Hi again
There are some mornings when you’re glad you got up early for a walk around Minsmere. Today was one of those. Despite the wind, it was a gorgeous sunny morning, and the wildlife obliged on guided walk I was leading.
The early morning light at Minsmere is superb. Various warblers were making the most of the sun, hawking insects in the north bushes. We could easily see the difference between common and lesser whitethroats.
Once we got to East Hide, the light could not have been better. Although it’s been a slow year for migrant wading birds, we did see a good selection, including spotted redshank, greenshank and black-tailed godwit. A lovely juvenile yellow wagtail was a bonus too.
It was a great morning for herons, with two bittern sightings, two grey herons and several little egrets. The nearby RSPB Havergate Island nature reserve had a record count of 26 spoonbills last week, so visitors to the island during this weekend’s Havergate Adventure should be in for a treat. If you haven’t been to Havergate, why not book a place? See www.rspb.org.uk/events for details.
We also had superb views of hobby, sparrowhawk and kestrel this morning, plus a couple of marsh harriers. Best of all was the stoat that ran around the path in front of us for several minutes, completely unconcerned by our presence. Wow! Another predator we often see is the grass snake. One slithered across the path yesterday on a family wildlife walk.
With the summer holidays in full swing, we’ve had loads of families around for the last few weeks. Our family days were extremely popular, and we’re expecting many children to come pond dipping on Thursday 23 August.
Looking further ahead, you might like to visit Minsmere on Sunday 2 September to see popular TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham. He is giving three free talks on wildlife photography during the day. There will also be a full range of Nikon binoculars, telescopes and cameras available to try. To book your place, call us on 01728 648281.
Perhaps I’ll see you there. Come and say hello.