Fantastic wildlife spectacle with something for everybody (Minsmere Nature Reserve (Suffolk))

Member Name: ermine

Product:	Minsmere Nature Reserve (Suffolk)
Date:	29/08/09 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap and thrilling day out in Suffolk

Disadvantages: Out of the way, a car is easiest though see RSPB website for details of on demand bus service.

Minsmere is one of the RSPB's flagship nature reserves, set on the Suffolk coast. The area was flooded in the Second World war to make invasion more difficult, and the row of cubical concrete tank traps on the dunes between east Hide and Public Hide remind us of this history.

Avocets returned to England taking advantage of the flooding, and Bert Axell, the first warden of Minsmere helped them by scraping out a shallow lagoon, which has been home to generations of waders and wildfowl ever since, including the avocet, which is the bird on the RSPBs symbol.

The reserve opens at 9am, and it is worth going round the Scrape in a clockwise direction to keep the sun behind you for the best view of the birds. Starting from the visitor centre when you pick up your reserve pass (RSPB members get in free) take the path that leads towards East hide via the North Wall.

The reed beds on either side of North wall may have flocks of the delightful bearded tit/bearded reedling, with their characteristic pinging contact calls. When you get to the end of North Wall and go through the gates to the dune path, it is worth scanning the sea for sea ducks, before continuing to East Hide, with excellent views over the Scrape with lovely light is the sun is up and behind you, depending on how long you take to get around the Scrape, the sun will tend to go with you, whereas if you go the other way round starting with West Hide then you will have the sun in your eyes.

The full tour of the Scrape hides is quite a way and more than little feet will take kids, though a trip to East Hide and back is doable. However, near the visitor centre there are several quiet places where some of the common species can be seen, and there are the ever-popular feeders by the tea room where finches and tits come to feed only a few yards from the visitors if they make no sudden movements. In summer sand martins often nest in the sandbank which is overlooked from the back of the visitor centre.

Although the Scrape is the jewel in the crown the other trails in Minsmere have their own attractions. Bittern hide is good for an overview of the massive reed beds to get a scale of the reserve, and the tree canopy hide is a very tall edifice that rises looming over the deciduous forest at the back of the reserve. I haven't ever personally had much luck with that hide, which is a pity considering the remarkable engineering and effort to climb it!

All in all any trip to Minsmere is bound to be a memorable experience whatever your knowledge of birds - there are so many and the clamour at breeding time is amazing.

Summary: A great day out and the birds are an amazing sight