Are you looking forward to the return of Springwatch on Monday? If so, we've got a treat in store for you on the Suffolk coast.
Minsmere is well known as one of the best palces ot watch wildlfie at any time of year, and is at its best in spring. Many of our popular speices can be easy to see at this time of year, with avocets nesting in front of the hides among hundreds of black-headed gulls, bitterns starting their feeding flights, marsh harriers soaring over the reedbeds, and little terns nesting on the beach. Even nightingales sometimes show themselves between bursts of outstanding melody.
Dragonflies are attracting a lot of attention this year, as birdwatchers finally realise that they are not so hard to identify after all. The interest is certainly helped by a beautiful booklet on Minsmere's dragonflies that is now for sale in the Minsmere shop. Written by one of our wardens, Paul Green, this guide tells you where and when to look for each species found here. This week Paul found a newly emerging Norfolk hawker to final confirm with absolute certainty that they are now breeding here, while eagle-eyed visitors showed him variable damselflies behind Bittern Hide - a new location for this difficult to identify species.
We are now gearing up for our popular Sprinwatch event on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June. We'll have guides around the trails to show you everything from little terns and shingle flowers on the beach to dragonflies in the pond (as Paul's dragonfliy roadshow rolls into Minsmere). Guides will also show you our livestock, swallows nesting at the sluice, avocets, bitterns and much more. The fun doesn't stop there, as there will be pond dipping, face painting and other children's activities.
We are expecting a busy weekend, so I suggest you come early. Especially on the Sunday, when new Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will be visiting Minsmere. We are not sure of his exact plans yet, but there will be a chance to meet him - watch this space for more details.
Enjoy Springwatch on the TV, and why not get out and enjoy watching wildlife close to home, but best of all, if you can, come and see us at Minsmere.
PS: you can meet the RSPB at the Suffolk Show on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May, or visit us at Snape Maltings to watch great tits nestign in a drainpipe on our new Information Centre.