Gibraltar Point is an area of coastal deposition—at the end of the 18th century the west dunes were by the shore, but they are now a kilometre inland.

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust also owns an old farm and land just inshore of the west dunes at the southern end of the reserve, again with an artificial lake and hides.

The geography of the area, at the northern mouth of The Wash, makes the reserve very popular with migrant birds and many nationally rare species have been recorded.

[2] Recently, these have included black stork, pallid harrier, caspian tern, red-flanked bluetail and rustic bunting during 2015,[3] and broad-billed sandpiper, black-winged pratincole and great reed warbler in 2014.

[4] Notable breeding birds at the site include little tern, common shelduck, ringed plover, oystercatcher and common redshank, whilst the site is of international significance for overwintering wader species such as oystercatcher, grey plover, red knot, sanderling and bar-tailed godwit.