Home / News / Wildlife watching trips

Wildlife watching trips

Published 12:11 on 22 Aug 2024

Over the last month we have been running a series of wildlife watching trips at the weekend using our Wheelyboat. Over 10 sessions we took 52 people out on the water and with the help of a wildlife expert we all realised the extensive wealth of bird life on the Orwell. While we regularly see it on our trips, we perhaps hadn't fully realised just how many birds regard the river as their home (and feeding ground). On one trip we saw a flock of over 400 Black-tailed Godwit, while on another we saw an even greater number of Curlew. Along with Little Egrets, Oystercatchers, Redshank and Canada and Barnacle geese and even some Turnstone as they start to come in for the autumn.

Having a wildlife expert on board taught us a great deal about the birds feeding habits, their migratory patterns and even how their plumage change during the year as they move from their breeding cycle through to the chicks fledging and then on to their migration. The trips were sufficiently spread out that we could watch many of the younger birds growing up. Watching the progression of a large Shellduck family was particularly delightful.

The trips were for families of children who go to the local special schools who we work with and it was delightful to see how calming they found being on the water.

This activity was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape.