Birdwatching for beginners
Wednesday 2, Friday 18 and Tuesday 29 January. Start 10 am. (2-3 hours)
Since 1947, many people have started birdwatching at Minsmere. Join us on this beginners’ walk where you will learn how to use binoculars properly and which field guides are best for you. You can then use this information to enjoy watching birds as we show you some of Minsmere’s wildlife.

Discovering Minsmere
Friday 4, Monday 7, Tuesday 15, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 31 January. Start 10 am. (2-3 hours)
Join us to learn about the reserve’s habitats and their management, birds and other wildlife. Our guides will show you Minsmere’s varied wildlife, give tips on good fieldcraft, and help you to get the most from your visit to one of Britain’s premier birdwatching spots. Suitable for all abilities.
Minsmere safari

Thursday 10 and Sunday 27 January. Start 9.30 am or 1 pm (2-2.5 hours)
Discover what it takes to keep Minsmere in tip-top condition from the comfort of a 4-wheel drive vehicle. This tour takes in less well-known parts of the reserve, while reserve staff explain about habitat management and what makes Minsmere such a superb place for wildlife. Places are strictly limited, so book early. Costs: adults £12 and children £8.

What’s about at Minsmere?
Sunday 13 January. Start 7 am. (2-3 hours)
Ever wondered who it is that sees all the birds on the ‘What’s about?’ sheet each day? Join the Minsmere birders on their early morning walk and pick up tips on finding birds.

Weekend Wildlife Walks
Sunday 6, Saturday 12, Sunday 20 and Saturday 26 January. Start at 9.30 am (3-4 hours)
Seasonal weekend walks will look for autumn migrants, wading birds, ducks, deer or whatever wildlife highlights are present at the time. There may be extra weekend walks organised, subject to availability of guides. Please contact the reserve or go to www.rspb.org.uk for details.
Special events for children and families at Minsmere in January 2008
All of our children’s events are closely supervised and run by our trained field teachers. Pre-booking is recommended, and children must be accompanied at all times. There may be extra events for families during the school holidays; these will be advertised at the reserve and on the RSPB website, www.rspb.org.uk
There are no family events planned for this monthOther special events at Minsmere

Winter wildfowl at Minsmere
Wednesday 9 January. Start at 10 am (2-3 hours)
Join us on a walk in search of the wetland wonders at Minsmere, from whistling wigeons to secretive snipe. These walks help celebrate World Wetlands Day, which is on 2 February each year.RSPB North Warren nature reserve

With five different habitats all on one reserve, RSPB North Warren is a haven for a range of wildlife, including Dartford warblers and woodlarks on the heath, and large numbers of ducks, geese and swans during the winter.

Visiting RSPB North Warren
North Warren is a short walk north from Aldeburgh town centre. Buses run from Woodbridge and Saxmundham railway stations to Aldeburgh. By car, park in the large pay and display car park on Thorpe Road, Aldeburgh (TM467575), next to the Scallop sculpture. There are cycle racks here. Walks start from this car park.

Entry to this reserve is free. A trail guide is available from Minsmere and Aldeburgh Tourist Information Centre. Please book these walks through the Minsmere visitor centre on 01728 648281. Guided walks cost: £5 adult (£4 RSPB members), £2.50 child (£2 RSPB Wildlife Explorers).
Winter wildfowl at North Warren

Saturday 19 January. Start at 9 am (3 hours)
This is the best time to visit North Warren. We should see wigeons and white-fronted geese on the grazing marshes. Look out for their rarer cousins among the throng, and enjoy the spectacle of flocks of ducks, geese and swans.

RSPB Havergate Island nature reserve
Famous for its avocets, Havergate Island is a special place where you will also see a wide range of other wading birds, ducks, geese, swans and brown hares.

Visiting Havergate Island
Access is by boat from Orford Quay, and places are strictly limited. From September to March, boats go on the first Saturday of the month only. From April to August, boats visit every Thursday, and on the first and third weekends of the month. Boats depart at 10 am. A guide will usually be available on the island. To book your visit to Havergate Island, please contact the Minsmere visitor centre on 01728 648281. Cost: adults £7, RSPB members £5, children £3, Wildlife Explorers £2.

There are no special events at Havergate this monthRSPB events away from RSPB reserves

There are new circular walks on Westleton Heath and through Dunwich Forest, where you can look for heathland wildlife such as Dartford warblers and woodlarks. These walks are suitable for dogs on leads. A leaflet is available from the Minsmere visitor centre.

Snape Maltings farmers’ market walks
Saturday 5 January. Start at 11.00 am. (About 1.5 hours)
Enjoy this popular farmers’ market (which starts at 9.30 am), then join an experienced RSPB guide for an introduction to the wildlife of the beautiful Alde Estuary. We should see avocets (several hundred are usually here in winter) and other wading birds, and will enjoy superb views of the estuary. The walk starts outside the information centre at Snape Maltings.

Cost £1 per person, to go the Suffolk Coast and Heaths CONNECT scheme, helping to fund conservation projects in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Booking not required.

Getting to Snape Maltings
Follow the brown tourist signs from the A12, via the A1094 and B1069. Buses from Aldeburgh and Woodbridge stop at the Maltings.