Evening all
Yesterday (22nd October) saw the start of the work to build the new ground level Purfleet Hide in the bank viewable from the visitors centre. It will look out over a re-landscaped Purfleet Scrape and afford excellent views.
To start with the diggers are removing the top soil. The reedy bit will be kept in one pile and the grassy bit in another to be replaced once works have finished to allow the area to naturally regenerate.
Hi Sally,
Its still work in progress and eventually the scrapes in front of the hide will be altered to encourage the birds closer. I suppose tha because it is spacious it will echo just like if you enter a hall or large room with no damping materials like carpet.
The cost is alot but nothing comes cheap anymore and this being a specialist building would drive costs higher; I am sure the RSPB tok every aspect into account when commiting to this project.
Its all down to personal opinion and you and I are entitled to our own.
Many thanks
Craig
Craig, I couldn't agree more that we must encourage people of all ages & backgrounds to engage with the natural world if we are going to hang on to our wildlife heritage. And hides are an important way of doing this. They allow people who do not have special equipment, such as binoculars or telescopes, to get close to nature & enjoy the sight & sound of birds & other creatures.
However, the Butts hide does not do this. It is too distant from the birds so that even geese cannot be properly seen without binoculars. It stands out like a sore thumb which birds may get used to, but may not, preferring to keep their distance. It is not conducive to quiet viewing because the large open space in the middle encourages people to stand & chat & makes the space echo with every sound. It was, I am told, very expensive. A single hide shouldn't cost the RSPB more than twice the price of an average house!
That said, I do like Rainham & will certainly continue to visit. There are nice features on the reserve such as the boardwalk, which will bring people closer to nature. If the Purfleet hide is a 'hide', I look forward to using it!
Cheers
Sally
Thanks Sally, look forward to hearing back from you.
and for some unknown reason my post was posted twice!! (strange)
Regards
Thank you for your thoughtful comments Craig. There is nothing worse than expressing a challenging point of you & not having anyone come back to you. I will give your points some thought & get back to you asap.
Kind regards
All nature reserves need people to visit them so they can generate more money to buy, save and improve habitat; thus incouraging more wildlife. So building new hides also attracts more people some that may have never been to a nature reserve before and this can only be a good thing.
The more awareness of biodiversity that Rainham can bring to people the more respect people will give to nature and thier surroundings; especially those in built up concrete jungles that may have never experienced nature. Plus hides are important on wetland reserves as you get a better undisturbed view of the birds and wildlife.
The new Butts hide I personally think is ideal for families and people to visit, it has a spacious area and a high up panoramic view of both marshes (this also protects the listed rifle butts underneath). I think the design is leaps ahead of the old fashioned style hide of a cramped space and limited seating; theres been many times were I have had to skip the Ken Barrett hide because there was no room, personally change is good and breaks the mould of old habits and ways.
With the Butts hide its great and also you get to meet people and have a quiet chat; so socially its is a welcoming addition.
For kids its great too and this is important as they are our future to the survival of our natural world and for disabled people there is good access. So everyone can enjoy the views.
As for the new hide it will sit low into the ground and so will blend with its surroundings.
I hope you do give Rainham another go, it has its quiet days like any other reserve in the country and believe me I have had a few of those myself at Rainham!
202 species have been recorded this year and there is never a dull moment with woodland, waders, wildfowl, raptors birds and other wildlife all to be seen in the 870 acres that is RSPB Rainham