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Least visited RSPB reserve (1 Viewer)

IAN JAMES THOMPSON

IAN JAMES THOMPSON

Well-known member
I got a reply back from the RSPB after asking what was the least visited RSPB reserve and this is the result of the reply I got back from them.
Least visited RSPB reserve on mainland UK: 1 Chapel Wood-700 visitors, 2 Old Hall Marshes-872 visitors, 3 Nene Washes-910 visitors, 4 Boyton Marshes-926 visitors, 4 Havergate Marshes-926 visitors.
Least visited reserves including smaller/island reserves: 1 Hoy-90 visitors, 2 North Hill & Noop Cliffs-415 visitors, 3 Oronsay-422 visitors, 4Loch na Muilne-750 visitors.
The reason I asked the RSPB this question is I was rather curious, as I do know that the most visited reserve was Tichwell Marsh in Norfolk and the two most well known reserves are probably Minsmere and Loch Garten. I found it very interesting the results that I asked.
Ian.
 
IAN JAMES THOMPSON said:
I got a reply back from the RSPB after asking what was the least visited RSPB reserve and this is the result of the reply I got back from them.
Least visited RSPB reserve on mainland UK: 1 Chapel Wood-700 visitors, 2 Old Hall Marshes-872 visitors, 3 Nene Washes-910 visitors, 4 Boyton Marshes-926 visitors, 4 Havergate Marshes-926 visitors.
Least visited reserves including smaller/island reserves: 1 Hoy-90 visitors, 2 North Hill & Noop Cliffs-415 visitors, 3 Oronsay-422 visitors, 4Loch na Muilne-750 visitors.
The reason I asked the RSPB this question is I was rather curious, as I do know that the most visited reserve was Tichwell Marsh in Norfolk and the two most well known reserves are probably Minsmere and Loch Garten. I found it very interesting the results that I asked.
Ian.
Click to expand...

I wonder whether some of these actually don't manage to record all their visitors. I've only been to Old Hall Marshes once but I saw everything I was after from the sea wall and never encountered anyone from RSPB. I expect other birders do the same. Unfortunately apart from a show of hands on here there's no way of quantifying that.

John
 
With a public footpath running through Titchwell I am not sure how you could measure the number of visitors; same must be true at other reserves. And what about those with no RSPB staff manning reception centres?
 
I'm also struck by the amazing degree of precision in some cases, eg 926! But it chimes with common practice in the birding world, where bird counts are often recorded and aggregated highly unscientifically to a number of significant figures completely inconsistent with the degree of uncertainty involved. How does RSPB estimate the number of visits at (often unattended) reserves to the nearest ONE?
 
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Indeed, Chapel Wood is a small hanging oak woodland near Braunton. How thay can say 700 is a mystery, whenever I go there I very rarely see the (p/t) warden or indeed anyone else. But less than 2 a day is an odd figure, I've often seen large family groups and I know of several friends who go there on a very regular basis. Still I spose they had to give some sort of answer!

ps it's supposed to be a place for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - I've never seen one in 30 years of visits!
 
I don't believe that only 90 people (a year?) visit Hoy. I'm fairly sure that the reserve includes the footpath to the old man of Hoy which is quite a popular walk and one that I have done. I also don't believe that any of these reserves get fewer visitors than one like Ramna Stacks on Shetland.
 
Likewise Oronsay: no-one can know how many visitors this island gets (you can walk or cycle there at low tide, and a lot of people do).
 
Bowlander said:
There are IR sensors on the causeway at Leighton Moss, other reserves probably use them.
Click to expand...

Yes but the causeway is a public footpath and the Red Deer also use it, so any figure from there is bound to be rubbish. In addition many people don't get further than the nearest hide to the visitor centre and won't trip the sensors.

Most of the other reserves listed would suffer similar inaccuracies from an IR sensor approach.

John
 
Leighton Moss seem determined to get a count using those tags, which I find are a nuisance. Last year when we walked in Leighton Moss one of the female volunteers ran after us as if we were shoplifters shouting for us to come back all because whe wanted to give us tags.

I prefer Saltholme where apart from the Phil Stead hide you have to go through reception and all they do is ask if you are a member, are you local and have you been before...no stupid tags there!
 
My local reserve, Barons Haugh, is not staffed and the warden is barely there - not his fault as he has other duties. There are no sensors, it borders on to a Council park / woodland, has a cycleway through it, multiple entry points and has a booming population of underage drinkers. There is no way an accurate count of visitors (for genuine reasons or otherwise) could ever be given and I'm sure there are many others in similar circumstances.

Worth saying that despite all of the above, its gets some great birds:t:
 
I was part of a group of about 18 that visited the reserve on Hoy last May - don't remember being counted but saw another 8 or so folk walking in the reserve on that one day alone...

Mind you the figures quoted by the OP do not clearly state the time involved. Is that per month/day/year/decade?...

Best bird on Hoy for me that day was a Wryneck. Also Crossbills and, of course, Bonxies.

Geoff
 
Morg said:
I was part of a group of about 18 that visited the reserve on Hoy last May - don't remember being counted but saw another 8 or so folk walking in the reserve on that one day alone...

Mind you the figures quoted by the OP do not clearly state the time involved. Is that per month/day/year/decade?...

Best bird on Hoy for me that day was a Wryneck. Also Crossbills and, of course, Bonxies.

Geoff
Click to expand...

I presume its the year as they didn't state whether it was per day, week, month or year.
Ian.
 
bongofury said:
My local reserve, Barons Haugh, is not staffed and the warden is barely there - not his fault as he has other duties. There are no sensors, it borders on to a Council park / woodland, has a cycleway through it, multiple entry points and has a booming population of underage drinkers. There is no way an accurate count of visitors (for genuine reasons or otherwise) could ever be given and I'm sure there are many others in similar circumstances.
Worth saying that despite all of the above, its gets some great birds:t:
Click to expand...

Reminds me of our local forest, which is under the 3rd degree of protection because of birdlife, whatever it exactly means.
In addition to The Birdwatcher (myself :king: ; frankly, I can't remember when I saw another person with binoculars) there are all kinds of people just taking a leisurely stroll, people with dogs, parents with small children (there is a playground at the edge of the grounds so they take a walk down the path as well), joggers, and an unexpected group of people just taking a shortcut through the forest (carrying groceries or in office clothes).
 
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