Hollesley and Boyton Marshes - 8/1/2017

Today I decided to concentrate on the two southern Suffolk RSPB reserves - Hollesley Marshes and Boyton Marshes. These are a couple of small reserves, with no real facilities, and as a result are fairly under watched by birders. The day was pretty mellow,  averaging around 10 degrees, and the air was still, but there  was no sun.

Hollesley Marshes

This reserve is an area of wet grassland with a large scrape. WIGEON were the number of the day with around a thousand present in four groupings feeding on the marshy/grassy areas.
On the scrape also present were smaller numbers of SHOVELER, PINTAIL and TEAL.
Further along the marshes the tentative song of a CETTI'S WARBLER hinted to spring in the air.



 

Driving through Boyton there was a flock of five BULLFINCHES, and through Butley there were three more.

 

Boyton Marshes

Further up the river from Hollesley is Boyton Marshes a predominately grassland reserve with a couple of wet areas. Along the footpath there was a male STONECHAT and some REED BUNTINGS.
Out on the reserve amongst a flock of 200 + CANADA GEESE was a lone WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
On the Butley River there were two SEALS always a delight to see, as they move down from their main colony in Norfolk.