Lytchett Fields

Lytchett Fields is a fantastic wetland site for wildlife in Dorset. Featuring a series of protected pools with islands for roosting birds, we've seen up to thirty species of wader since the reserve's creation in 2013.

Our regulars include Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Dunlins, Greenshanks, Lapwings and Snipes. Look for Green Sandpipers as they head skywards, making plenty of noise and showing off their white tails. During Autumn, Marsh Harriers and Peregrines visit the reserve daily, creating panic among the large numbers of waders and waterfowl – a great spectacle. And over winter, you might just catch a glimpse of a rare Water Pipit.

Alongside the pools, the reserve features a number of fields – one planted with crops for wildlife. Some include reedbeds but the majority are wet tidal mud and grassland. The harbour floods the site on each tide, creating a food-rich marsh unlike anything else in Dorset. Because of this, wellies are very much recommended.