OTTERS crown a fine day - Minsmere - 7/9/2017

There was a bird ringing event and I was able to see this GOLDCREST

 

My brother was staying in Suffolk for a while, so where better than to take him, than the best nature reserve in the country - Minsmere. It was a warm cloudless day upon arriving, and it would prove to be keep it up all day, the warm sun keeping Autumn at bay. It being Minsmere there was plenty about, it was a decent mid Autumn day.
The highlight of the day was the three OTTERS at Island Mere hide. They were first spotted briefly in the small pond to the south of the hide, before moving out onto the mere proper. It looked as if there was a female and two old pups. They seemed oblivious to being watched and they were very active, constantly playing with each other, seeing their heads above the water and their whip like tail.
Apart from and maybe because of the OTTERS, there wasn't anything on the mere apart from a few SWANS.

OTTER briefly surfaced

 



As usual for this time of year, attention was directed at the Scrape, and the migrant waders upon it. The Scrape at this time of year is fairly quiet, with just a few waders and ducks. Wader numbers and variety were fairly normal for this time of year, numbers gently falling after reaching their peak. On East Scrape there were six SPOTTED REDSHANK, 2 RUFF, one KNOT, two DUNLIN, 22 AVOCETS and three SNIPE. On West Scrape, overgrown with marestail, were two GREEN SANDPIPERS, around 10 SNIPE, five RINGED PLOVER, two SPOTTED REDSHANK, and around 20 DUNLIN. A few WIGEON had returned and were amongst the resident duck species. South Scrape however was completely deserted.

There were a few migrant passerines present in the bushes across the reserve. Around ten STONECHATS and one WHEATEAR were present in the Dunes, often perched silhouetted against the sky on some gorse branch. WARBLERS included LESSER WHITETHROAT, COMMON WHITETHROAT and WILLOW WARBLER skulking in some bush or other. There was a small flock of BEARDED TITS beside East Hide, and their 'pinging' call could be heard ghost like across the reedbeds. A KINGFISHER flew across the Dunes, passed the Sluice and onto the marshes. This is probably only my second sighting of this bird at Minsmere.
DEER were represented by a CHINESE WATER DEER grazing at the back of one of the Konik Fields and a stag RED DEER on the way from Island Mere Hide.

HIGHLAND COWS and KONIK PONIES, were being used to graze the Scrape directly in front of the North Hide, getting it ready for the winter.

This brute had huge horns

 

So although there weren't any rarities about, or nothing particularly unusual like you hope for September, it was one of those days that are decent anyway, and provide pay back for the effort put in to this great hobby.