Minsmere is an incredibly rich and varied nature reserve, with the widest variety of wildlife found on any RSPB nature reserve in the country. As one of the biggest RSPB reserves in England, with a complex mix of habitats, located on the migration highway of the East coast and with 75 years of continuous careful conservation management, it is perhaps not a surprise that almost 350 different species of birds have been recorded here. But that's barely the tip of the iceberg. We're also identified more than 1000 species of moth, more than 1000 fungi, hundreds of different plants and invertebrates, and a variety of mammals, fish and more.
Minsmere's habitats range from the dry sandy heathland and acid grassland of the Sandlings heaths through broad-leaved and mixed woodland to the vegetated shingle beach and vast wetlands. It's the latter that we're perhaps best known for, especially as they are crisscrossed by the two main visitor trails, and are home to four of Minsmere's Big Five species: bittern, marsh harrier, bearded tit and avocet. (What's the fifth one, I hear you ask? We used to say nightingale, as that's another species that visitors come to Minsmere to see, but more recently it's been considered to be stone-curlew, which like the other four owes it's existence in Suffolk to the work of the RSPB. Arguably, though, number five changes with the seasons: adder in March/April; nightingale in late April/May; beewolf from June to August; red deer in September/October; otter through the winter.)
With our wetlands being the best known of Minsmere's habitats, it's only right that we focus on them today as we mark World Wetlands Day. This celebrates the signing of the RAMSAR Convention in the Iranian town of Ramsar on 2 February 1971. The RAMSAR Convention is an international agreement that recognises the world best wetlands, which are collectively known as Ramsar sites. Minsmere is a Ramsar site, as well as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area, Special of Area of Conservation and one of only five Council of Europe Diploma sites in the UK.
It's easy to see why Minsmere has Ramsar designation, as a wetland of international importance, simply by taking a quick look across the Scrape in winter, or spending a bit of time scanning across the huge reedbeds. The former ensures wonderful views of ducks, geese and lapwings, the latter offers the chance of spotting a marsh harrier, bittern or kingfisher.
I've always loved wetlands, and feel so lucky to work at such a special place as Minsmere. I take every opportunity that I can to walk around the reserve, especially the wetlands, soaking up the atmosphere, listening to the winds rustling through the leaves and the constant calls of ducks, gulls and waders, often unseen behind a wall of reeds. Even the smell of decomposing vegetation when a stagnant pool by a mallard, or from a peaty deer wallow is somehow refreshing.
It was with great anticipation, therefore, that I headed out for a lunchtime walk on Monday. The sun was shining brightly from a crystal clear blue sky, with barely a breath of wind to ripple the surface of the water as I arrived at Wildlife Lookout. The light was almost perfect as I looked through the window at a stunning pair of wigeon feeding just a few metres in front of me. Nearby, the more subtly plumage, but equally attractive, gadwalls swam, while two of the wintering whooper swans glided past perhaps as close as I have ever seen them at Minsmere. It was a perfect scene of winter serenity, in wonderful light that highlighted the colour of the water, sky, reeds and birds. Sadly, you'll have to take my word for it, because when I went to grab my camera for a photos, I realised that I'd left it sitting on my desk! Doh!
As I didn't have my camera on Monday, here's some older pictures of the stars of the show - wigeon (above) and gadwall (below)
Of course, with no camera, I was to be treated to another fabulous spectacle when I reached East Hide. The Scrape was teeming with birds: wigeon grazing on the bank; teal, mallard and shoveler dabbling in the shallows; shelducks squabbling; elegant pintails upending; tufted ducks and a lone pochard diving for invertebrates; hundreds of lapwings and gulls loafing on the islands.
Preening pintail
This scene of serenity was suddenly cast into one of total chaos. Ducks dashed the water. Gulls stood alert to sudden danger. Lapwings wheeled into the sky in panicked flocks. A raptor was hunting, but which? Sparrowhawk? Peregrine? Marsh harrier? Searching the sky I struck lucky as a peregrine stooped through the flock of lapwings. It missed this time, swooping back up and climbing high above the flock. Keeping the sun behind it, it stooped again, missed again, then drifted off towards the Levels. Peace restored, I returned to the office.
The scene is repeated on a daily basis at Minsmere in winter, though the characters may change. For example, today Alex was treated to the peregrine's performance, Margaret watched a red kite drift over the reedbed during her guided walk, and Steve has just spotted a barn owl over the North Wall. During my walk, I was rewarded with my first Mediterranean gull of the spring, hiding among hundreds of common gulls on East Scrape.
Red kite
The reedbed continues to reward visitors' patience, too, with up to five snipe and two water pipits often feeding close to Island Mere Hide, bitterns and water rails sometimes popping out into view, and marsh harriers constantly cruising overhead. Some visitors have even been lucky enough to spot the three otters that occasionally reveal themselves at Island Mere.
I'd love to hear your stories of spotting Minsmere's wildlife, especially our wetland wildlife.
As regular readers (and presumably visitors) to Minsmere, we thank you for your continued support, whether you are an RSPB member of not. Did you know that we now have a special page on our website where you can also leave a dedication to a loved one. Perhaps they, like you and I, had a special affection with Minsmere.