After much discussion and making sure that the site is safe, we have decided to open the reserve on Monday 12th September so that our valued visitors can take the opportunity of visiting our fantastic reserve.
We have to inform people however that the whole reserve will not be totally accessible. Work on various parts of the site is still underway or will be continued in the near future so please do expect to see contractors. The decision was either partial opening or not opening for yet more months. Due to the nature of further works we are able, by restricting access in certain areas, to safely allow visitors back so they can enjoy the wildlife that is special to Tophill.
The north end of the reserve, i.e. D woods, north marsh and Hempholme WILL NOT BE OPEN. Visitors will be able to view the wildfowl on D reservoir from reception hide and the birders hide.
Access to the reception pond, reception woods, north lagoon and south lagoon hides is permitted. Please be aware that work will soon commence on north lagoon which is now completely dry. This is part of the capital scheme of the water treatment works which requires north lagoon to be dredged and therefore useable in the future by the treatment process. It will also allow us to upgrade some of the habitat around the lagoon which will be of benefit to our wildlife.
O reservoir can be viewed from the viewing screen overlooking the reservoir wall, this is the only place to view birds on O reservoir. Access to the west of O reservoir is not possible at the moment so south scrub and Watton hide are not open to visitors. The hide (L shaped hide) that used to overlook O reservoir has been removed and will be replaced by an accessible hide in coming months which will be situated on the extensive mound that has now been constructed and will give great views over the reservoir and the wider area. Until the hide is in place access to the mound will not be permitted.
Visitors can access the hides overlooking the south marshes at the east and west end and the hide that views south marsh west. Members only are allowed to access the Izzard hide on the members card access code as before.
All members who have a membership card that is valid for the 2020/21 or 2021/22 season which are cards that have the little egret (2020/21) or the otter (2021/22) photos ARE VALID TILL MARCH 2023 and will be accepted by the ticket machine.
All other visitors will be able to purchase day tickets from the ticket machine by either cash or by using card payment. Our admission prices remain the same - £3.50 for adults, £2.50 for concessions, £1.50 for children, children under 5 years are free.
Whilst the reserve has been closed staff and volunteers have noted bird sightings around the reserve and although the coverage of observers has not been as extensive as when the reserve is open to visitors there have been some noteworthy sightings since we closed at the beginning of February. The overstaying male smew stayed on Watton nature reserve till the middle of March. Around this time a bittern was first noted on the reserve and began to start to "boom" at several sites at the south end of the reserve. At several times over the coming months two birds were seen, the booming continued and sightings were regular so we can assume that these birds made a successful attempt at breeding, a true success for our habitat management of this area of the marsh over the winter. A single spoonbill was on north lagoon on 1st April and on 1st May a spotted sandpiper was recorded feeding on D reservoir wall, a highlight in the spring wader passage.
A juvenile black necked grebe appeared on D reservoir in late August for several days and just when birds were stopping off at other local sites a spotted crake arrived at Tophill on south marsh east on 25th August. As we go to post hobbies have been seen recently over Watton nature reserve, green and common sandpipers on south marsh and 2 garganey also on Watton nature reserve.
