The sun is shining and the reserve is looking fantastic – so come and visit us!

Take a look at our new projects, the current phases of which are now finished.

We’ve cut some of our reedbed using a Truxor – lovely open views across towards the river and ensuring that the reedbed doesn’t dry out and grows healthily again later this year.

And, we’ve done some new works on the Draper Scrape to ensure…

We’ve got lots of things going on in January!

Join us and the Loughton Astronomical Society at the reserve for a Stargazing event on Sunday 12 January, 5.30 – 8 pm. Look up into the night sky and be amazed! £3 for members, £5 for non members.

We also have a Big Garden BirdWatch trail on the reserve this month, great for families, and good preparation for the Big Garden BirdWatch itself on 25…

Happy New Year everybody, from all at Rye Meads!

Despite a shocking start to the year weather-wise, here's what's been spotted out on the reserve today:

TRAILS

Blackbird, Great Tit, Robin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Magpie, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Mute Swan, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Dunnock, Wren, Bullfinch

GADWALL HIDE

Lapwing (c.200), Coot, Gadwall, Shelduck, Mute Swan, Teal, Shoveler, Starling, Cormorant…

Sadly, we have not had a single entry to this competition. I suspect the rigours of Christmas and the appalling weather are to blame.

As I have some great prizes I have decided to extend the closing date to Friday January 31st.

All you have to do is bring your children with a phone or a camera to the reserve, take the pictures specified on the entry form, (available from the reception desk) and upload your best photo…

Hello

Just wanted to take this oppertunity to Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the festive season.

Just a reminder we are closed Christmas day and Boxing day but if you feel the need to walk off some of that festive food or spirit we are open 10am until dusk any other day. As a christmas treat we will also be opening from 9am from 1st January 2014 (and raising our car park charges to £3 for those…

We are closing at 3.00 pm today. We will re-open on Friday 27th December at 10.00am.

Have a great Christmas

It's Christmas Eve and the weather is decidedly unseasonable. A quick check round this morning revealed a lot of debris but only one fallen tree off-piste, as they say. Plenty of water on the ground. We have survived another night of storms.

Plennty of birds around. The feeders by the centre are playing host to large numbers of blue and great tits and a good number of pheasants as well. Out on the reserve there are…

This Saturday there's a Wildlife Watch from one of our hides - volunteers will be there from noon to 2 pm to point out and identify wildlife that makes its home on the reserve. It's free and you don't have to book. A good way to learn more about winter wildlife and great for families.

There's also a Wildlife Explorer's Club for 6 - 11 year olds, 11 am to 1 pm. This month we're looking at winter wildlife…

Just to remind you that we will be shut on 25 and 26 December, but open every other day.

Throughout the rest of 2013 we will be open from 10 am and closing at dusk. From 1 January we will be opening from 9 am and closing at dusk.

Please note that the car parking fee for non members will be £3 from 1 January (free for members).

Come and take a wintery walk on the reserve over the festive season and start your New…

Come along to our Christmas event on Saturday 14th December 11.00 am - 3.00pm and get ready for the Big Garden Birdwatch. Help the wildlife in your garden by making bird feeders and nest boxes. There are loads of different craft activities to do and volunteers will be on hand to help you learn to identify birds so you are already for the Big Garden Birdwatch in January. You can also take part in our special Photographic…

Help pick a winner in our Photographic Scavenger Hunt for children. The competition runs from Saturday 14th December until Monday 31st December (11.59pm). Children will be taking pictures of things that start with the letters of HAPPY CHRISTMAS:

H Hawthorn berry, A Apple, P Peanut, P Pheasant, Y Your favourite view of Rye Meads, C Christmas tree, H Hedgehog, R Rosehips, I Ivy, S Santa, T Twig, M Mistletoe, A Angel, S…

Hello

The heavy fog and frost this morning made for quite an atmospheric start to the day. I had siskin calling in the alders by Rye House Gate House on my way in to work this morning and the sound seemed to hang in the air and there were low flying snipe zipping around the draper area along with redwing and field fare taking advantage of the hawthorn berry crop. These birds have definatly increased on site over the…

Hello

Work has got underway on both the reed cutting in the Lee Marsh and the re landscaping of the Draper area, yey.  So i have had a fun couple of days chatting to my contractors and watching some fab bits of kit do work that would take us weeks (or months and years in the digger case). I have taken a few snap shots and thought i would share their progress with you.

The truxor has cut a nice chunk of reed bed that…

Hello

Over recent weeks many of you have commented on the coloured stakes that have appeared dotted around the draper area, mostly what are they for? Well these are all to do with the reprofiling works that we are having undertaken in this area to improve the scrape for passage waders.  The stakes are marking out the patterns of the different ground levels so our contractors can see where the soil needs moving. Once all this…

We have a drop in Christmas event between 11 am and 3 pm for families on Saturday 14 December. Make Christmas presents for the wildlife in your garden - bird feeders, nestboxes and bumblebee nests - and pick up a goodie pack. £2 donation for materials.

What is a truxor I hear many of you asking. How many of you thought it was some exotic bird, come on hands up. It is, in fact, a piece of kit used to maintain reedbeds and other wetland habitats.

Redbeds and other wetland habitats have uneven ground and water levels.  If we were to cut the reedbed using the tools we have on site, brushcutters and a pedestrian mower with reciprocating cutter bar (BCS), we would have to drain…

Hello

Sorry i did not  manage to write a blog last week but hopefully this will catch you up.

The birds were very vocal today which brightened up what could have been a bit of a grey day.  Just passed the Draper hide i came acoss a mixed tit flock calling away dominated by the lovely long tailed tits (follow the link to have a listen to their call http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/l/longtailedtit/index ).  After…

I do believe some of our starlings are off for a night on the town!

This evening the numbers were down from 1000-1500 to around 500. But that is not to say they did not put on a performance.  They once again congregated on the pylon near the kingfisher hide and then in an amazing woosh of wings they were off circling the reedbed before dropping in to rooost in their usual spot on the lee marsh.

I managed to snap a few…

Hello

Once again i spent some time checking out our starling roost. Every time i go down the Starlings do something different  and it is interesting to see the different factors that affect them as they go in to roost.  This evening they congregated on the pylon near the kingfisher hide (so of course i was standing on the culvert near the other pylon).

I estimate the roost is now around 1000 - 1500 so it was rather…

Hello

The murmuration was once again over a thousand strong this evening, but it was quite a different experience from yesterday.  A group of 100 - 200 were on the ashby and kingfisher pylons  but the majority of starlings did not congregate on the pylong but came in from the surrounding countryside and dropped straight in to the reed bed.  We did also get some nice groups of 200-300 in acrobatic flight  before dropping in…

Good afternoon.

My but it has turned cold.  I have been out on site this afternoon since three and i have come back to the office feling very chilly.  Mind you it is half way through November so we should be expecting some cold weather.

The reason for my afternoon stroll was to take advantage of the fact that it had stopped raining and to have a look at the Starling roost which had reached 800-1000 over the weekend.  And i…

There's lots happening on the reserve this weekend!

There's a Wildlife Watch from one of our hides from 12 noon to 2 pm on Saturday so you can get help spotting and identifying wildlife. No charge and no need to book.

There's also a Wildlife Explorer Club for children aged 6 to 11 on the Saturday 11 am to 1 pm. First timers welcome and you don't need to be a member. Booking essential please - call 01992 708383…

Hello

The hot topic this week is still the Glosssy Ibis. Although he has been much more mobile and elsuive this week, giving many people who are still trying to spot him the run around and he has clearly found some secret location to visit.  On Monday and Thursday there was no sign of the Ibis at all, Wednesday he spent around an hour with us at  lunch time, but Tuesday was the day to be here.  He turned up around 10 and…

The ibis hasn't been seen today, but it has been quite mobile so may be still in the area. If it's found again on site we will blog straight away so please keep a look out here.

Thanks

Joan

Hi folks

The glossy ibis was missing all morning, but then turned up briefly, before flying off again.

Hopefully that means it's still around and about.

Thanks

Joan