Photo by: Steve Everett

It was smiles all round as a new 450 metre long boardwalk and extended bird hide was officially opened at RSPB Minsmere recently, helping to make nature more accessible to visitors.

An official ribbon cutting ceremony was followed by speeches and delicious tea and cake provided by RSPB Minsmere’s legendary café.

The new raised boardwalk offers a smooth route and stunning views across the reedbed on the way to the East Hide, and the now extended hide includes more accessible bird viewing across the scrape for those who may previously have found getting up close to nature at the reserve difficult.

The East Hide is a hot spot for viewing birds at RSPB Minsmere, where wetland birds including avocet (that features on the RSPB logo), marsh harrier, bearded tit, bittern, black tailed godwit and many other wading birds and rare ducks can be seen at different times of year.

The addition of the boardwalk and hide extension was several years in the making, with the £250,000 of funding coming from a combination of the National Grid Landscape Enhancement Initiative, Waveney Bird Club, individual donations, and the Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Representatives of the funders attended the official opening ceremony.

RSPB Minsmere Visitor Operations Manager Bryony Tuijl said: “What a proud day it is for us to officially open our new boardwalk and extended hide. Opening up access so that more people can visit and experience first-hand the habitats and spectacular wildlife at RSPB Minsmere, will help to grow understanding about how important nature is, and why we urgently need to protect it during the current nature and climate emergency. Thank you to the funders who worked with us and whose generosity made this happen.“

Steve Piotrowski from Waveney Bird Club said: “Both organisations know what a great Christmas gift this will be to many, and we couldn’t be happier.”

RSPB Minsmere is home to some of the UK’s rarest wildlife due to the rich and varied landscapes within the reserve, including reedbeds, wet grasslands, shingle vegetation and lowland heath.

Its coastal lagoons provide vital habitat for a variety of birds including bearded tits, bitterns and avocets. Lucky visitors may even spot otters or water voles in the reedbed pools, or marsh harriers overhead.

To find out more visit www.rspb.org.uk/Minsmere