Bough Beech Reserve
O.S Map 188 TQ 496494: Nr Edenbridge
Post code: TN14 6LD
The reserve covers approximately 45 hectares of the 127 hectare, 2,400 million gallon capacity reservoir, which stores drinking water drawn from the River Eden.
The water level varies according to season and water abstraction. The reserve is well known as an important staging post during the spring and autumn migrations with regular appearances from ospreys and many other long distance migrants.
Most of the reserve is open water, important for many species of wildfowl. Areas of mud, gravel and concrete provide feeding and nesting areas for waders such as lapwing and little ringed plover.
Directions
By Road:
At the north end of Bough Beech Reservoir, 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Ide Hill,Sevenoaks.
Public Transport:
Bus 231 & 233 Tunbridge Wells and Edenbridge to Bough Beech village, (1¾ mi/2.8 km). The nearest train station is Penshurst (2 mi/3.2 km).
Download Reserve Map (PDF)
Key site for
- 150 bird species are regularly recorded, 60 of which breed annually. Great-crested grebe and Mandarin duck are notable among the waterfowl. In winter, wildfowl numbers are much higher than in summer, while mallard, teal, shoveler, tufted duck and Canada goose are most numerous, and many other species occur regularly, including goldeneye, grebes and goosander. In the autumn, especially, waders such as green sandpiper, redshank and greenshank can be seen, and many rarities have been recorded.
- Areas of woodland and willow scrub around the reservoir provide habitat for a host of species.
- Marshy grassland provide botanical interest as well as wader feeding areas.
- Winkhurst Wood, an area of ancient woodland harbouring a small heronry and many characteristic woodland species, was added to the reserve.
- To the north of the oast house there are viewing points to a wader scrape attracting large numbers of wildfowl, including Mandarin duck and osprey. An artificial sand martin bank has been created.
Wildlife update
Restoration of key areas of species rich neutral grassland on the reserve are now well under way. Staff and volunteer led work parties have been concentrating on a 3 acre area of scrub oak, ash, hawthorn and bramble. Thinning of trees and scrub is aimed at improving the grassland diversity while maintaining a mosaic of oak, shrub species, rose and bramble. The area is now stock fenced to allow grazing maintenance of the grassland.
