Holiday fun at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Lucy Bowyer, Senior Communities and Wildlife Officer, RHNR 

The Communities and Wildlife team at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve started April with a very busy school holiday, where we ran a variety of activities to connect young people of all ages with nature. Natasha Sharma offered a holiday club with no parents allowed, where children took part in a Pollinators Parade Day - becoming butterflies, buzzing like bees and discovering hidden nectar – they also made minibeast hotels to take home and finished off their day with some outdoor cookery. There was also a drop-in bird workshop to celebrate World Curlew Day, making bird models and natural bird nesting material holders for wildlife at home.

Jill Ferguson ran a five day John Muir Family Award programme, where families came together to learn more about our special nature reserve and its wildlife, and took action to protect this fabulous space. There were crafts, conservation tasks, beach cleans, animal tracking and much more – all finished off with a beach barbecue at the end of the week. 

One parent said 'Thank you so much, we've had the best week and really enjoyed this time on the reserve and with you all… it was a very special time that we'll remember fondly.'

I ran some Wild Beach events with an Easter Eggcase Hunt – finding mermaid’s purses, the eggcases of sharks, skates and rays. We found nearly 100 cases of five different species – mostly Thornback Ray but also Blonde, Spotted, Undulate and Starry Rays. Also an Explore the Shore event where we searched the beach at low tide, and created our very own ‘beach in a box’ to take home.

The weather was a bit of a challenge, but despite that, much fun was had by all!

Now we are ready for the May half-term holiday with Microscope Monday, Larvae and Leeches and Glorious Mud events to look forward to, as well as our monthly Wildlife Rangers activities for 12-16 year olds – more details here