Suffolk - August 2024

 Last week, Jayne and I had a family holiday down in Suffolk. It was a family holiday, so most of the time was spent on the beach enjoying the 20+ degree heat! We did, however, manage a trip to RSPB Minsmere, where we had fantastic views of Water Vole and Grass Snake.

The Water Vole, a juvenile, was seen feeding from the dipping pond, about 2m away. We watched it for a good 10 minutes, before it suddenly swam off into the vegetation, only for a hunting Grass Snake to appear!

Water Vole

Grass Snake

Whilst at Minsmere, we also saw, amongst others,  the following species: Ringed Plover, Ruff, Redshank, Lapwing, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Black-headed, Herring and Little Gull, Little and Great White Egret, Stock Dove and Cetti's Warbler. Muntjac Deer were also seen.

One evening we went across to Aldeburgh. Whilst there, I checked to see if last year's ringed Herring Gull, FOMT, was back again. The good news was that it was, sat on exactly the same rooftop as last year! Click on the label for details of where and when, it was ringed.

FOMT

The place we were staying in, in Bramfield, had several ponds, which had Ruddy Darter, Migrant Hawker and a pair of Willow Emerald Damselflies on them. 

RSPB Minsmere - 9th August 2023

 On Wednesday, Jayne and I had 3 hours at RSPB Minsmere. We got there just after 6am, and walked around the main scrape area, before finishing off back at the café with a delicious vegan sausage cob!

It was quite quiet as we set off, but the first sighting, of a Common Lizard, warming up on a post was a great start. As the weather warmed up, we began to spot several Stonechats, Linnets, Reed Bunting, Common Terns, the first Common and Ruddy Darters, along with a couple of Migrant Hawkers and dozens of Gatekeepers.

Common Lizard

Arriving at the East Hide, we began to spot a few more birds, with the following waders seen: Green Sandpiper (3), Common Sandpiper (1), Ruff (3), Avocet (c50), Black-tailed Godwit (c.60), Redshank (2), Dunlin (6), Lapwing and Spotted Redshank (5). Gulls were far and few between, but we did spot a few Black-headed Gulls, a single, juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 1 adult Kittiwake and, best of all, 26 Little Gulls, including a few in breeding plumage. 5 Spoonbills were asleep, and there were also several Shelducks (juveniles), Teal, Mallard, Greylag, Canada and at least one family party of Barnacle Geese.

Avocets

We carried on around The Scrape, spotting another Migrant Hawker, a male Black-tailed Skimmer, more Common and Ruddy Darter and dozens of Red Admirals and Peacock butterflies, feeding on Hemp Agrimony.

Ruddy Darter

Our final stop was the Bittern Hide. Here we spotted Bearded Tit (heard only), a Muntjac Deer, a Kestrel, a distant Marsh Harrier and a fly-by Bittern.

Back at the Visitors' Centre, we had a few minutes watching the butterflies on the Buddleia bushes. Red Admirals and Peacocks were in good numbers again, along with a single Brimstone (1 male), 1 Comma, Gatekeeper (c.5) and at least a couple of Grayling. 3 Hornets were also seen buzzing around the bushes.

Grayling

Year List update: Little Gull (179)

RSPB Frampton Marsh - 29th April 2023

 Jayne and I had a drive over to RSPB Frampton Marsh yesterday for our annual visit. As always, the reserve was fantastic, and we had a great few hours there, enjoying the weather (warm and sunny) and adding 11 species to this year's list.

The first new species was Ruff (142), followed quickly by Avocet (143), seen on some newly-created wetlands by the car park.

Ruff

Avocet

Sedge (144) and Reed Warbler (145) were added next, along with 3 Spoonbills (146), that we saw from the 360 Hide. Walking down to the reservoir area added singing Lesser Whitethroat (147) and Whitethroat (148), as well as a single male Brimstone, one Holly Blue and 6+ Peacock butterflies.

Walking back down to the Visitors' Centre we spotted 6 Yellow Wagtails (149, including 2 bright yellow males) and a Whimbrel (150).

Spot the Yellow Wagtail!

The final two "ticks" were Barnacle Goose (151) and Common Tern (2 birds seen, 152). Other species seen around the reserve included: Mute Swan, Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal, Canada and Brent Goose (Dark-bellied and 2 Pale-bellied), Greylag Goose (with goslings), Shelduck, Shoveler, Spotted Redshank ( 2 breeding plumaged birds), Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Cetti's Warbler (heard).

Greylag Goose

After our visit here, we drove across to the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's Willow Tree Fen reserve where we had fantastic views of a Common Crane (153) and a hunting Hobby (154), along with a Brown Hare, 2 Muntjac Deer and a Fallow Deer. At one point, we had Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Hobby in the binoculars at the same time!

Common Crane

Norfolk Birds

Jayne and I were in Norfolk for a few days this week. We visited RSPB Titchwell on Tuesday, where we spotted all the usual suspects, including my first year tick, Red-throated Diver, since 1st September.

We stayed in Blakeney, and had a few walks around the marshes there. Bearded Tits were seen in the reeds by the main path, and gave some great views. Other birds seen here included; Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed and Herring Gull, Marsh Harrier and Brent and Pink-footed Geese

Bearded Tit

I also spotted a couple of Muntjac Deer in a nearby garden, including this female.

Muntjac Deer

On the 30th I had a couple of hours sea watching at Cley, where I managed to see Gannets, Guillemots, Ringed Plover, Red and Black-throated Divers, and, best of all, a very distant Great Skua (year list).

Our last trip was to the marshes at Burnham Overy, where we spotted Little and Great White Egret (2), Redshank, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and a Kingfisher.

Year List update:
192 - Red-throated Diver
193 - Great Skua