Minsmere tips

[Ukwildlifeo]

Im going up to minsmere next week and I am and look for some tips on what to look for and where.
I think I found the place to get close to swallows when I went last year but there was none there! Is it where the path crossed the corner in the SE of this map?:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/minsmere/map.asp

And does anyone know anything about the antlions there? Or anything else interesting?

Thanks in advance

ALso what happend to all the photos from the WAB trip (which I couldnt make unfortunately)

[Ukwildlifeo]

anyone?

[mrs fish]

You will find plenty to see at Minsmere

Recent sightings updated to-day
The RSPB: Minsmere: Recent sightings

You might see an Osprey

Have a look to see if the Sand Martins are nesting in the sand cliffs by the visitors centre please , they haven't for the last two years .

[Ukwildlifeo]

Cheers miss fish - the problem with it being a RSPB report is it is mentions no bird wildlife in passing! lol

[DavyG]

The place to find and get close to Swallows, is by the sluice, I think it's the point you're referring to on the path.

We were there a week ago, the Swallows were there.

There were a couple of Hairy Dragonflies buzzing about the pond near the visitor centre, the Sand Martins were near there also.

We spotted a couple of Four Spotted Chasers and three different species of Damselflies in the brambles between Bittern Hide and Island Mere hide.

There were a few Avocets close to West hide and we saw a Marsh Harrier being mobbed by gulls near there.

Several March Harriers were also seen at Island Mere hide with one pair showing off their food passing skills.

I hope you have a good trip, there's always plenty to see there and this time of year is usually very good.

Here are a few pics taken that day:







Dave

[Andy Warne]

Hi,
The Antlion pits can be seen directly outside the visitor centre. They are up against the wall of the visitor centre building which faces towards the toilet building, unfortunately though they are behind the wooden fence.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Wow thanks

[Ukwildlifeo]

One more question. Is the canopy hide worth a visit?

[DavyG]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

One more question. Is the canopy hide worth a visit?

I've only visited canopy hide a couple of times and didn't see very much or anything of note either time.

I think I last went there at this time last year, there's a good view from one aspect if I recall correctly.

If you have time, take a look, don't miss Island Mere hide or Bittern hide for it though.

Dave

[fairplay]

The best place to see Ant Lion pits are in Docwra's Ditch which forms the boundary with the National Trust next door to the north. The site is about a 15-20 minute walk from the reception.

Take the RSPB reserve track from reception to the beach, but do not turn right (south) to the east hide, instead turn left until you come to the cliffs, then take the track inland following the water filled ditch.

The ditch is worth a visit in it's own right, but about 200 metres along you will come to a sand pit on your right dug into the hill slope with notices explaining the Ant Lions and the pits. The National Trust modestly do not mention that here is where the the first recorded Ant Lion pits were found in Britain in 1986 that is 8 years before they were seen at Minsmere

How do I know this ? Well I'm the person who found them, but because I was a nobody, the insect experts did not want to recognise this national discovery which for personal reasons I was unable to report at the time, so I caused a bit of a stink and now my discovery has been officially recorded in the Transactions of the Suffolk Naturalists Society vol.35 pg. 129

It seems to be accepted now that Ant Lions have had a small colony in Suffolk for many years, but why hasn't anybody else reported seeing pits (which confirm breeding) before I spotted them in 1986 ? The pits are very obvious and Dunwich Heath has been regularly visited by wildlife enthusiasts for years.

The pits can now be found anywhere in suitable free flowing sand along the Sandlings coast as far inland as Wenhaston near Halesworth.

Neil.