BLOGGER: Melanie Beck, Assistant Leader of RSPB Norwich Nuthatches (children's wildlife club)
The first Norwich Nuthatches meeting of 2012 was a boat trip on Breydon Water and for most of us it would be our first visit. There had been a dusting of snow overnight and was a very cold morning, but as we met at the boatyard in Burgh Castle everyone was well wrapped up and ready for our adventure. It was such a popular event that we had two boat loads of members going, arriving an hour apart. Very carefully we climbed into the little boat called The John and Betty Neale. As we made our way along Breydon Water many birds could be seen feeding on the exposed mud. There were gadwall, mallards, dunlin, redshank, and a curlew before we had gone very far.
We were lucky enough to stop at RSPB Berney Marshes, where the warden, Mark Smart, was there to meet us. Mark explained that Berney Marshes was the most remote reserve the RSPB managed as you can only visit by boat, foot, or train. It seemed hard to believe until we stood on the marshes and looked at the big areas of open marshland stretching as far as the eye could see. Mark talked about how important the management of an area like this is and that the reserve has some of the largest groups of water birds in the country visiting. Mark also talked about how the beautiful mill that towered over us was no longer in use but was once a water mill.
Before we knew it our boat could be seen coming down the river and it was time to leave. We climbed back into the boat and thanked Mark as we set off. On our way back we saw many more birds feeding in the mud: black tailed and bar tailed godwit, little grebe, a large group of wigeon and a little egret. As we arrived back at Burgh Castle most of us had only one thing on our minds - where could we get a warming cup of hot chocolate! We were all cold but had really enjoyed our trip and we must say a huge thank you to Mark and to our skipper Ralf without whom our trip wouldn't have been possible.
The RSPB is running some more boat trips on Breydon Water in February and March - to book a place see our events list.