Minsmere - 28/11/2019

Following a very wet November, large parts of the river valleys of Suffolk were flooded, huge areas of farmland inundated by water. On my way to Minsmere today I passed miles and miles of this natural process. With all that flooding all of a sudden all this new habitat became available to waterbirds to feed in. As a result it was no surprise that the Scrape was quiet, with numbers in the hundreds rather than the thousands as the birds had left to pastures new. It also meant that the Levels, the area of wet grassland to the south of the Scrape, was flooded, the first time for a couple of years. It was here that the most ducks were found on the reserve, with large numbers of GADWALL and SHOVELLER.

Female COMMON SCOTER. The images appear dark because of the poor light conditions today.

 



Star duck today was the female COMMON SCOTER on East Scrape. This is a common sea duck, they can be seen from the beach at Minsmere, but are usually just a black speck on the horizon. This bird was the closest I have ever seen of this species, and it provided good photography oppurtunities.

Male TEAL

 

Female TEAL

 



Despite it being Winter, usually the poorest time of year for them, there were several  WADERS about. 14 AVOCETS on South Scrape, 14 BLACKWITS East Scrape, 14 SNIPE East Scrape, with 2 more at Island Mere and 4 TURNSTONE on South Scrape, made up the numbers.

Two SNIPE at Island Mere

 



On South Scrape, someone in the hide identified a CASPIAN GULL. Now I'm ok with GULLS, but when it comes to HERRING, YELLOW LEGGED and CASPIAN, I always have trouble. Those three forms are all different species of HERRING GULL, and they all look very familiar, not to mention all the differing plumages of the varies stages of age. But the guy in the hide seemed confident so I'm counting it.

 

Over the reed beds there were three MARSH HARRIER, not many, as this bird disperses over the winter month, with only a small number left around at this time of year.

 SHOVELLER and MALLARD, East Scrape

 

Small-bird wise this was a good day for November. Star bird was a FIRECREST, seen in a tit flock near the visitors centre.
Six BULLFINCHES were at North Bushes, with another one amongst a tit flock near the car park. A few REDWINGS were also in North Bushes, of note because its been a lean year for thrushes. There was only one STONECHAT on the beach, for what is usually a good spot for them, perched on a gorse branch.

 Management work was being undertaken by North Hide. Reeds had been cut immediately in front of the hide in preparation for nesting lapwing next spring.

 

 

BEARDED TITS were very active, with small flocks seen in the reeds between South Scrape and East Scrape, and at Island Mere. Also amongst the reeds, CETTI'S WARBLERS were tentatively starting to sing, testament to the mild winter so far. 
Around the car park there was a small flock of SISKIN, and a MARSH TIT was on the feeders by the café.

 

So a decent day for November, usually one of the quieter months of the year. Although it was a miserable day there was still a lot of birds about. With not many people around it was very peaceful, a really good place to relax and gain some food for the soul. On a day like this who can ever feel depressed.