Titchwell Marsh

Titchwell Marsh
Nature reserve
Freshwater lagoon seen from west bank, with Island Hide in the foreground, and the Parrinder wall and hides further back
Country	England
Region	East of England
County	Norfolk
Coordinates	52°57′46″N 0°36′14″E / 52.9628°N 0.603893°E / 52.9628; 0.603893Coordinates: 52°57′46″N 0°36′14″E / 52.9628°N 0.603893°E / 52.9628; 0.603893
Animal	Eurasian bittern, Pied avocet, Western marsh harrier
For public	Open year round
Protection status	SSSI, SAC, SPA, Ramsar Site and AONB
Titchwell Marsh shown within Norfolk
Website: www.rspb.org.uk/titchwell

Titchwell Marsh is an English nature reserve owned and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Located on the north coast of the county of Norfolk, between the villages of Titchwell and Thornham, about 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the seaside resort of Hunstanton, its 171 hectares (420 acres) include reed beds, saltmarshes, a freshwater lagoon and sandy beach, with a small woodland area near the car park. This internationally important reserve is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and is also protected through Natura 2000, Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar listings.

The reserve is important for some scarce breeding birds, such as pied avocets on the islands, and western marsh harriers, Eurasian bitterns and bearded reedlings in the reeds. To encourage bitterns to breed, the reed beds have been improved to make them wetter, and the lagoon has been stocked with the common rudd. Typical wetland birds such as the water rail, reed warbler and sedge warbler also appear, and little egrets are common. The reserve has regularly attracted rarities, as its location is important for migrating birds. Ducks and geese winter at Titchwell in considerable numbers, and the reserve shelters the endangered European water vole.