in the UK, Deavin said

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Previous imageNext imageSlide 1 of 6, A Chinese water deer on Strumpshaw Fen. The deer has been photographed from behind, however is looking over its shoulder with a curious expression and its ears standing up. It is nestled in an area of grassland., Chinese water deer - a species which escaped from a Bedfordshire estate 100 years ago - are doing well at StrumpshawEnd of image gallery

BBC Look East camera operator Shaun Whitmore has always loved Strumpshaw Fen and in his own words, he explains why.

Away from my job as a BBC TV cameraman, I have always had an interest in wildlife photography, and Strumpshaw is a perfect place to indulge in this passion.

Alongside that, Strumpshaw is somewhere I can take a step back to pause and think about my life.

In 2016, it was the place I went to, when everything in my life became too much for me. Nature provided me with a way out of the breakdown I was having at the time.

On my birthday, in December 2019, Strumpshaw Fen was the place I took my future wife to propose.

I was asked in 2020 to make a film about my favourite place as I was shielding because of the Covid risk - I had to choose Strumpshaw Fen!

Maybe my timing was off, because we went into lockdown two days into the filming. I did make a film and it went out on Look East the following week, showing what we were all missing while we were having to stay indoors for a while.

I have beautiful memories of this stunning part of Norfolk, with its reed beds, grazing marshes, woodland area and river frontage, along with an abundance of birds and other wildlife.

It's a perfect place to relax and enjoy the fresh air and freedom that we all need in our busy lives.

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