The weather might not be at its best at the moment but it hasn’t affected the birds at Langford Lowfields, the RSPB reserve in Nottinghamshire. Being one of the largest reedbeds in the UK it has become the place to go for seeing see birds including marsh harriers, bitterns and shovellers.

In fact more than one hundred and eighty species have now been spotted across the nature reserve and its 74 acres of reedbeds, making it not only the largest reedbed site in the Midlands but one of the ten largest in the UK. The entire site covers an area of one hundred and eighty acres and has recently opened new trails to the public. Lying on the banks of the river Trent, the reserve has been created within quarried land with help from the business that owns the land.

The quarry itself is still in operation, alongside the nature reserve and as sand and gravel are extracted then the land has been landscaped by creating islands and pools. . As more areas have been created then the development of the reedbeds has provided homes and habitats for many varied wildlife species. They provide for birds of prey, gadwall and kingfishers, as well as dragonflies and even otters and water voles.

This has not just happened overnight, but has taken considerable planning and foresight and it is only now that more and more of the area can be opened up to the public, without affecting the way in whoich the quarry operates. As a result a new floating bridge and car park have also recently opened at the northern end of the reserve.

This area will become increasingly important because of its size, as of the 12,355 acres of reedbed in the UK there are only about fifty sites that are bigger than forty nine acres according to the latest figures available from the Wildlife Trusts. So you are a great opportunity to see some amazing species all in one place, so make sure you have your binoculars and camera packed with your outdoor kit, including a good jacket like the Timberland Signal Mount Field Wax Jacket, and you will be able to stay out all day whatever the conditions.