going to a reserve

[becky.t]

another question . i am likely tto take the plunge and go to a nature reserve locally sometime this week. minsmere sounds good to me ( i ma a complete novice ). with my daughter who is 7, my question is probably obvious to everyone ecxpet me but what do we need to take with us ? i have my binoculars and a guide book , is there anything else we wil need ? or is there anything more e we should know beforehand ?

[cuddy]

Becky Minsmere is a great reserve and all you need is to turn up the staff are very helpfull and the reserve is great place to start , just enjoy and please post your impressions of your day out.

If in doubt just ask ,most birders are happy to help we all have to start somewhere.

Be prepared to alter your plans to accommodate your little one as kids sometimes can get a little bored but there is a decent cafe and shop on site so you can break the trip up into bite size pieces. hopeyou have a great day.:t:

[pduxon]

enjoy yourself. The only problem is it can be very addictive!!

[Doug]

HI Becky - We usually take some sandwiches and a drink, although Minsmere does have a cafe, I think.

A notebook is a good idea to jot down what you see and to do sketches of birds to identify later.

It might seem obvious but start birding as soon as you arrive - we often see some of our best birds around the car park and on the walk to the hides.

You will have a great day at Minsmere - let us know how you get on.

[digi-birder]

Hi Becky,

Bear in mind that Minsmere is closed on Tuesdays.

I look forward to hearing about your day there. It is a great place to go birding, and the cafe is good too!

[nomad]

BUGSPRAY........... BUGSPRAY....................BUGSPRAY..........
WE WNET TO PLUM ISLAND IN NEWBURYPORT MA. WE WERE EATEN ALIVE...AND WE DID REMEMBER SPRAY, THEY ATE IT AS AN APPETIZER...

[pduxon]

Not that you need to take it with you but reading something like Bill Oddies Introduction to Birdwatching might be of help. Its Bill so its entertaining and informative.

[becky.t]

thankyou for all the replies , and yes i will write up about it. It is not likely to be very technical thoguh because i ama complete beignner but you probably know that anyhow

(nomad- yes i will. i am an artist in my spare time so often go out in the country but i have never before been bitten as much as this summer, despite the mosqiuto spray. so much thta i ahve gotten really fedup with one or two places until the weather cools off. but luckily the suffolk coast is not one of the worse places however my spray is definietly at the ready

[cjay]

Enjoy yourself. It has been good for Pied Flycatcher & Whinchat this week (Today) Minsmere is a good place for beginners & you will find you will get a lot of help from many people.

Just ask.

Good birding & send us your report.

Colin.

[Euan Buchan]

Since I do volunteer work at Vane Farm Nature Reserve Im always glad to see kids there they could learn to grow to be birdwatcher n becomme inspired feeding the ducks is kids first contact with birds

[Ivan]

Hi Becky,
Minsmere is an ideal place to take a youngster. The birds are relatively easy to see and the rabbits and deer are almost (but not quite) tame. There are also lots of butterflies and dragonflies around at the moment so plenty to see. There is a good cafe and shop within the visitor centre and a toilet next to the car park. I visit the reserve every Thursday and always find something new to look at. Hope you enjoy your visit, let us know your thoughts and those of your daughter. If you want any further help just ask
Ivan

[becky.t]

it may be soemtiem over this weeknd. then i'll wirte it up porperly and put it on here for you all as you have been so thoughtful ni yuro replies, it might take me a dayor two to get my typing right though , asit is abysmal



But you porbably know thatanyhow

[James Armstrong]

Got some very nasty Mosquito bites at Minsmere last summer when I was wearing shorts. My advice is cover-up! By the way I do recommend Titchwell - it's been described very aptly as a "jewel" of a reserve. It's much smaller than Minsmere but lots of birds and not so far to walk around. Has a cafe and visitors centre recently refurbished. Spent a lot of time birding in Norfolk -
recommend you get "Best Birdwatching sites in Norfolk" by Neil Glenn Buckingham Press ISBN 0-9533840-4-7. They sell it at Titchwell. (15 pounds but worth every penny!)