East of England Region

Hickling Broad, Norfolk – A mosaic of reedbed, woodland, pools and dykes. Home to many rare birds including Marsh Harriers, Bittern and Cranes. Flora and fauna you might also see include Swallowtail butterfly, Yellow Flag, and Water Vole.

Further information:
www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

Blakeney NNR, Norfolk – Beaches that stretch 5.5km long. This became the County’s first nature reserve in 1912. Famous for seal and tern colonies, but so much more besides including common Seal and Ringed Plover.

Further information:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-blakeney

Maidcross Hill, Suffolk – Now an important nature reserve after starting out as a gravel extraction site. An interesting selection of wildlife/wildflowers helped by the rabbits, Stone Curlew, Grayling, Cream-Spot Tiger Moth, Stoat, Spanish Catchfly and Breckland Thyme are some of the things you might see.

Further information:
www.brecks.org

Sharpenhoe Clappers, Bedfordshire – The Clappers is a set of hooked wrinkles on the Chilterns northern most boundaries. 2km to the east, mirroring folds of chalk mark out Barton Hills National Nature Reserve. Red Kite are regularly seen around the Chiltern woods and hills. The Chalkhill blue butterfly can be seen on the short turfed slopes of the Clappers west facing slopes. Marbled white butterflies like the escarpments long swards of red fescue grass, along with the Grizzled Skipper.

Further information:
www.chilternsaonb.org/site

Cudmore Grove Country Park at the mouth of the Colne Estuary is a good place to start a high tide walk to see feeding waders at their closest. Shelduck, Brent Geese, Golden Plover, Wigeon and Marsh Harrier are amongst the wildlife you might see.

The Marsh Harriers winter around the Colne Estuary and roost on the nearby Langenhoe Marshes to the north of Mersea Island.

Up to 1000 Wigeon spend the winter snacking on the park's marshy pastures. When the flock takes to the air, the spectacle is a conversation stopping moment.

Mersea Island has been famous for it's oysters since Roman times. Masses of empty shells are washed up on the beaches.

For more Information: www.visitparks.co.uk/placestovisit.cudmorecountrypark.php

The Isle of Sheppey on the Thames Estuary during the winter hosts a sky filled with thousands of waders moving between mudflats and high tide roosts. Nowhere in the UK has a greater concentration of birds of prey, so it is well worth visiting the raptor watchpoint in the broad valley of Capel Fleet. In the south are Elmley Marshes RSPB reserve and Swale NNR which have hares, owles and much more. Sheppey has little woodland so the roadside hawthorns attract hungry fieldfares and redwings.

Merlin - Britain's smallest falcon is easy to overlook. It flies close to the ground impersonating a mistle thrush as it chases its prey.

Red throated divers spend the winter in the Thames Estuary, more than anywhere else in Europe, you can spot them from the seawall south of Leysdown at high tide.

Flocks of Golden Plover feed in loose flocks on Sheppey's field. Short-eared owls don't wait for nightfall to hunt and in December you are likely to see them in broad daylight. White-fronted geeses having arrived from Russia are likely to be seen at Swale NNR to the south of Muswell Manor. Watch out for Brown hares from the track leading to the Elmley Marshes reserve. Normally very shy they are used to people here.

For more information: www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/e/elmleymarshes