Upton Warren Nature Reserve

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust's premier birdwatching reserve - officially The Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve at Upton Warren - covers around 27 hectares and attracts birds throughout the year. Seven bird hides overlook two very different wetland areas: The Flashes, saline pools formed by historic underground brine extraction that support a rare inland saltmarsh, and The Moors, freshwater lakes on former agricultural land.

The Flashes are famous for breeding and passage waders including avocet, little ringed plover, lapwing and redshank, while The Moors pools attract wildfowl, breeding common tern, black-headed gull and oystercatcher, with reed and sedge warblers singing from the reedbeds in summer. Kingfishers, otters and Cetti's warblers are among the many species recorded, and summer brings dragonflies and damselflies to the pools.

Facilities include seven bird hides (three with wheelchair access via a stoned track - contact the Trust for access details), toilets, the Boatshack Cafe serving refreshments, and car parks at both The Flashes and The Moors. The Moors is open dawn to dusk; The Flashes is open 9am-4.30pm (Apr-Sep) and 10.30am-3pm (Oct-Mar). Dogs are not permitted on the reserve.

Entry is free for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust members (membership card required); non-members pay a £5 day permit, available online in advance or from volunteer wardens or the Boatshack Cafe on the day. Group visits must be booked at least two weeks in advance. The reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an important link in the Droitwich Canal and River Salwarpe wetlands.