Wet 'n' Wild summer festival next week

It's that time of year again! EDDC’s Countryside team kick off their annual Wet ’n’ Wild Summer Festival at 8pm on Thursday evening 15 August with Meet the Bats.

The Axe Estuary Wetlands is known as an excellent habitat for bats; more than half of our 17 native species of bat have been found there, including the rarest of our natives; the grey long-eared bat.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn to use an electronic bat detector to identify the different species. The Meet the Bats session will be repeated on Friday evening 16 August at 8pm.

Up close

Friday and Saturday morning 16 and 17 August both start with a Bird Ringing and Moth breakfast at 8am. The Axe Estuary Ringing Group will be present – they undertake regular ringing sessions to monitor which species are using the reserve – so there will be an opportunity to see birds up close before they are released.

The Wetlands is also home to many unusual and scarce moths – not species you would find flapping around your light bulbs at home. So it’s a great chance to see what has been collected in a night of moth trapping, while enjoying a bacon butty and a hot drink.

After breakfast, Friday and Saturday will be packed with fun activities for all the family, including wildlife walks to look for dragonflies, reptiles and small mammals; art and craft activities for children; willow weaving; face painting; balloon animals with Professor Twist; giant games; storytelling and badge making.

Barbecue

Home-made cakes and cream teas will be on sale, and locally sourced meat from the barbecue will be available between 12 noon and 3 pm. Guides in the hides will help you with your bird watching skills, whatever your level of knowledge, and binoculars and telescopes.

If you’ve never visited the Wetlands before, why not come and join us for the Wet ‘n’ Wild Summer Festival? Everyone is welcome. Entry to the Festival is free – there will be small charges for some activities to cover costs of materials.

The Axe Estuary Wetlands is between Seaton and Colyford – parking at the Wetlands Car Park, through Seaton cemetery.

Please note that some wildlife-themed events are weather dependent, so please book if you would like to be informed of cancellations. For more information call the Countryside team on 01395 517557 or email Countryside@eastdevon.gov.uk.