RSPB Rye Meads

14/10/2026

It's never too early to start with the Halloween decorations... right? There may or may not be a clue as to what our October half term trail is going to be based on (hint: it's not pumpkins or wheelbarrows)...

13/10/2026

The October half term holidays are quickly approaching, so now's the time we tell you all about the events we have coming up. Every day of the holidays we will have air dry clay sculpting where you can let your imagination run wild and create all sorts of things. We also have everyone's favourite, pond dipping, running everyday (also every weekend of October). On top of that we have our Sunday Saunter on 1 November where you join our volunteer, Mel, and learn all about everything that calls Rye Meads home. Make sure you keep an eye out as we will be adding more to the schedule as well... To book your tickets, follow the link below:

Events hosted by the RSPB Rye Meads reserve

12/10/2026

The vegetation work that we have been doing at the Draper hide is coming to the end and we are hoping that it will all be done this week. Please keep an eye on our social media as we will give you an update as to whether it is finished or not.

11/10/2026

Guess who's back in the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust meadow (it's the cows but also Stonechats have been seen from the Lapwing hide)...

10/10/2026

For those of you who are visiting the reserve by train, please note that Rye House train station will be closed from Saturday 17 October - Sunday 25 October for essential works on track. For more information please follow the link below:

This October, railway engineers will be replacing 1km of track in Hertfordshire that was severely flooded last year, helping to keep trains running safely and reliably for years to come.These major works mean that there will be no trains from Hertford East, Ware, St Margarets and Rye House stations....

09/10/2026

As many of you will know, the RSPB will be withdrawing from Rye Meads in November, with management of the reserve returning to Thames Water. The reserve remains open as normal until Sunday 1 November. and we encourage you to continue enjoying this wonderful place for nature (make sure you come and join us for our half term activities such as pond dipping and arts and crafts, starting on 24 October!)

Please note that this page will close in due course. We'll share any important updates before then.

We'd like to thank everyone who has followed, supported and engaged with this page over the years, as well as our staff and volunteers who have made Rye Meads so special. Your passion for Rye Meads and its wildlife has helped make this such a special community. 💚

Photo by George Styles

08/10/2026

Over the past week we have had an increase in sightings of Meadow Pipit. We often see an very small influx of them over the winter months as they gather in small flocks. They are being seen mostly at the Draper hide so keep your eyes peeled as they can be very difficult to see...

Photo copyright RSPB / Ben Andrew

07/10/2026

If you missed today's Wednesday Wander, don't worry. We have just added a Sunday Saunter for 1 November, where hopefully the weather will be much kinder to the participants today! If you like more information or to book your spot, follow the link below:

Join one of our volunteers for an informal guided walk around RSPB Rye Meads and witness the diversity of wildlife that calls the reserve home.

06/10/2026

Now that we're into October, it's time to take a moment to look back to last month and see all the species that were reported. In September we had 77 species reported with 10 insects or similar (highlighted in green), 5 mammals and 1 reptile (all highlighted in orange). Interestingly, that's the exact same amount of species that were reported last year.

05/10/2026

This Wednesday is the first Wednesday of the month, and you know what that means? It's our Wednesday Wander! And this month it is a special one. Join Mel on a gentle walk around the reserve as he points out all the species of plant, bird and mammal that you can find. Make sure you bring all your questions for him as he loves answering them (and he's a fountain of knowledge). To secure your tickets, follow the link below:

Join one of our volunteers on the first Wednesday of each month for an informal guided walk around RSPB Rye Meads and witness the diversity of wildlife that cal