Description
Hill Court Farm and Blacklands nature reserve has grazing marshes, wetlands and wildlife-friendly farmland. There are three different viewing screens and one permissive path. NOTE: during Winter this site can be flooded. During Spring and Summer, the grassland, woodland and hedges becomes alive with breeding Жайворонок польовий, Вівсянка очеретяна, Щеврик лучний, Вівчарик-ковалик and Зозуля звичайна, Brown Hares, multiple different butterfly species and swathes of wildflowers. The scrape holds breeding Чайка чубата, Пісочник малий and Кульон великий. Also during this time, Ластівка сільська, Ластівка міська, Мала біла чапля, Чапля сіра and numerous gull species come to drink, bath and feed around the scrape. During Spring migration, very small numbers of Чирянка велика can occasionally turn up.
In Autumn, the occasional passage migrant such as Коловодник лісовий, can pass through. During Winter, large flocks of over 1,000 Чайка чубата gather at the scrape, as well as hundreds of Сивка звичайна. Also, large numbers of Свищ євразійський, Чирянка мала, Крижень and Широконіска північна can be seen. This site is one of the best nature reserves in Worcestershire for wintering Шилохвіст, with up to 300 induviduals being recorded in some years. Scarcer species recorded during Winter include Баранець звичайний, Слуква лісова, Пірникоза мала, Підсоколик малий and Лунь очеретяний.
Details
Access
There is a small layby situated on Marsh Road at the main entrance of the reserve. This can take around 4 cars at a time though there is barely ever that many cars parked there. Click on the P in the map for directions. After you have parked, the main path down into the reserve is well marked and simple to follow. The path is about 700 meters long.