About the reserve

An astounding 28 species of dragonfly have been spotted here. Carlton Marshes is situated in the Waveney Valley at the southern tip of the Broads National Park, on the Suffolk-Norfolk boarder. It comprises a jigsaw of grazing marsh, fens, peat pools, short fen meadow, tall fen (called 'tall litter fen'), dykes, pools and scrub. Mostly man-made, these habitats have developed over hundreds of years of traditional management and now host specialised wildlife.  

The flower studded marshes drained by a system of dykes and grazed by cattle in summer creates a paradise for marshland birds and birds of prey including hobby and marsh harrier. In early summer there is a fabulous display of southern marsh orchid, marsh marigold and ragged-robin, together with the scarcer bogbean, bog pimpernel and marsh cinquefoil. Water vole may also be seen near the visitor centre and in and around the dykes, along with plants including water soldier and frogbit. These habitats are ideal for the rare fen raft spider which was successfully reintroduced to the reserve in 2012. Carlton & Oulton Marshes are also one of the best places in the UK for a range of freshwater snails which reflects the good water quality in the dykes.

Both Sprat’s and Round Water are the result of peat digging carried out long ago. The open water in both these pools is heaving with life including insectivorous bladderwort. This unusual plant lives off unsuspecting water fleas which it traps and digests in bladder-like sacs under water.

The reserve is also one of the best sites in East Anglia to see grasshopper warblers. The reed and sedge beds along the river wall make ideal nesting cover for reed and sedge warblers, bearded tit, Cetti’s warbler and marsh harrier. The grazing marshes are also ideal for wintering wildfowl and breeding waders with lapwing and redshank displaying through the spring and large numbers of wigeon, teal and snipe in winter.