NWT Cley Mashes V RSPB Minsmere (1 Viewer)

i have never visted these two birdwatching sites before, but with a few days hoilday due next week.

i have been thinking of trying to photograph a few wildbirds.

so which would be the best site for a newbe?

I think is a better choice Cley partly because you then have extra options like Titchwell, Wells Woods etc just along the coast and also because the winter birding in the area is better (1,000s of Pink-feet at Wells). Save Minsmere for the spring or early summer. Also the new centre at Cley also has a better bookshop, better coffee and better food - vital considerations!
John

I'd go to Cley, simply because it is a compact reserve which is easy to get round. Minsmere is a great reserve but it is big and needs more than a few days to get the best from it.
As John says there are other opportunities close to Cley, those he mentioned and also Holkham, Brancaster and Holme.

cley is great and if your into photography then just down the road at salthouse has really confiding snow and lapland buntings, turnstones and dunlin that are great for photography, at minsmere things tend to be more distant.

Definitely Cley. I was at Minsmere a short while ago and the Berwick swans were the only noteworthy birds showing. Cley last weekend was excellent with the Pomarine Skua and, at Salthouse, snow and lapland buntings showing well. RSPB Titchwell is 30-40 minutes travel time away and is always worth a visit if Cley doesn't hold your attention.

I feel I should fight Minsmere's corner!
I am from Suffolk but currently live in Norwich, so can give a fairly rounded opinion. I love Minsmere, but right now there isnt a great deal to see. Minsmere itself is fantastic in the spring, but can be a bit quiet in winter. However, if you work that area of the coast you can pick up Twite and Snow Bunting at nearby Walberswick, and if you are lucky the Penduline Tits (no sign today though). Benacre broad is also worth a look. You can get close enough to birds at Minsmere, so from a photography perspective there isnt much in it.
Cley is great for sea watching right now, as is anywhere along that stretch of coast. There are usually more waders at Cley, if that floats your boat. Close for photos too.
Right now, I would probably check out Cley, and tie in a trip there with other sites along the coast. However, if the Penduline tits put in a show in the morning, Minsmere and the neighbouring sites would be back in play!
Whatever you decide, you will enjoy a good day no doubt.
Cheers,
Jim.

i went to both this week, on a good day i felt minsmere would be better but the day i chose they was very little to see.

i had a better day at clay photographying the bird and there were alot more to see.

as i am only starting of with birdwatching a felt minsmere has more to offer but need alot more experence to get the best out of it.

will visit both again and again over the next year.

thanks for the advice given

I agree Cley is better for photographing birds but I have a soft spot for Minsmere. It's a great place for a walk even if you don't see a huge a number of birds. There is a good variety of habitat with beach, dunes, woodland and reedbeds as well as the scrapes for waders.

It's a bit quiet at the moment but there is normally something interesting to see. Last Saturday we were sitting at a table outside the cafe, watching Bramblings on the feeders. A couple of weeks ago there were Jays everywhere, sometimes with three or four in the air at the same time. Recently there have been no end of Green Woodpeckers all over the place. A couple of weeks ago I was treated to views of a Lesser Yellowlegs slap bang in front of the East Scrape hide a few metres away.

There is a good chance you will see a Bittern in flight and great views of Marsh Harriers are virtually guaranteed. In addition to the birds there are normally Muntjak and Red Deer all over the reserve.

It's definitely worth a visit but at the moment you have to work a bit harder to find the interesting things.

Ron

Well if anyone lives in Norwich and fancies receiving a contribution towards petrol costs for a trip to either, let me know as I'm off for two weeks from this weekend!