River Meon
The River Meon flows from north to south through the reserve before entering the sea at Hill Head harbour via tidal flaps. The river is managed as a ‘non-intervention’ area.
Within the reserve there’s an extensive network of ditches, sluices, pipes, bunds, and culverts. These control water levels, feeding water to ponds, reedbeds, scrapes and water-meadows, creating an integrated drainage system and providing an extensive network of valuable wetland habitats. The Eleven Acre Mere and the two scrapes all work independently with separate outflows back into the main river.
What can you spot?
Mallards, shelduck, turnstone, mute swan, cormorant, kingfisher, water rail, osprey (spring/early autumn), water vole, great crested grebe, and marsh harrier.
Closest hides
Suffern hide and a viewing platform along Cliff Road.
Scrapes
Our scrapes were created in 1975 to provide feeding, roosting and breeding habitat for waders and wildfowl. Water levels are controlled to provide the best possible conditions throughout the year.
At the end of the summer, water is dropped during nesting season to provide shallow water with exposed mud, attracting migrating wading birds. Some islands are covered in shingle for nesting birds. These need to be 'weeded' regularly, while vegetation is allowed to grow on others. Nesting platforms and perches in the water also provide resting spots for birds.
What can you spot?
Black-headed gulls, common terns, green sandpiper, lapwing, Mediterranean gulls, snipe and a whole range of ducks.
Closest hides
Meon Shore, Pumfrett and Spurgin.
Titchfield Canal
The canal flows down the western boundary before re-joining the river close to the sea. This is the main freshwater feed to the scrapes, Eleven Acre Mere and water meadows. It’s vitally important for maintaining the habitats and features of the Special Protection Area.
Meadows
The reserve has a mosaic of meadows, including traditional water meadows and flood meadows. These are grazed by cattle during summer months to create the ideal habitat for over-wintering wildfowl and waders. The meadows can be viewed from the public canal path.
What can you spot?
You can see cormorants, marsh harrier, curlew, brent geese and Canada geese with the occasional sightings of barn owls in winter. Flowers include southern marsh orchids, flowering rushes and cuckoo flowers.
Closest hides
Knights Bank hide and Meadow Hide.
Reedbeds
Reedbeds surround rivers, ponds, ditches. They are particularly important in supporting carbon sequestration and play a significant role in the water filtration processes. Unfortunately, there has been a 40% reduction in England's reedbeds since 1945 according to the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust.
What can you spot?
The reedbeds are an important habitat for birds such a bearded tits, bittern, cetti’s warbler, reed warbler, marsh harrier, and water rail. You can also see signs of otters and water voles along with dragonflies, damselflies and a host of other flora and fauna.
Closest hides
Suffern and Spurgin.
Walkway Pond
Our ponds provide a refuge for insects, birds, and mammals. Walkway Pond has an island which attracts dragonflies, moorhens, mallards, and warblers.
What can you spot?
Dragonflies, damselflies, grass snakes, water voles, fly agaric fungus, newts, water scorpions. In the surrounding trees you are likely to see great-spotted woodpecker, blue tits, and other small birds.
You can also enjoy pond dipping with a ranger in the summer months.
Darter’s Dip
Darter’s Dip is located halfway along the scrapes trail. The pond was created to attract dragonflies and damselflies. It’s a great place to spot birds too, whether swimming in the open water, nestled in the surrounding reeds or sitting on one of the perches. The ponds are regularly cleared to maintain open water.
What can you spot?
Azure damselflies, southern hawker, four-spotted chaser and emperor, broad-bodied chaser are some of the commonly sighted. There are also occasional sightings of water voles and grass snakes.
