What to See

Lapwing

Wigeon

Pintail

Bog Myrtle

Catcott Lows

Catcott is one of the Britain’s best reserves for watching wintering waterfowl and waders. Directly in front of the main hide, internationally important numbers of ducks ­ including wigeon, pintail, shoveler and teal ­ rub up against each other on the flooded fields while waders such as lapwing and snipe pick their way around the drier land. These ducks will have bred in Northern Europe, Siberia or even Greenland or Canada, enjoying the long summer days, before heading south. They may be joined by other long-distance travellers ­ dainty Bewick’s swans arrive from the Arctic tundra.

Alongside the influx of lapwing and snipe from upland areas, other waders also make a welcome appearance at Catcott. Golden plover arrive from northern Britain and beyond while Whimbrel pass through on their migration from Iceland and Scandinavia to wintering grounds in West Africa.

There’s more winter interest than just the waterbirds at Catcott, however. The alder-lined droves are regular haunts of wintering finches such as redpoll, siskin and on a lucky day you might stumble across a pretty little brambling. You should keep your eyes peeled for predators ­ hen harriers, merlins and peregrine falcons may all be on the look out for a warming winter meal.

Catcott Heath
Roe deer may often be seen on the heath where purple moor grass, devil’s-bit scabious, marsh and meadow thistles grow and we carefully cultivate rare and threatened plants, including great fen and saw sedge.

Rare dragonflies, protected great-crested newts and breeding frogs and toads are also at home on the heath.
 

About the Catcott Complex

The Catcott Complex is made up of Catcott Lows and Catcott Heath.

Formerly arable land Catcott Lows has been converted by Somerset WildlifeTrust to grazing marsh. It is now an important site for wintering, spring passage and breeding birds, thanks to the flooded winter conditions and soft ground in early summer.

The water level on site is carefully controlled. During the winter, the reserve floods naturally; through spring and early summer the water is kept shallow; then, in summer, the fields are kept dry so that cattle can graze the fields before the cycle begins again.

Somerset Wildlife Trust owns a further 34 acres (13.9 ha) of land to the south-east of Catcott Lows (127 acres/51.6 ha.) Catcott Heath is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) consisting of wet fen meadow, tall herb fen, scrub and carr woodland. 

The Catcott Complex is part of our Brue Valley Living Landscape Project to restore, recreate and reconnect important wildlife habitat in the valley. The beautiful wetlands of the Brue Valley are rich with wildlife but if we don’t link up these islands of habitat and create highways our wildlife can move around we risk losing some of our most valuable species.

You can find out more about how our Brue Valley Living Landscape project is working across the landscape to protect wildlife on the Somerset Levels by clicking here.
 

You can download our Catcott leaflet here.

Location & Access

Map

Download a map of Catcott Complex (PDF Size: 77kb)

Please do take care when visiting Catcott - here are some things to be aware of.

Parking

Catcott Lows has a car park at the reserve entrance

Coaches and Minibuses for school parties are advised to drop passengers on the road at the entrance to the reserve, not in the carpark.

Wheelchair access

One of the two hides has wheelchair access.

Opening

Both sites are open to the public throughout the year. Access is along rights of way or reserve paths only. Please beware of deep drainage ditches and floodwaters in winter.

How to get there

By road

Catcott Lows (ST 400 414) is a mile north of the village of Catcott in Somerset. Access to Catcott Heath is on foot, east-south-east from ST 399 405 along the drove, about half a mile (800 metres) to the reserve entrance in a wooded area on the right.

By bicycle

A National Cycle Network route runs through Catcott village.

Events Nearby

Click the following link for a full list of Somerset wildlife events