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Header image: Flag iris provides cover and food for wetland animals (John Traill)
Known by local birdwatchers as the 'Lincolnshire Camargue', the marshes are particularly important for a number of wading and other bird species. For these birds, the seasonally wet grassland is key for feeding and roosting. Ditches can have a high value for wildlife, especially where they retain water for a lengthy period. Their banks provide rough grass habitat. Hedges form a distinct part of the landscape. Land next to the main watercourses provides valuable freshwater habitat. The area is a particular stronghold for water voles.
 Water Vole ( T Whitaker)
There are a number of important nature reserves in the area. However, the decline in the traditional wet grasslands has meant that these reserves are becoming small islands in an area increasingly empty of wildlife.
Coastal and floodplain grazing marshes are listed as a habitat of principal importance for the conservation of biological diversity in England. Both the East Midlands and Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plans highlight the Outmarsh as a priority for action. And the good news is that there are significant opportunities to stop, and even reverse, the decline by implementing habitat creation projects.
Lapwing chick (R Wardle)
Snipe (R Harvey) |
 Small Skipper on Betony ( R Wardle)
 Green-winged Orchid ( R Wardle)
Where to see the Grazing Marsh
Although much of the traditional Grazing Marsh has disappeared, there are still pockets of land which show us how this pastoral landscape would have looked 100 years ago, and where some of its native flora and fauna can still be found. Some of this land is now in nature reserves, run by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. These include Heath’s Meadows, Croft Marsh at Gibraltar Point and the restored grazing marsh inland from Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature Reserve (managed jointly with Natural England). Details of these reserves and others in the area can be found on the Trust’s website - click here.
Much of the area is privately owned, by local farmers, and a few of these have agreed to place their land in Stewardship Schemes and make it accessible to visitors. These may be permanent grassland which has been used for grazing by many generations of livestock farmers, or newly restored from arable land. One such site is Middlemarsh Farm, where 170 acres has been reverted to wet grassland with new footpaths and bird hides. For more details of this site and the walks available click here
Bird Survey
Although the bird populations along the Lincolnshire coastline are well documented and recorded, those of the freshwater grazing marshes are less well known and understood. months to roost and feed.
As part of the Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes Project, a number of surveys were commissioned to carry out a number of surveys to evaluate previous and existing bird habitats within the area. This also included a review of historical bird data. The results will also act as a baseline against which we can measure the success of landscape conservation management projects.
To download a copy of the bird survey for Winter 2008/9 click here
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