Snettisham RSPB reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snettisham RSPB reserve |
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The Jetty
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| Type | Nature reserve |
| Location | Norfolk, England |
| Operated by | RSPB |
The Snettisham RSPB reserve is a fantastic nature reserve in Norfolk, England, looked after by the RSPB. It's located near the village of Snettisham, north of King's Lynn, and faces a huge estuary called The Wash. This special place is a safe home for hundreds of thousands of wading birds, especially during autumn and winter.
Snettisham is quite unique! It's one of the few beaches in Norfolk that faces west. But what really makes it special is its geology, which is perfect for birds. When the tide comes in very high on The Wash, it pushes huge numbers of wading birds closer to the shore. This means you can get an amazing view of them!
The types of birds you can see here change throughout the year. However, you'll often spot birds like little ringed plovers, oystercatchers, golden plovers, knots, bar-tailed godwits, sanderlings, curlews, spotted redshanks, and even pink-footed geese. Sometimes, you might even see a fast-flying peregrine falcon!
The large pits you see at Snettisham were dug during World War II. Workers collected shingle (small stones and gravel) from these pits to build strong concrete runways. These runways were needed for heavy American bomber planes. The pits stretch for over 2.5 kilometers, with some parts belonging to the RSPB reserve and others to private properties. You can still see parts of the old concrete roads that were used to move the shingle. One of the most famous landmarks left from that time is the ruined jetty, which was used to load shingle onto boats.
Contents
Visiting Snettisham: What to See and Do
If you want to visit the reserve, there's a path about 2 kilometers long from the car park. It's a nice walk to get there!
Exploring the Reserve's Hides
Once you're at the reserve, you can follow a circular path that takes you around the area. Along this path, you'll find three special viewing spots called "hides." These hides are like small shelters where you can watch the birds without disturbing them. One of these hides, called the Rotary Hide, was a gift from the Rotary Clubs of East Anglia. It was officially opened on October 5, 1997, by the famous birdwatcher and TV presenter, Bill Oddie.
Understanding Common Land
The whole area of the reserve, which is about 57.6 hectares, is known as common land. This means that historically, the people living in Snettisham had certain rights to use the land, such as collecting shingle. Even today, the local residents still have the right to collect shingle from certain parts of the beach.
Pictures
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View of the pits from one of the bird hides
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Birds swimming in the gravel pits
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A picture of the pits showing the remains of the concrete roads laid during World War 2
