Autumn on the local patch - 2019

The Local Patch, an enigma, the nearest area of countryside, a place that is not necessarily a nature reserve, or anywhere managed for wildlife, yet is the birdwatcher's most watched of places. Mine is an area of farmland a short walk away from where I live, an area of large arable fields, horse grazed pasture, and the odd tree and hedgerow. Its not great for birds but is interesting to see how wildlife survives in a place that is the general "countryside".

 

  Pylons are a real feature of the Local Patch

  

Autumn started with a CUCKOO on 19 August. It was perched on a fence by Rise Hall farm buildings, but flew off as I tried to get closer. This is a good late record for this species and a first for the patch.
After that things quietened down for a bit. As the calendar moved from August to September the weather really lost its heat and things felt colder, more Autumnally. A CORMARANT remained for a while, this is a rare sighting for an area with very little water.

CORMARANT seen around the Reservoir during August

 

On the 2 September there was a good movement of birds. A finch flock 50-strong was present comprised mainly of GREENFINCHES, GOLDFINCHES and LINNETS, made up of mainly local birds, it shows that there seems to have been a good breeding season. Also present in the area were several CHIFFCHAFFS, some BLACKCAPS, one LESSER WHITETHROAT and one smart SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. There were also large numbers of SWALLOWS swooping to grab at bugs congregating over the fields. All these birds were found in the Suffolk Punch Field, which is the main migrant catch point in the area, a field of pasture with scattered bushes.

Tractor with attendant GULLS

 



I visited the area on 11 Sept, and things had quietened down, but I was able to see more of the patch. A flock of 16 YELLOWHAMMERS were feeding on stubble way out near Rede Wood. In the wood itself I saw two FALLOW DEER, which is a new patch records as there isn't really any other areas of woodland, I think they must have come down from the woodland around Shrublands. On that day as I cycled up to Shrublands I passed a sand quarry, where in some overgrown areas I encountered a flock of 30 LINNETS, which is always a nice find as they are probably locally born birds. There wasn't really much in Shrublands itself.

 

 

 Shot of the landscape of the Local Patch

Autumn always brings an influx of GEESE to the pond area, swelling the resident population. The geese can increase to over a hundred birds, but numbers were a bit lower this year.
On the 18 Sept a dead BADGER was seen on the road by Thurleston Lane. It was a complete surprise as I had no idea any of these animals were present on the patch. But it shows how roads can block in wildlife, act as an artificial boundary and stops their movement. The road was a quiet country lane, so its sad the animal was hit by a car.
As the days get shorter JAYS become more common, starting with a flock of six on the 27 August. After that large numbers were seen every time I went down to the patch, singles flying between trees, their distinctive white rumps obvious in flight.
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Burnt out scooter in the dried up stream

 

I don't normally see many people on the patch, despite it  being a boundary to north west Ipswich.

There are a few dog walkers, horse riders, and joggers amongst others. To be honest this is what I want as its an easy place to escape human life and access into nature and some relaxation of the soul. The countryside is a great resource for people, but we don't have any say about how the countryside is managed. I often feel so impotent when I find yet more habitat has been damaged, in a way that is out of my control.
There are occasional signs that remind you there is an urban environment less than half a mile away. A torched scooter was found in the stream. The fire seems to have burnt out a large chunk of River Meadow, although there are now grown shoots showing in the blackened earth.

 PARASOL FUNGI - apparently quite edible if you dare 

 

On the 1 October there was a flock of 10 MEADOW PIPITS in Lark Field, along with five LINNETS and a couple of LARKS. This place is a large arable field which lies on the downslope of the area and has the largest number of breeding and wintering larks on the Patch. In the same area on 9 October there was a flock of 30 LINNETS, I'm not sure if its different flocks, or just one flock roving the countryside, and a flock of 15 LARKS, which is about usual, local birds gathering together for the winter.

 

I have no idea what this bit of equipment is, found on a farm near Shrublands

 

Being an area of countryside that's not managed with wildlife in mind, it is harder to find any birds out here. There are days, where the areas of featureless farmland have no birds in them at all. That can be quite disheartening as its the same story in a lot of our countryside. We always associate the countryside with wildness, but its not really the case any more. The countryside can be as lifeless as an area of urban blight. Its shocking to think that we have lost half our wildlife since the 1970s, and yet what can we do? We can't turn the entire country into a giant nature reserve, so its up to the farmers to change things, and that means pressure coming down from government. Sadly that will never happen so things will never change and wildlife will continue to dwindle until there is precious little left.

My blog on the Local Patch ends slightly earlier for an Autumn report because on 12 October I shall be heading to the Sates to attend my brother's wedding. I know what you are thinking - how can an environmentalist, knowing what I do about climate change, really advocate travelling half way across the world. I don't know, and it shall weigh heavily on me.

Lakenheath Fen - 3/10/2019

 The cold days of late Autumn have begun to wrap their icy fingers across the shortening days. Summer is becoming but a memory, holding on with a last gasp as winter comes ever closer, a knowing inevitability. With this cross over of seasons birdwatching can be quite interesting, the last diehards of summer, and the first explorers of winter.

Having exhausted the coastal reserves I felt it was time to try somewhere inland, somewhere way out to the western fringes of Suffolk. There isn't too much that way, so it wasn't a tough decision to visit Lakenheath. I never go out there that much, its been two years since I last visited, so I thought it was well time I had another look.

BLUE TIT and GOLDFINCH on the visitors centre feeders

 

Its a good reserve, but hard to birdwatch. The reserve is on such a grand scale, such a huge amount of reedbeds, there's no point of reference. I mean where do you start? Half the reserve is only viewable from the river wall, while the accessible part meanders through poplar woods with a couple of viewpoints over the reedy areas.
Today had a really Autumnal feel, the air was dank and cold, Summer seems like a long time ago.



Autumn is the time when habitat management takes place on reserves, when the breeding season is over and the winter period has yet to begin, so there is minimal disturbance to bird life. The New Fen, the first area of reedbed, was undergoing such work, with billows of smoke rising out of the reedbed and distant voices carrying in the quiet. As a result I didn't stop here for too long. As I carried on, further ahead in the trail, a STOAT appeared, running backwards, sideways, all directions but still using the human path to make its way through the area. It probably knew I was there but didn't seem to mind my presence.
Work was going on around Mere Hide, as well, but on the approach path a flock of BEARDED TITS erupted from the reedbed. This is typical behaviour for the species at this time of the year, when the birds leave their summer grounds in big eruptions. This is a species confined to large reedbeds and places like Lakenheath are essential to their survival. In this flock I counted ten individuals, but throughout the reserve the species was a constant present, with its distinctive 'pinging' call.

Smoke on the water - management work at Mere Hide

 

From Mere Hide I walked further along to reach Joist Fen viewpoint, the furthest point of the visitor trails, giving views across the vast sea of reeds, to the far horizon. Not much was present, so after a while I decided to head off. At this point in the reserve, there comes a point where the reserve path meets the public footpath along the river wall. Either you can follow the path back to the centre or you can head out to the Wilder areas of the reserve. I chose the latter.
Such a wilderness creates difficulty in seeing birds as there is no point of reference, its all just a huge area of reeds. The odd MARSH HARRIER, two overflies of GREAT WHITE EGRET, lots of BEARDED TITS, and eventually catching up with BITTERNS - I would see two flights of this species, the birds flying just above the reeds. In the end with LITTLE EGRET and GREY HERON, I saw four species of HERON which isn't too shabby, and is probably the best place in Suffolk for this. The public footpath reached the end of the reserve and the only option was to walk back the same way.

 

A pair of MUTE SWANS on the river

 

As I came back to Joist Fen, two WHOOPER SWANS flew over, distinctive because of their 'whooping' call - our local MUTE SWANS, are well, mute. Barring over summering birds this is the earliest Autumn date I have for this species, and may be the earliest in Suffolk this year.
I was also able to connect with the last HOBBY of the summer, swooping over the reeds, feeding on the declining dragonfly population, it was great to see, if a little sad that the bird will soon be leaving. This bird, along with some SWALLOWS, will be the last of the summer birds, but what a contrast with the returning swans.

A boat, some backpacks and a flask of tea - the essentials of reserve management

 

From here I walked back to the visitors centre, with the reserve on one side ad the river on the other. Eventually I came to the Washland, a seasonal pool next to the river. It was quiet, a few MUTE SWANS and TEAL, but I  encountered a pair of STONECHATS in the riverside reeds. And with that I was finished the reserve and had a well earned sit down.
Lakenheath is a lot of effort, it takes a lot of time to appreciate, it involves walking long distances, and sometimes it can be disheartening when there are NO BIRDS WHAT SO EVER. But as you can see from my blog I did in fact see a good variety of birds, if not a lot in number. Lakenheath is always that reserve where you have to risk it to see good birds, mainly wetland ones, when there's always a chance that you will see nothing at all. Its not like Minsmere where there's large numbers and varieties of birds, all so accessible, and for that Lakenheath's a fairly unique reserve. Just appreciate the quiet, the wilderness, and the absence of any people, and for that its priceless.