Nature Reserve

The immediate coastline at Donna Nook National Nature Reserve,  just a few minutes drive away, hosts the second largest colony of Grey Seals, which have been breeding at Donna Nook since the early 1970's. The seal pups tended by their mothers can be viewed at close range between November and January. Donna Nook is one of the most accessible sites for seeing seals at breeding time in the U.K.
Huge numbers of migrant birds can be seen in spring and autumn. A good array of rarities including sea-birds and birds of prey, to warblers, chats and finches have been recorded over the years. Waders and wildfowl are present in abundance between autumn and spring, and the shore in winter is particularly notable for its flocks of Snow Buntings, Twite and sometimes Shore Larks.

A rich and diverse flora is a feature of the sand dunes in the summer, and among the specialties in the area are large numbers of Marsh and Pyramidal Orchids and a few Bee Orchids which offer spectacular splashes of colour in June.

Please click the thumbnails for a closer look.