About the reserve

Kilnsea Wetlands is intended to provide refuge for passage and wintering roosting waders that leave the adjacent Humber mudflats at high tide to roost. Golden and grey plovers, knot, dunlin, sanderling and bar-tailed godwit should all benefit from this safe refuge. A variety of habitats will provide the conditions needed to support these birds, but this will take a number of years to reach its full potential. Freshwater and saline pools with islands and spits and wet grassland with seasonal scrapes will provide this site with roosting and feeding locations, but also hopefully he right conditions in the spring for breeding oystercatcher, ringed plover and lapwing.

Top Tip:   A visit in autumn or winter will give you a chance to see large numbers of roosting waders which this site has been specifically designed for. Check the tides to coincide your visit with high tide and you’re likely to see greater numbers.    

Engineering is only the start of this process – the nature reserve is to be managed in a sustainable manner using local livestock. This location is one of the driest parts of the UK, and without the ability to bring water on to the site from surrounding areas, functionality of the habitat will rely very much on rainfall and groundwater levels. Farmland birds including corn bunting and tree sparrow may well use the nature reserve as it develops. In time the grassland should become established and we hope this will provide some botanical value and interest, in turn supporting a host of insects including dragonflies. Salt-tolerant plant species such as spiral tassel weed may well find a home here too. A hide, viewing screen, and off road parking, long with a footpath route through the nature reserve leading to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Blue Bell Café in Kilnsea mean this site is ideal for a visit.

The reserve has two new hides and a screen where everyone can enjoy watching the wildlife.