Worcestershire’s premier bird-watching reserve, Upton Warren attracts a range of birds but is particularly good for waterfowl and waders.
The reserve consists of a series of freshwater and saline pools, created by land subsidence resulting from local brine extraction. Not only do these attract a wide variety of birds but the saline pools are an important inland site for saltmarsh plants.
The 26 hectares reserve is split into two distinct areas; the Moors and the Flashes. The freshwater Moors Pools form the northern part of the reserve and the saline pools of the Flashes form the southern part. There are numerous hides looking out over both parts of the reserve.
As well as attracting a range of wildfowl they’re also home to breeding avocet, common tern, black-headed gull, oystercatcher and redshank (pictured) . The reeds and surrounding vegetation support populations of reed, sedge and Cetti’s warblers pictured and reed bunting.
Upton Warren is a place you’ll want to return to throughout the year. Spring and autumn passage often brings marsh harrier, osprey and black tern. Spring and autumn also bring green and common sandpiper, ringed plover, dunlin, greenshank and black-tailed godwit. Scarcer species have included ruff, sanderling, turnstone, bar-tailed godwit, whimbrel, wood sandpiper, spotted redshank, little stint and curlew sandpiper. Past records have included least sandpiper, Wilson’s phalarope, red-necked phalarope, black-winged stilt, Sabine's gull, laughing gull and pectoral sandpiper.
Avocet, little ringed plover and lapwing young are around throughout summer and the black-headed gull roost increases in size from late summer. The reserve often hosts Mediterranean and little gull too. Winter brings bittern, water rail, common snipe and jack snipe.
Summer is also great for insects; ruddy darter frequents the pools along with southern and brown hawker dragonflies. Banded demoiselles and blue tailed damselflies skim the surface of the pools.
Much of the land was generously purchased by Christopher Cadbury who also helped to pay for many developments and improvements. The reserve now bears his name as a small token of recognition and appreciated of his work.
Main picture:View over the Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve at Upton Warren, Worcestershire, England, with radio masts in background. Andy Mabbett
We highly recommend the publications below to compliment your visit to this Region.
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