Cley Marshes
Encyclopedia
Cley Marshes is a national nature reserve in Norfolk, England
, adjacent to the village of Cley next the Sea
.
Cley Marshes was purchased by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
in 1926 to be held "in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary". Cley is renowned as a birdwatching site, both for the resident breeding birds (Bittern
, Marsh Harrier
, Bearded Tit
) and the rarities that have been seen there. Its visitor centre (opened 2007) has its own wind generator
, a green roof
, and a cafe. It includes 150 ha. of reedbed, pools and wet grassland.
The reserve can be found at Grid reference: TG 054 441. Some hides are reached via boardwalks and can be accessed by the disabled, but much of the reserve is on rough ground and shingle.
The reserve is threatened by sea-level rise and consequent flooding.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, adjacent to the village of Cley next the Sea
Cley next the Sea
Cley next the Sea is a village on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England, 4 miles north-west of Holt and east of Blakeney. The main A149 coast road runs through the centre of the village, causing congestion in the summer months due to the tight, narrow streets. It lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB...
.
Cley Marshes was purchased by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Norfolk Wildlife Trust
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk, England, formerly known as the Norfolk Naturalists' Trust, is one of almost 50 wildlife trusts throughout the United Kingdom.Founded in 1926, it is the oldest of all the trusts....
in 1926 to be held "in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary". Cley is renowned as a birdwatching site, both for the resident breeding birds (Bittern
Bittern
Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family...
, Marsh Harrier
Western Marsh Harrier
The Western Marsh-harrier is a mid-sized harrier, a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa. It is also known as the Eurasian Marsh-harrier....
, Bearded Tit
Bearded Tit
The Bearded Reedling is a peculiar small passerine bird. It is also frequently known as the Bearded Tit due to some similarities to Long-tailed Tits, or Bearded Parrotbill since it was later placed with these after it was removed from the true tits in the family Paridae...
) and the rarities that have been seen there. Its visitor centre (opened 2007) has its own wind generator
Wind generator
A wind generator is a device that generates electrical power from wind energy.Wind generators have traditionally been wind turbines, i.e. a propeller attached to an electric generator attached to appropriate electronics to attach it to the electrical grid or to charge batteries.Recently, however, a...
, a green roof
Green roof
A green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems...
, and a cafe. It includes 150 ha. of reedbed, pools and wet grassland.
The reserve can be found at Grid reference: TG 054 441. Some hides are reached via boardwalks and can be accessed by the disabled, but much of the reserve is on rough ground and shingle.
The reserve is threatened by sea-level rise and consequent flooding.