“My grandfather hired these meadows to graze his cattle and horses in the 1940s.
They are as colourful now as I remember them from my childhood.”

Norah Hanbury-Kelk Meadows are a network of small, flower-rich wet meadows and are probably one of the best inland sites in Suffolk for breeding waders such as snipe, lapwing and redshank.

The high water levels, vital for wetland wildlife, are controlled by a system of dams and ditches. In summer the meadows are cut or grazed to maintain the rich variety of wetland plants such as ragged-robin, lady’s smock, greater bird’s-foot trefoil and both early and southern marsh orchid.

The pale early marsh orchid is one of the first to flower. Although similar to the southern marsh orchid, it is much scarcer. The number of orchids has increased significantly since the Trust acquired the meadows and reintroduced grazing and water level management in 1980.

Redshank incubating eggs

Listen too for the drumming of displaying male snipe as they swoop across the meadows and the flute-like notes of male redshank. The reserve is closed from mid-March to July to protect these ground nesting birds, but they can easily be seen from the footpath along the meadow’s edge.

Other Trust reserves nearby: Lackford Lakes, Rex Graham

In summer, a riot of wildflowers makes this meadow a delight

STAR SPECIES
Early marsh orchid
Snipe Redshank