Trimley Marshes - 21/5/2019

Female POCHARD, Trimley Marshes Reservoir

Over by Loompit Lake two policemen asked me if I had seen two drunk men cavorting in the mud. I said I hadn't but I wish I had as it would have enlivened the day somewhat. With Spring migration pretty much coming to a standstill there wasn't much about, just the breeding birds, which by necessity hang about in small numbers.
Trimley Marshes is located several miles from the nearest road, or the local train station. Its accessed through a long driveway that goes through a lot of uninteresting farm land. The only solution is to bike down. I cycled over to Westerfield train station (a country station that no one seems to use) took the bike on the train and travelled onto Trimley. It was nine o'clock, a strange time certainly, but I was the only person on the train. Its a shame because with such low numbers using the train, they will eventually scrap the service, especially as the line is heavily used for goods from the docks at Felixstowe. After arriving in Trimley I cycled down to the marshes.

There were several BROWN HARES on the fields

Being the breeding season, all the usual birds were present. The grassland WADERS were present in good numbers: LAPWING, REDSHANK and OYSTERCATCHERS. Pairs of AVOCET were present on all the scrapes and pools but only two young were seen, on the Permanent Lagoon.
The usual resident DUCKS were present, mainly on the reservoir. This is the largest and deepest lake on the reserve. A pair of POCHARD was significant, as although a common winter visitor, it is a rare breeding bird, with less than five pairs in Suffolk, mainly breeding here and Loompit Lake close by.
Also on the reservoir were lots of COOTS, SWANS and GREAT CRESTED & LITTLE GREBES.
On the Summer and Winter Floods were some roosting OYSTERCATCHERS and GODWITS, whilst a summer plumaged DUNLIN was on Winter Flood.

There were plenty of SWANS on the deeper lakes

 



Further along from the marshes the path follows the river estuary, where the tide was coming in, but not much was present on the mudflats. The male MARSH HARRIER, from the breeding pair at Trimley Marshes, was hunting over the surrounding farmland. A pair of MUNTJAC were in a field and several BROWN HARES were seen.

Roosting WADERS on the Winter Flood

 



Loompit Lake, further along the riverside is a good spot for birdwatching. It is man made but seems natural with reed and wooded edges. It is one of the best lakes in Suffolk for breeding and wintering birds. Of note was a small flock of twenty POCHARD, mainly males but with a few pairs.This is a massive number for this far into the breeding season and some may be made of failed breeders. There were lots of TUFTED DUCK and there were two broods of SWAN about.
A COMMON SANDPIPER was the only migrant of note, but two COMMON TERN were of interest, as I don't think they nest in the area.

 

 

 

 

Male MARSH HARRIER

 

After Loompit Lake the path circled back to the train station, through some uninteresting farmland where I didn't see much. Of interest was a huge new irrigation reservoir, distantly viewed from the footpath, although all I could see were some loafing GULLS.

 

Pair of MUNTJACS

 

So an alright day down at Trimley Marshes. There was a lot about, as there usually is, just nothing too unusual. Its been about a year since I was last down, which is a long time, and there's no real reason why except for laziness. I'm sure it won't be that long before I come down again, maybe to look for some Autumn waders.