Of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserves the nearest one to my home is Papermill Reedbeds. Its a small reserve - 14 acres - consisting of a small reedbed amongst rough grassland. On the 26 November I went for my first ever visit, a first look at the place, to put a picture to the name. Despite being close to Ipswich it really is hard to find tucked away down a country road with no car park. It lies between the train line and the river just south of another local patch - Barham Pits.
The mill is now a block of flats, and amongst a small bird flock I encountered there was an overwintering BLACKCAP. Up river to the north of the reserve amongst another small bird flock I noted a TREECREEPER and a MARSH TIT.
So a nice little hidden surprise in an area that I visit frequently and being about ten minutes from my house is a place I will visit a fair amount.
Suffolk Water Park
Across the river from Papermill Reedbeds is Suffolk Water Park, which contains one lake to which public access is granted. Its a large lake with natural surroundings, although it is heavily fished, but there is no sailing of any kind. Like Papermill Reedbed I have only just started visiting this place, and will do more frequently due to it being so close to where I live - again about ten minutes away.
On the water are four types of WATERFOWL - MALLARDS, TUFTED DUCK, GREAT CRESTED GREBES and COOT, in small numbers, just breaking into double figures.
There are more lakes behind the main one, but I was warned away from them, apparently due to bird control.
Away from the coast, Suffolk is quite poor bird wise, and my local patches show that. Suffolk has few gravel pits or reservoirs, the kind of inland wetland that would attract birds, the only nature reserves being Lackford Lakes and Alton Water. I don't know, maybe I'll strike lucky, to make all this time I put in mean something.
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