It's been quite an exciting few days for sightings at Minsmere, but before we get round to those, here's a quick update on what facilities are open, and what restrictions remain in place.
Visitor centre - open, 10 am to 4 pm. Face coverings essential. A one-way system is in operation around the visitor centre.
Shop - open 10 am to 4 pm. Face coverings essential.
Cafe - open as take away, with outdoor tables only, 10 am to 3.45 pm. Face coverings essential. Menu includes soup, sandwiches, bacon/sausage butties, cakes, hot and cold drinks. Scones are usually available too, but will not be available this weekend due a fault with the oven.
Toilets - open 9 am to 5 pm. Face coverings essential. One household at a time, so please be prepared to queue at busy times.
Entry fees - normal entry fees are now payable for non members - £9 per adult, £5 per child, under 5s and one child per party free. Free entry for RSPB members.
Nature trails - all now open as usual. The seasonal North Bushes trail is now open too, with a one way system operating from North Hide towards to the North Wall.
Hides - all hides are now open, except for North Hide (which is full of hornets) and Canopy Hide. Face coverings are essential in hides at all times. Windows must be left open. To allow for social distancing we ask visitors to be considerate to other users by not spending too long in the hides, ensuring you remain 2 metres from other parties, and waiting outside (or moving on) if the hides are too busy.
Guided walks and events. We are currently still unable to offer any guided activities, including hire a guides and safaris. When these do become available we will update via these blogs and our social media.
Sightings
There was almost a Highland feel to sightings this morning with good views of both raven and short-eared owl over the reserve. In addition, an osprey flew over yesterday. Ospreys are regular passage migrants at Minsmere, but ravens remain scarce birds in Suffolk (it was my first in the county). The short-eared owl was quite an early arrival, and is the first winter visitor of the autumn.
Photo: raven (taken in Cornwall)
There are good numbers of outbound summer visitors passing through the reserve too, including whinchats, wheatears, redstarts, spotted flycatchers, common and lesser whitethroats, willow and garden warblers, and even a few late swifts and cuckoos.
A variety of passage waders can be seen on the Scrape, with one or two little stints and curlew sandpipers among a flock of 80 dunlins being the highlight. Other waders include green and common sandpipers, common and little ringed plovers and spotted redshanks, while about a dozen avocets remain too.
Duck numbers are slowly increasing with about 150 teal on the Scrape and 200 gadwall at Island Mere.
Herons have been prominent this week, with regular sightings of up to three great white egrets, bitterns, little egrets and grey herons. Raptors include several hobbies, kestrels, buzzards, marsh harriers and sparrowhawks.
There are still good numbers and variety of insects around too, and highlights this week have included hummingbird hawkmoth, painted lady butterfly, great green bush-cricket, great silver diving beetle, grey dagger moth caterpillar and willow emerald damselfly.
There have also been sightings of otter, red deer, stoat and badger around the reserve.
We don't have many volunteer guides on the reserve at the moment, so if you do spot anything unusual, please let us know.
Finally, a reminder that the latest information about visiting Minsmere can be found on the RSPB Minsmere Facebook and Twitter pages.
Hi Jeni-Ren, we have two mobility scooters that can be booked - please send us an email to minsmere@rspb.org.uk to check on availability. We also have wheelchair if that is preferred, but the scooters are much better over our paths
Hi, can you tell me if the robust wheelchair is available to hire please?
Thanks for that, Ian - it's good to know that Bittern Hide is now officially open to everyone.