Hazelwood Marshes are one of the last undrained grazing marshes on the Suffolk coast and among the most important for breeding wading birds including redshank, snipe, lapwing and wintering wildfowl such as white-fronted geese. Marsh harrier, barn owl and avocet also nest here. Looking out over the Alde estuary from the Eric Hosking hide (built in memory of the late photographer) gives great views of birds taking advantage of the flooding tide. Keep your eyes peeled for pintail, wigeon, black-tailed godwit and avocet. Cattle graze the marshes to maintain the tussocky grass favoured by breeding waders. In other areas grass is grazed shorter to provide winter grazing for wildfowl. A network of fresh and brackish water dykes dissects the grazing marsh. These act like wet fences to control the cattle and provide a valuable wildlife habitat. In some stretches of fresh water the flowerless stems of stonewort are just visible below the surface. This is not a true plant, but an algae which flourishes in clean, still water. In the brackish areas, look out for soft hornwort and horned pondweed.Reed fringes are home to breeding birds such as sedge and reed warbler and bearded tit, as well as dragonflies like the black-tailed skimmer and scarce chaser. Trees are dotted throughout the reserve and on it's margins. In February 2009 EFORESTS, with the help of Suffolk Wildlife Trust wardens, planted Oak and Hawthorn saplings around the reserve. Want to dedicate a tree to be planted in Suffolk or elsewhere in the UK? Simply click on the DEDICATE A TREE link below for the county of your choice: Dedicate a Tree in AberdeenshireDedicate a Tree in AngusDedicate a Tree in Argyll and ButeDedicate a Tree in AvonDedicate a Tree in BedfordshireDedicate a Tree in BerkshireDedicate a Tree in BuckinghamshireDedicate a Tree in CambridgeshireDedicate a Tree in CheshireDedicate a Tree in ClevelandDedicate a Tree in ClwydDedicate a Tree in CornwallDedicate a Tree in CumbriaDedicate a Tree in DerbyshireDedicate a Tree in DevonDedicate a Tree in DorsetDedicate a Tree in Dumfries and GallowayDedicate a Tree in DurhamDedicate a Tree in DyfedDedicate a Tree in East AyrshireDedicate a Tree in East DunbartonshireDedicate a Tree in East RenfrewshireDedicate a Tree in East SussexDedicate a Tree in EssexDedicate a Tree in FifeDedicate a Tree in GloucestershireDedicate a Tree in Greater LondonDedicate a Tree in Greater ManchesterDedicate a Tree in GwentDedicate a Tree in GwyneddDedicate a Tree in HampshireDedicate a Tree in HerefordshireDedicate a Tree in HertfordshireDedicate a Tree in HumbersideDedicate a Tree in InverclydeDedicate a Tree in KentDedicate a Tree in LancashireDedicate a Tree in LeicestershireDedicate a Tree in LincolnshireDedicate a Tree in MerseysideDedicate a Tree in Mid GlamorganDedicate a Tree in MorayDedicate a Tree in NorfolkDedicate a Tree in North AyrshireDedicate a Tree in North LanarkshireDedicate a Tree in North YorkshireDedicate a Tree in NorthamptonshireDedicate a Tree in NorthumberlandDedicate a Tree in NottinghamshireDedicate a Tree in OxfordshireDedicate a Tree in Perth and KinrossDedicate a Tree in PowysDedicate a Tree in RenfrewshireDedicate a Tree in Scottish BordersDedicate a Tree in ShropshireDedicate a Tree in SomersetDedicate a Tree in South AyrshireDedicate a Tree in South GlamorganDedicate a Tree in South LanarkshireDedicate a Tree in South YorkshireDedicate a Tree in StaffordshireDedicate a Tree in StirlingDedicate a Tree in SuffolkDedicate a Tree in SurreyDedicate a Tree in The Scottish HighlandsDedicate a Tree in Tyne and WearDedicate a Tree in WarwickshireDedicate a Tree in West DunbartonshireDedicate a Tree in West GlamorganDedicate a Tree in West MidlandsDedicate a Tree in West SussexDedicate a Tree in West YorkshireDedicate a Tree in WiltshireDedicate a Tree in Worcestershire
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