Now is the time to get ready for winter with the birds, with Dorset Wildlife Trust’s first Bird Bonanza event. With the influx of migrant birds fleeing colder climes, bird watching moves up a gear on our coasts, inland and in our gardens. You can find out how to watch the spectacle andgive wildlife a helping hand over winter at this month’s Bird Bonanza at the new Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre with Dorset Wildlife Trust.
Marc Smith, DWT’s Chesil Beach Centre Officer, said: “This is an exciting time of year at the Centre, with winter wildfowl already arriving on the Fleet lagoon and Portland Harbour, and your gardens are also important feeding grounds for resident birds and visitors from as far away as Scandinavia and the Continent. Come and find out all about garden birds, the best things to feed them and how to ready your garden to attract these captivating creatures, for your enjoyment and their survival, or join us on the Friday to find out about the birds of the Fleet and get help with watching and identifying them.”
The Bird Bonanza includes talks about garden birds, advice and fun activities for the kids, such as making fat balls and bird feeders. You can buy food for your garden birds, take a look around the new Centre and maybe even treat yourself to lunch at the Chesil Beach Café. The Bird Bonanza talks and children’s activities take place from Tuesday 30thto Thursday 1stNovember, and on Friday 2nd November the focus will be on bird watching, with talks about the ‘Wintering Birds of the Fleet’ and a chance to try out the new range of binoculars in the shop. All events take place from 12 to 3pm and are free, except for an activities charge of £1 per item made. For more information visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events or contact Marc Smith at the Chesil Beach Centre on 01305 206191.
The Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centreis run by Dorset Wildlife Trust on behalf of a partnership including Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, the Jurassic Coast Team, the Chesil Bank and the Fleet Nature Reserve, with the continued help of local volunteers. The building of the new centre and boardwalk was made possible by funding from a wide range of organisations, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Crown Estate andCourt Leet of the Island and Royal Manor of Portland,the Fine Family Foundation, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, Dorset County Council, the Garfield Weston Foundation, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Chalk and Cheese and the Jurassic Coast Trust.
Dorset Wildlife Trust is part of the Natural Weymouth and Portland Partnership; connecting people with nature.