A nature reserve on the Suffolk coast has been nominated for a national award by the television presenter and naturalist Chris Packham.

Mr Packham, who spent three weeks at RSPB Minsmere filming the lives of tawny owls, bitterns and reed warblers with the BBC Springwatch team earlier this year, made the nomination in January’s edition of BBC Countryfile Magazine.

In the article, he writes of Minsmere: “It has so much in terms of habitats, species and facilities including many rarities and ‘super birds’! A family-friendly must.”

Minsmere is one of five contenders for the 2014/15 BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards “Nature Reserve of the Year” category, which readers are invited to vote on. Others include the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s London Wetland Centre, and Martin Down National Nature Reserve in Wiltshire.

Adam Rowlands, the RSPB’s Senior Site Manager at Minsmere, said: “It’s great to be nominated as one of the country’s top and best-loved nature reserves.

“I know Chris Packham and the rest of the Springwatch team really fell in love with the wildlife here this summer.

“It’s brilliant that our work to make Minsmere somewhere that families can come and have an amazing wildlife experience has been successful, thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and other supporters.”

Minsmere has also been recognised with nominations for two other national competitions. It is up for “best site” in the Birdwatch magazine Birders Choice awards. And Landlove magazine’s awards lists Minsmere as one of Britain’s favourite nature reserves.

To vote for Minsmere as “Nature Reserve of the Year”, visit www.countryfile.com/awards2014-15, email awards@countryfile.com, or pick up a copy of January’s BBC Countryfile Magazine, on sale now. Entries close on January 31.