The Maer Lake Nature Reserve is located immediately north of Bude. Some of you may have visited the site in September to watch the White-winged Black Tern. The 9.76ha (22 acres) reserve has been jointly owned and managed by the Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust since 1993. However, there has never been a bird watching hide at the site with only roadside viewing opportunities – not the safest on a narrow lane. We are hoping to change that.

CBWPS has applied to Cornwall Council for planning permission to construct a bird hide at the site. This is an important opportunity, the hide would be elevated on stilts and has been carefully designed and located to allow wildlife at the site to be watched and recorded while causing minimal disturbance. It would be extremely beneficial if members could support the planning application by visiting the Cornwall Council online planning website, quoting planning application PA24/08125 | Proposed construction of a birdwatching hide | Maer Lake Nature Reserve Maer Lane Bude Cornwall EX23 9EE and stating why they feel the hide would be an important feature of the reserve and that it would not have an unacceptable impact. You will need to register or login to the Cornwall Council planning portal – but the process is very quick and you will be helping to ensure that the Society can build a new hide at the Reserve in Autumn 2025. Many thanks