Wildlife Explorer’s club meeting 17 November, 11 am to 1 pm

We are having a trip to Amwell this month to explore this Herts and Middx Wildlife Trust reserve. You just have to be between 6 and 11. You don’t have to be a WEx member to come and first timers welcome. Please call 01992 708383 to book your place and for more information.

As the end of the year approaches it’s all change for the birds at Rye Meads. Swallows and swifts have left the skies, the reedbeds are quiet of warblers, even hobbies have wished us a final farewell. Redwings and fieldfares are arriving on the reserve, their distinctive calls filling the air, and duck numbers are building up. Come and see the delights of autumn and our arriving birds with a friendly and experienced…

Get expert help in one of our hides from our lovely, friendly volunteers. They can help you with bird identification and spotting, and answer your questions about the reserve. The event runs 2 - 4 pm. Just turn up any time during this period. No need to book and it's free (£2 car park charge for non-members, or join on the day at the reserve for free parking).

One seen on 3 November.

Also winter thrushes coming through, and redpolls around.

Joan Childs, Site Manager

Now’s the time to clear out your nestboxes ready for the next season, refurbish existing boxes and put up new ones.

We have ready to assemble tit boxes available at Rye Meads for £7. Just ask at reception for a nest box kit.

Joan

Joan Childs, Site Manager

A hobby was sitting on the pylon in the car park today. Very late date for hobbies to still be around, but taking advantage of the late glut of dragonflies.

Joan

Joan Childs, Site Manager

We have an amazing honey bee colony living in the cavity of the Gadwall Hide wall. There could be 30,000 bees in the colony! A number of bees are patrolling the hide wall – these are the guard bees which check out the returning workers to make sure they are from this colony and to make sure nothing that might be a threat to the colony enters. Inside will be a queen and a honeycomb. As the temperature cools the bees…

Sign up for one, two or three days of our fabulous holiday club packed full of excitement, wildlife and fun. Our holiday club is running for three days in the half term – 30 October to 1 November, 10 am to 4 pm. You have to be 6 to 13. Call 01992 708383 to book a place.

Joan

Joan Childs, Site Manager

It's a lovely day at Rye Meads - the sun is shining and there are plenty of birds about. Lots of lapwing overhead and from the Tern Hide, with up to five green sandpipers. Several swallows feeding on insects over the lagoons and skylarks flying over. Several Cetti's singing their hearts out. Starlings are gathering on the overhead wires. Drake ducks are looking fabulous. Water rails are very visible at the moment and…

We have vacancies for weekday and weekend reception volunteers, so if you have an outgoing, friendly personality, and like sharing your passion for wildlife, then meeting and greeting the Rye Meads visitors in the visitor centre might be the job for you. You would also be inviting visitors to support the RSPB. If you can spare a minimum regular half day a week (weekdays) or a half day a month (weekends) then please…

Join our lovely, friendly and experienced volunteers in a hide on the reserve – they will be pointing out birds and identifying them, and answering your questions. Our next Wildlife Watch is Saturday 27 October, 2 – 4 pm. Just bob in for a chat – there’s no need to book and it’s free (£2 car park charge for non-members). Great for families and people new to birdwatching, or just those wanting to hone their wildlife…

Here at Rye Meads we put apples out on a special platform for water voles which brings them nice and close for visitors to see. We also put apples on our bird feeding station which can attract winter thrushes, which is something you can do in your own gardens. We have a big apple tree on the reserve which usually provides us with lots of apples, but this year, the apple crop has almostly completely failed.

Joan

Joan…

Snipe and kingfisher on the reserve today, and still a late hobby.

Joan Childs, Site Manager

We had such fun today at the Wildlife Explorer's Club! It was party time as it's the tenth anniversary of the opening of the visitor centre and reserve extension.

Regular Adam said, 'I liked the pond dipping best today. Volunteer helper Dave caught a fish and put it in my bowl, which was amazing'.  Valentino liked the party and cake best, while her brother Marcello liked the pond dipping too. While choosing…

Come and enjoy the last rays of warm autumn sunshine on the reserve before the winter sets in. It’s lovely here at the moment – lots of snipe probing in the mud from the Tern Hide, hobbies still passing through feeding up on dragonflies before they embark on their migration (this is a very late date for us here at Rye Meads), and always the chance of glimpsing a bittern in one of our reedbeds or the first returning winter…

Do you enjoy gardening for wildlife? Can you help us?

At Rye Meads we have a small, lovely wildlife garden, but the volunteer who looked after it has had to leave us. If you can spare us some time to help tend it and keep it good for wildlife, that would be wonderful.

When? To suit you – weekdays or weekends! We will provide all the tools.

Please come and have a look and a chat to a member of staff if you are…

 The Rye Meads Holiday Club will be in full swing this half term.

 Tuesday 30 October – Autumn Art Attack - Make a giant wild art attack using natural paint and make an autumn lantern. Take part in our conker championship!

 Wednesday 31 October – Wildlife Wizardry - Make a wand and try it out in a wizarding duel, carve a pumpkin and make your very own magic potion!

 Thursday 1 November – Autumn Survival - Make…

It’s Party Time at Rye Meads!

But sorry, you have to be aged 6-11!

The Rye Meads visitor centre is 10 years old, and our Wildlife Explorers Club is going to celebrate with a Birthday Party on Saturday 20 October, 11 am to 1 pm.

Places are limited and going fast so you need to book – please phone the reserve on 01992 708383 to book your place.

We’ll be pond dipping and exploring the reserve, and there’ll…

Our next regular Wildlife Watch takes place at Rye Meads on Sunday 14 October between 10 am and noon.

Two of our most experienced long-term volunteers will be in a hide (usually the Draper) to point out and identify birds for you, and answer any questions you may have about the reserve or our work here.

It's free and there's no need to book - just turn up.

Hope you can make it!

Joan

Joan Childs, Site Mana…

There are still a few hobbies at Rye Meads - two seen today, and a little egret.

Joan

Joan Childs, Site Manager

We've just spotted our first bittern of the winter at Rye Meads. It's showing from the Ashby Hide!

Joan

Joan Childs, Site Manager

Hello all you lovely Rye Meads bloggers!

What do you do on a Tuesday or Thursday? Want to do something really worthwhile?

We have a few vacancies on our Tuesday and Thursday volunteer management days. We are looking for people who can give a regular one day a week commitment to work on a Tuesday or Thursday throughout the year, 9 am to 4 pm.

You would be helping with the vital practical management of the reserve - at this…

It's a lovely day here at Rye Meads and our visitors are reporting lots of dragonflies flying around. We even had one in our classrooms yesterday! Come and see if you can spot some.

Joan

Banish boredom over the October half term - Rye Meads will be running its Wacky Wildlife Adventures between 30 October and 1 November, 10 am to 4 pm each day. Wildlife-linked games, craft and activities for 6 to 13 year olds. Booking essential - give our Education Officer Caroline a  call on 01992 798385 for further details and to book your space.

Joan, Rye Meads Site Manager

Hi everyone,

I hope you are ok.

I hope you don't mind, but I would like to leave you all a little message.

I wanted to say goodbye to you all! :(  I am very sorry to say that I'm off!  I'm heading over to Rainham Marshes (click here to see Rainham's blog) as their new Education Officer!

Rye Meads is the most wonderful place, with the most wonderful staff, volunteers and visitors that I have ever had…