Great birdwatching in northern France
The reserve is also a stronghold for breeding warblers, and you can expect Great Reed, Marsh, Savi’s and Grasshopper among the more expected Reed, Sedge and Cetti’s Warblers during a late spring/early summer visit. Willow Tit is also present in small numbers.
Extensive boardwalks and a hide will give you a front seat view of reedbeds which hold the nests of Bittern, Little Bittern and Marsh Harrier, while Water Rail, Kingfisher and the occasional Garganey frequent the pools, while Little Owl can be seen in the pollarded willows with luck, Long-eared Owl secretes itself in the denser scrub and Night Heron is occasionally reported. Commoner wildfowl such as Gadwall and Shoveler are omnipresent.
Interesting passage species include Black Tern and Osprey, but the site has limited appeal to waders, with Common and Green Sandpipers most likely, though Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew and Whimbrel pass through in spring and autumn, along with the odd scarcer species.
Despite the woodland being patchy (though the more extensive Clairmarais Forest surrounds the reserve and is worth a visit), you have a fair chance of seeing and hearing Golden Oriole, Melodious Warbler and Short-toed Treecreeper, as well as Goshawk and Honey Buzzard. Serin and Black Redstart can be easily found in St Omer itself, as well as around the adjacent arable land which holds Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting.
