Have you ever wanted to visit Suffolk’s only island? Here’s your chance! You can join RSPB guides for a special tour of the unspoilt wilderness that is RSPB Havergate Island, close to Orford, from Saturday 20 August to Tuesday 23 August 2011.
Local volunteers from the RSPB Woodbridge Local Group are offering this exciting opportunity during their special Havergate Adventure event, running for its 22nd successive year.
RSPB Woodbridge group leader, Malcolm Key, said, “Suffolk’s only island has been an RSPB nature reserve since 1948, and for more than 60 years it has been home to the famous colony of breeding avocets, which first nested on the island in 1947.
“The island has a unique atmosphere and we are looking forward to welcoming new visitors as well as many regulars. You can get incredibly close to brown hares, enjoy excellent views of rare spoonbills, with their incredible spoon-shaped bills, and listen to the crunch of shingle beneath your feet and the cacophony of screaming gulls as you stroll around this beautiful island. Our guides will help you discover Havergate’s hidden secrets.”
Boats for the Havergate Adventure will leave Orford Quay half hourly from 10 am to 2.30 pm each day. Boats carry a maximum of 12 passengers and demand is likely to be high, so early booking is strongly recommended. Advance bookings can be made by contacting Malcolm Key on 01728 723155, and places can also be booked at the quay from Saturday 20 August.
Facilities on Havergate include toilets, a reception hut and several birdwatching hides. Binoculars will be available on loan free of charge. Light refreshments including homemade cakes, sandwiches, tea and coffee can be purchased on the island.
The round trip, including a guided walk, takes approximately two and a half hours and costs £9.00 for adults, and £3.00 for under 16s.
Last year the RSPB Woodbridge Local Group donated over £8000 to a variety of RSPB projects, and all proceeds from this year’s Havergate Adventure will continue to support conservation work in Eastern England.
The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment. Nature is amazing – help us keep it that way. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no 207076, Scotland no SC037654.
The avocet, which is the RSPB emblem, recolonised the UK in 1947, after an absence of over 100 years, when four pairs bred at Havergate Island and nearby Minsmere. The RSPB purchased Havergate Island in 1948 to protect these beautiful birds, which have nested annually since 1947, and the reserve remains one of the best places in Britain to see them, particularly in autumn.
Havergate Island is also home to breeding gulls, terns and other wading birds. In August, visitors can expect to see a variety of migrant wading birds and ducks, which use the island as a refuelling stop on their journey south. Visitors to Havergate Adventure last year were treated to excellent views of several rare spoonbills.
Boat trips to Havergate Island run throughout the year. Boats depart Orford Quay at 10 am on the first Saturday of the month, plus selected event dates. Trips must be booked in advance by contacting the RSPB Minsmere Visitor Centre on 01728 648281. After Havergate Adventure, the next event is Island of avocets on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September.
Please note that trips from November to February this winter have been cancelled due to planned major engineering work as part of an EU-LIFE funded programme of improvements to Havergate Island and Orfordness – see www.lifealdeore.org
The RSPB Woodbridge Local Group holds indoor meetings at the Woodbridge Community Centre on the first Thursday of each month (October – May). They also organize field trips and fund-raising activities throughout the year.
