“Sometimes it feels like you’re miles from civilisation. Although small,
the Mere can throw up some surprises in terms of visiting wildlife.”

Barely a stone’s throw from its urban neighbours this reserve, lying near the banks of the River Stour, is special for its mix of open water, fen and wet scrub. Reed sweet-grass and common reed often dominate, providing nesting sites for reed bunting, sedge and reed warbler. In autumn swallow and sand martin stop off on their momentous journey back to Africa. Pied wagtail, fieldfare and redwing roost in the willow scrub in winter.

July and August are the best months to visit to appreciate the plants in their full glory. Parts of the reserve are mown every year to encourage flowers such as skullcap and greater bird’s-foot trefoil and wintering birds like snipe. The piles of reed you may see have been deliberately left to provide homes for grass snake.

Dragonflies such as the ruddy darter and four-spotted chaser hover over the new areas of open water which are fringed with marginal aquatic plants such as bogbean and meadow rue. Large noctule bat can also be spotted hunting on summer evenings.

Cornard Mere is cared for by Suffolk Wildlife Trust and is jointly owned by the Trust and Cornard Parish Council.

Other Trust reserves nearby: Spouse’s Vale

Grass snake can lay up to 40 eggs in the warmth of old tree stumps or compost heaps. They like damp places and are good swimmers.

STAR SPECIES
Snipe
Bogbean
Grass snake