You don't have to visit one of our reserves to take part in our free Big Wild Sleepout, but if you do, we can't wait to welcome you!
This annual event is your one chance of the year to spend the night on our reserves, camping in an amazing nocturnal landscape.
Encompassing some of the best sites for wildlife in the South East, you can be sure that whichever reserve you choose; you will have a truly unique experience, so gather together your family and friends and book your place today!
We’ll be introducing you to a new reserve in each of our blogs over the next few weeks, but to see the full list of events now visit our website.
RSPB Pagham Harbour - Saturday 29th July
Nestled on the coastline of West Sussex, this harbour reserve is home to huge numbers of wildfowl, but it’s not just a favourite roost for birds. Last year our RSPB Pagham Harbour Big Wild Sleepout guests discovered mice, moths and bats, lizards and larvae and plenty more besides!
With activities including crafts and animal olympics, there is something for everyone at this Big Wild Sleepout; it’s the perfect way to get a less than enthusiastic young naturist into the outdoors.
Roy Newnham talks about his 2016 Big Wild Sleepout experience at Pagham Harbour;
“As the night drew in our Big Wild Sleepouters were armed with bat-detectors and we went for a walk in the twilight. It wasn’t long before we were hearing the audible clicks of several bats, some of which we managed to catch a glimpse of, flittering about in the gloom. Along our route we found Ian our local astronomer waiting for us in the darkness. He proceeded to show us some of the more easily recognisable constellations and taught us how use these to navigate our way across the night sky. We even witnessed a couple of meteors (shooting stars). On the horizon a red moon rose slowly into the starlight. This was our cue to make our way back, picking up more bats on the detectors as we went. Returning to our Discovery Area, Ivan our Warden set up the moth trap we would leave running during the night, before everyone enjoyed a well deserved cup of hot chocolate. Midnight approaching, we made our way back to our tents to spend the night under the stars.”
At Pagham you can explore a range of habitats, from coastal lagoons to wild woodland, and at night you might even get a glimpse of our resident owls. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to the sun rising over the sea at dawn?
Places for these extra special events are very limited so please do book early to avoid disappointment.