RSPB marks 50 years at wildlife-rich reserve

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.