If you have ever wondered what it would be like to walk around The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, at the crack of dawn, listening to birdsong, now is your chance.
The charity has organised an ‘uplifting’ start to the day, followed by breakfast, on Tuesday, June 9, starting at 7am.
Tickets are £15, now on sale, to join one of the charity’s ecology officers on a wildlife walk through the sanctuary, followed by breakfast and a hot drink in the charity’s café, where visitors can watch the grazing donkeys.
Visitors will have exclusive early access to the sanctuary for the event before the gates open to the public.
Steve Ayers, ecology expert who will lead the walk, said the sanctuary’s bird life includes Song Thrush, Blackcap, Yellowhammer, Skylark and Chiffchaff.
Steve said: “Everyone should enjoy the Dawn Chorus at least once a year. It really is the most uplifting way to start a day.
“There is so much gloom around our vanishing wildlife that any reminder of how much is still in our gardens, parks, sanctuaries will inspire you to cherish the everyday, the common and the familiar.”
Steve Ayres, ecology officer, will take visitors on an early-morning tour to hear the Dawn Chorus.
Photo: The Donkey Sanctuary.
The event will take in the walkways of the sanctuary to hear morning birdsong, plus learn about the natural history of the sanctuary’s farms.
Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a lead.
Song Thrush, Blackcap, Yellowhammer, pictured here, Skylark and Chiffchaff all live at the sanctuary in Sidmouth,
Photo: Mel Hough
After the walk, there will be a full breakfast and a hot drink in the sanctuary’s sea-view café The Kitchen overlooking grazing donkeys, served at 8.30am, which is include in the ticket price.
Steve said: ”There is such a wide variety of bird life at the sanctuary, I counted 15 species in the first 10 minutes of a walk this week, and we hope many of our regular songsters will serenade us around the sanctuary and back to The Kitchen.”
After the walk, breakfast will be served in the cafe overlooking grazing donkeys.
Photo: The Donkey Sanctuary.
