We have enjoyed an Indian Summer this Autumn, with temperatures staying in the twenties well into October, creating great weather to spend time outside and to do some birding. However this great weather has a down side, as a bout of southerly winds has created a barrier of sorts for birds. Southerly winds stop the birds from northern climbs heading south as the winds are against them, and so it slows down migration. For decent birding in Autumn you really need an easterly, north easterly wind to blow birds in from the continent, the southerly winds just keep them from migrating.
This being the Autumn migration period, an early October day at Minsmere usually has the potential to bring in something unusual whether it be a wader or a passerine, but today both types of bird were thin on the ground.
As you can see from the photos there was a bird ringing demonstration in North Bushes, and they had managed to capture a family party of BEARDED TITS, an adult male (with the grey head and moustache) and two juveniles (with brown heads). They were kept in the hand for only the shortest of periods before they were let go, so I was lucky to be there to get the photos. We often heard BEARDIES around the reedebeds across the reserve, their distinctive 'pinging' call like two rods of metal hitting each other. Their relative abundance means they must have had a decent breeding season, and are hopefully recovering their population after the hell of the Beast From the East.
The Scrape was quiet today. There was a large amount of DUCKS, of the usual species, with the males starting to get out of the drab eclipse and into breeding plumage finery. However numbers appear to be lower than normal for this time of the year.
Star bird was the FERRUGINOUS DUCK, a migrant from the Med, maybe brought in by the southerly winds. They are given their name because of the rusty brown plumage and resemble a female TUFTED DUCK in shape. They are declining in numbers, so a visit to Suffolk by one is fairly unusual and not annual. Luckily this one has hung around for a while finding the little pool behind South Hide much to its liking.
Also present were four PINTAIL on East Scrape, which is a decent number for this time of year, as they are not particularly that common at Minsmere.
Usually at this time of year you would expect to see passage WADERS passing through on the Scrape albeit in smaller numbers than August and September. There was a fair amount of mud on the Scrape, however WADER numbers were slight. A few AVOCETS were still lingering, with some CURLEW and large numbers of GODWIT. A flock of two DUNLIN and two RINGED PLOVERS were on East Scrape and a couple of SNIPE on West Scrape.
The sea was so very calm, like a mill pond as the old expression goes. Not much was out there but a RED THROATED DIVER was good, the first of the winter. Also about was a SKUA species, which I'll bag as an ARCTIC, being an expert having seen so many in the Outer Hebridies, it flew south just above the horizon.
For the briefest of periods a SEAL poked its head above the water near to shore then disappeared to who knows where, I wasn't even able to determine its species, which is a shame as I like seals.
The Reedbed Hides were fairly quiet, Bittern Hide packed whilst Island Mere was quiet, the usual fly bys of MARSH HARRIERS. Outside Island Mere they had cut back the reeds to give better views from the hide and were burning the reeds, with the wind changing direction to blow smoke into the hide on occasions. There wasn't much on the mere except for a few GADWALL and SWANS.
Burning reeds in front of Island Mere Hide
So it was a quiet day, all told, except a quiet day at Minsmere is still quite eventful. The sunny days which are great for being outside, are not that great for bird migration. What they need is a cyclone over Europe to blow birds in our direction, maybe blow in something unusual. As it is the birds seem to be coming in in dribs and drabs, which makes it harder to find them as they are appearing in smaller numbers. Birds are unpredictable, which is one of the reasons why they are so interesting and there is no predicting the perfect conditions for them. However a reserve of Minsmere's quality will always attract lots of birds, and that is why I will keeping returning to this jewel of a place.
LITTLE EGRET and some MALLARDS - West Scrape
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