RSPB events on the Suffolk coast
November 2009 – March 2010
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All of the events below are at RSPB Minsmere nature reserve, Westleton, unless otherwise stated


Events November 2009 to March 2010
click here for more details

November
Sat 21 – Binocular and telescope demo: 10 am – 4 pm
Sun 22 – Binocular and telescope demo: 10 am – 4 pm
Wed 25 – Winter wander: 10 am
Thurs 26 – Winter wildfowl at Minsmere: 9.30 am
Thurs 26 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Sat 28 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am

December
Wed 2 – Winter wander: 10 am
Thurs 3 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Sat 5 – A Minsmere Christmas stocking: 10 am – 3 pm
Sat 5 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Sun 6 – A Minsmere Christmas stocking: 10 am – 3 pm
Thurs 10 – Winter wildfowl at North Warren: 9.30 am
Thurs 10 – Winter wander: 10 am
Thurs 10 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Sat 12 – Digiscoping demo: 10 am – 4 pm
Sun 13 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Wed 16 – Winter wildfowl at Minsmere: 9.30 am
Thurs 17 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Fri 18 – Winter wander: 10 am
Sat 19 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Mon 21 – Winter wander: 10 am
Sun 27 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Wed 30 – Winter wander: 10 am

January
Sat 2 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Thu 7 – Winter wander: 10 am
Wed 13 – Winter wildfowl at Minsmere: 9.30 am
Fri 15 – Winter wildfowl at North Warren: 9.30 am
Sat 16 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Fri 22 – Winter wander: 10 am
Sun 31 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Sun 31 – Winter wildfowl at North Warren: 9.30 am

February
Mon 1 – Winter wander: 10 am
Tues 2 – Winter wildfowl at Minsmere: 9.30 am
Sat 6 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Wed 10 – Winter wander: 10 am
Sat 13 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Thu 18 – Winter wander: 10 am
Fri 19 – Birdwatching for beginners: 9.30 am
Thu 25 – Winter wander: 10 am
Fri 26 – Winter wildfowl at Minsmere: 9.30 am
Sun 28 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am

March
Wed 3 – Discovering Minsmere: 9.30 am
Sat 6 – Introduction to the Wildlife of the Alde Estuary, Snape Maltings: 11 am
Wed 10 – Discovering Minsmere: 9.30 am
Sat 13 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Thu 18 – Discovering Minsmere: 9.30 am
Sun 21 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am
Fri 26 – Discovering Minsmere: 9.30 am
Sun 28 – Weekend wildlife walk: 9.30 am

Visiting arrangements at Minsmere

Entry charges to the reserve:
adult £5,
child £1.50 (under 5s free),
families £10(two adults and up to four children),
concession £3.
Free for RSPB and Wildlife Explorer members.
Your entry fee will be refunded if you become a member on the day of your visit.

Opening times
Nature trails and hides open daily.

From 1 February to 31 October:
Visitor centre open from 9 am to 5 pm.
Shop open 10 am to 5 pm.
Tearoom open 10 am to 4.30 pm, with last orders 15 minutes before closing.
Hot food served 11.30 am to 2.30 pm.

From 1 November to 31 January:
Visitor centre open 9 am to 4 pm
Shop and tearoom open 10 am to 4 pm.
Reserve and all facilities closed 25 and 26 December.

Facilities at Minsmere
Access to the visitor centre is free. At the reception desk, you can hire binoculars or borrow a free children’s Explorer Backpack and Discovery Trail booklet. You can also find out more about the reserve and the RSPB. The shop stocks a wide range of books, outdoor clothing, gifts, binoculars and telescopes. You can enjoy a light meal or snack in the tearoom. There are toilets, with baby changing facilities, and a large car park beside the visitor centre.

A permit is needed for the two nature trails, which are each about 1.5 miles long. Two of the eight birdwatching hides are accessed via steps, and two via the beach. The rest of the hides and trails are accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs. A free trail guide is available from reception. Sorry, no dogs on the nature trails, but they are welcome around the visitor centre and car park, where there is a limited amount of shaded parking.