A Day Out On The Coast

The last time we ventured to this part of the world, it was summer. Like today, our previous visit had its fair share of strong winds and cold as can be typical for a seaside holiday in England. But today of course is Autumn, very much pushing at the door of Winter, although with temperatures milder than can be experienced a this time of the year.

The prospect of a visit the the RSPB Reserve at Minsmere was met with mixed feelings by our youngsters. Nevertheless, both girls were encouraged out of the door with the prospect of breakfast en-route. Young Master H was oblivious as to the itinerary for the day but very much happy to be venturing out in the car.

I was lucky enough to have been given a RSPB membership for Christmas last year and with a complimentary card securing Beloved's entry, we had only to pay for the girls, Master H being free. Miss C pleaded for us to hire a wildlife spotter's backpack for the day's outing. At a princely sum of three pounds each, they proved to be well worth the money. Miss C told me later that the binoculars spotter books, tick sheets, magnifying glass and bug microscope all helped to make the day more interesting for children.

We took a 3.5km circular walk around the scrape; a man-made wetland area with small islands created predominantly for breeding water birds. Early on, Master H can be seen studying the content of his hand (see the extra photo to find out what held his attention). We stopped at the numerous hides along the way to see a multitude of species including: stonechat, teal, egret, lapwing, mallard and heron amongst others escaping identification for the time being. The path behind the dunes was very sandy in places, causing some degree of difficulty with the pushchair (Beloved tells me), but perfect for 2 year-olds wanting to play and make a damp sandy mess.

Following a stop for tea and cake, we ventured back out along north wall for a panoramic view over the marshes, just before dusk in the hope that a thousand starlings might oblige us with a murmuration. They didn't, better luck next time. If you're wondering what a murmuration is or want to see a great one, take a look here at the video on vimeo.

By the way, the other extra photo is of a pair of teal. Birds I've not seen before.