Booming males at Lakenheath

Back in 1998 one of the first ever funding awards WREN granted was towards habitat recreation work at the RSPB’s reserve, at Lakenheath Fen on the Norfolk Suffolk borders.   For an area of land that was once mostly carrot fields, the RSPB have transformed it into an amazing reserve of approximately 200 ha of wetland mosaic of washland, wet reedbed, ungrazed fen and wet grassland.

WREN has continued to support the project over the years with funding of more than £409,000 being provided for habitat restoration along with visitor facilities.   The new reedbeds have attracted hundreds of pairs of reed warblers and sedge warblers, as well as bearded tits and marsh harriers and in 2007 Cranes nested at the reserve for the first in the fens for more than 400 years.

2009 saw Bitterns successfully nesting for the first time and 2010 has seen the success of the reserve continue.    6 booming Bitterns with 3 confirmed nests so far, along with 2 pairs of nesting Cranes with  young due to fledge in the next week or two.

WREN is delighted to have been part of this incredible transformation and congratulates the RSPB on its successes to date.