Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve

Strumpshaw Fen is an RSPB nature reserve beside the River Yare in Norfolk, six miles east of Norwich. It forms part of the Mid-Yare National Nature Reserve and sits within the Broads landscape. To the east lies Buckenham Marshes RSPB reserve. The site was bought by the RSPB in 1974 and remains one of the few places in Britain where holly-leaved naiad grows. A 19th-century steam pump house by the river recalls the fen’s drained past. The reserve draws birdwatchers for year-round residents such as the booming bittern, marsh harrier and bearded tit. Summer brings hobby falcons hunting dragonflies and the largest British butterfly, the swallowtail, which feeds on milk parsley. In winter, flocks of teal and gadwall gather on reedbed pools while marsh harriers and hen harriers roost at dusk. Rare insects include the protected Norfolk hawker dragonfly and glow-worms. Visitors follow several trails and hides to explore reedbeds, grazing marshes and wet woodland. A flower-rich hay meadow blooms from June with yellow flag, marsh cinquefoil and six orchid species. The old steam pump house stands beside the river, a reminder of earlier drainage work. Traditional management keeps water levels high and encourages wildlife across the changing seasons.