Lackford Lakes - 28/5/2021

Its been such a long time since I last went to Lackford, some time before the pandemic dropped, way back in 2020. The Lakes form a large Suffolk Wildlife rust reserve, created from gravel pits with a large area of peripheral marshland. The reserve is important because the lakes like those found here are rare in Suffolk, and as a result the reserve is important for its wintering ducks, with some of the largest flocks in the county. But away from  the winter, on a beautiful late May day, the seasons have passed, migration has started to slow down, and now birds are focused on reproduction.

The Slough from Paul's Hide

Lackford with its variety of habitats has a large number of breeding birds. Most of them are water and marsh type birds as you would expect. The most distinct bird on today's visit was the CUCKOO. This marauding parasite of other bird's nest birds was definitely making itself heard. Its call could be heard from every corner of the reserve, it definitely provided the soundtrack to Lackford today. There must have been a couple of males present on site to be so sonically ubiquitous. A brief fly-past from Bernard's Hide was the only chance I had of seeing the bird, the pointed wings and long tail making it look like a bird of prey, and for such a loud birds they are quite hard birds to see.

LITTLE EGRET, The Slough

The Slough was the focal point for water birds as it usually is whatever time of year. With its mix of shallow and deep water, grassy islands, and reedy fringes, this lake provides a full range of habitats. Ten pairs each of TUFTED DUCK, GADWALL and SHELDUCK were present, although no chicks were present. The shelduck were particularly rambunctious with birds constantly squabbling over territory and possibly who mates with who. Two male POCHARD present here were unusual as these birds don't often oversummer at Lackford, this bird is a very rare breeder in Suffolk. There were small numbers of duck on the other lakes but not nearly as many as on the Slough.

CANADA GOOSE, The Slough

One of the features of summer at Lackford is the large flock of SWANS that spend the longer months on the Sailing Lake, the largest lake, with close to a hundred present at times. It was a bit early in the season for such large numbers today, but there were still around thirty present as numbers start to build up. Also present, and swan related, were a lovely swan brood of four grey cygnets, surprisingly the only ones on the entire reserve, although there were several more pairs on different lakes around the site.

Male GADWALL

Although we are still in the latter stages of lockdown, a time where everything has been shut down due to the pandemic, most things were now open. When I arrived the car park was busy so I was worried the reserve would be too busy, but as is usual, the further you get from the visitor centre, and the café the number of people diminish. Limits on places in hides were in place but this only really applied to Bernard's hide, the second hide overlooking the Slough. This hide is always the most busy as people look to photograph the kingfishers found there. No kingfishers were present, but a male MARSH HARRIER at the back of the Slough and a flyby CUCKOO made it worth the wait.

Male BLACKBIRD, at The Stump. Being the biggest bird at The Stump, this guy had first pickings of seed laid out for the birds

When I came back to The Stump the SQUIRRELS had taken over

A beautiful ROBIN

Two NUTHATCHES were present at The Stump

Lackford can be very peaceful, I often found myself alone amongst nature. Ash Carr an area of overgrown wet woodland, was alive with birdsong, yet at the same time felt so tranquil, like a stone age stereo sound system, one that brought me back to ancient times. In this area of woodland is The Stump, an old fallen tree. The Stump is a great place for photography with birds close by ready to pose for a shot. Today I brought some seeds and placed it on the bark to attract said birds. Nothing showed up to begin with, so I walked off to look at the Eastern Lakes, but on the way back I found it was busy with SQUIRRELS, BLACKBIRDS, TITS, and best of all, two NUTHATCHES. One thing that's certain about Lackford is that it is one of the best reserves in the country for photography.

This crèche of GREYLAGS must have held twenty youngsters of differing broods, Plover Lake

The Eastern Lakes, large and more open, were quiet. They are often either full of bird or are either empty. On the artificial rafts place out on Hawker Pool, two COMMON TERNS were nesting, keeping company with ten BLACK HEADED GULLS, who also had two chicks. Further more on an island on Plover lake around twenty pairs of black heads were nesting with five pairs on Wilson's Flood. Black heads tens to dominate suitable nesting places and are very aggressive.

An upending MALLARD

Having lots of overgrown marshy areas Lackford is great for the smaller birds, with brown REED WARBLERS everywhere, CETTI'S WARBLERS belting their song from an overgrown patch and REED BUNTINGS providing the colour. A KINGFISHER was seen at the furthest hide, Steggall's, as usual heard first and then seen dashing past at break neck speed, before speeding out of sight. Plover Lake as seen from Steggall's hide was the area for the only GREAT CRESTED GREBE family in the reserve, and as is usual for this species the one stripy necked chick was riding on its parent's back, with the other parent busy feeding it.  

Recently fledged LONG TAILED TIT

So  all in all a pleasant day over in West Suffolk, with a few decent birds thrown in as well. Lackford Lakes is always a good place to visit, as there is always something good to see. Sure compared to the coastal reserves it doesn't have the rarities, or the range of habitats on such a large scale. But as the main area of inland lakes in Suffolk it provided the kind of bird rare in other areas of the county. And then there's the fact that its such a great place to take photographs of birds, probably the best in Suffolk. That is what makes the reserve really stand out, providing an extra dimension to our glorious hobby.

Minsmere - 21/5/2021

AVOCET

What a strange spring its been. Each day brought a swirl of every weather type possible, a strange concoction of rain wind and cloud, but seldom sun. This unpredictable weather is really having a massively negative effect on our wildlife. Due to the barren April, dry cold weather resulted in vegetation stopping growing, the trees went to leaf late, and for insect populations to emerge later than normal. This resulted in confusion to those higher up the food chain, such as the birds, with their food supply being less regular, and for summer visitors to arrive to autumn temperatures.

He's looking at you: CORMARANT, North Hide

And then in May it rained and rained. Days were cold for this time of year more akin to October. Could this be the result of climate change a man made folly pointlessly making what was reliable now less so. Certainly it was felt today at Minsmere. With the dry spell in April, when the birds started nesting there was a plethora of nesting space. But with the inundation in May the usually huge colony of birds that nest here on the Scrape have found their nesting sites flooded by water caused by the constant rain. The birds have reattempted nesting but now there are fewer places to nest. What would have been a cacophony of thousands of birds was now a fraction of that number, in the low hundreds. Very few BLACK HEADED GULL and AVOCET were present, and newly returned COMMON TERN had few places to nest.

Just high enough: the gull colony has been decimated on the Scrape as the rains have inundated their nesting areas.

It didn't help that there was a driving 50 mile per hour storm buffeting the land. Trees swirled in the wind, white horses galloped over the sea and rickety hides groaned in the wind. As a result a lot of birds were keeping their heads down, especially the smaller birds which had less strength when being blown around the place. However despite this making birding difficult, I still managed to see a few birds, it wasn't too bad in the end. At least the rain kept off.

Looking from North Hide, across West Scrape to Sizewell B

This time of year is good for WADER migration, as thousands of birds make their way up to the high arctic to spend the summer breeding, before returning in the autumn. Although the water levels on the Scrape were very high, waders like mud to feed on, there were still a few birds about. East Scrape had just the one GREENSHANK, but South Scrape held the most, the best being two SANDERLING, supported by 11 DUNLIN, one stunning summer plumaged TURNSTONE, as well as 56 GODWITS and one COMMON SANDPIPER on the various islands.

Lapwing nest in large numbers on the Scrape

Despite the low numbers of black heads, there were still a few other species of TERNS and GULLS about. Newly arrived were around 20 LITTLE TERNS on South Scrape, a bird which used to nest on the beach until all the holiday makers disturbed them, and now they try to nest just behind there on the Scrape. Also about on South Scrape were 18 KITTIWAKES, a bird which nests on the offshore platforms at Sizewell Nuclear power stations just down the coast. Because of the decimation of the gull colony, only a few MED GULLS were about, when usually there would be over a hundred.

Pair of SHOVELLERS, not their big shovel shaped beaks

The usual resident DUCKS were about, mainly SHOVELLER and GADWALL, whilst a whopping four species of GOOSE nested on the Scrape, all of them from artificial origin. Apart from the three commoner species, they were added to by a pair of BAR HEADED GEESE, which had two goslings. This  species is naturally found in India and Nepal, and is famous for flying high over Everest, so are a long way from their natural home. They probably descend from some wildfowl collection, but now they're living and breeding in the wild here in Suffolk.

Pair  of BAR HEADED GEESE with goslings

As few smaller birds were raising their heads above the bushes or reed fronds, it was very quiet in that regard. A BEARDED TIT flew over the reeds at North Marsh, and dashed across North Wall before disappearing into the calm of the green reeds below. A pair of STONECHAT were in the usual place, the dune gorse by the Sluice Bushes, but I couldn't get any dartfords. With the wind battering the woodlands few birds were even attempting to sing let alone pose for my binoculars.  As if in defiance to this, every now and again whilst walking around the Scrape a male REED BUNTING could on occasion be seen singing from a bush in the reeds, its rather weak song caught and battered in the wind.

Huge numbers of SWIFTS were about with birds constantly flying in from the sea to swell the numbers feeding on the mass of insects over the reedbeds. Also with them were the three hirundines, mainly SAND MARTINS, with a few SWALLOWS and one or  two  HOUSE MARTINS. Unfortunately no SAND MARTINS were present at the usual site in the old car park, where usually a colony is created, nesting in little holes in the sandy cliff.

Male REED BUNTING

Island Mere was quiet with few birds braving the open water. A BITTERN flew high overhead, causing excitement in the hide, as binoculars trained on its brief passage of flight. This time of year is the best to see them as they make regular flights to feed their young and so have to brave the gale force conditions. The same was with the MARSH HARRIERS, with the smaller grey-winged males carrying food to the larger browner females who would rise up from their nest in the reeds to grab the male's food. Three GREAT CRESTED GREBES were nesting on the edge of the water and there was also a few SWANS about.

Male MARSH HARRIER, note the grey on the wings, this species nests in the reedbeds

So a fairly standard day down at Minsmere, but even one of  poorer days at Minsmere is better than most other places. It was just a shame the strange weather of spring has messed things up so much. Whether this is a one-off or is something that could become more regular is hard to tell. But one thing, if we keep pumping carbon dioxide into the air, this is something we have to look forward to, and it will have a largely negative effect on out wildlife.

Hollesley Marshes & Boyton Marshes - 14/5/2021

AVOCET with chick, Boyton Marshes

Being a bird watcher I have a fondness for remote marshes, windswept, desolate and devoid of people, nothing better than having the wind and rain driving into my face as well. There's something mystical, primordial, and poetical about hose places. However these places are just as man made as any other piece of land, and are most often nature reserves. Hollesley Marshes and its nearby sister reserve Boyton Marshes, both managed by the RSPB, fit that description quite neatly, two small areas of protected land lying off the beaten track. The reserves sit along the Alde Estuary, areas of marshland that attract lots of waterbirds, and are very important places that protect this feeling of remoteness as well as the birds. 

Nesting AVOCET on the scrape at Boyton Marshes

Being RSPB reserves these are good places for birds and I saw a good variety of a large number of birds. At this time it is still the peak of Spring migration, and there were a lot of migrants present today.

Hollesley Marshes

Being remote, Hollesley is home to a high security prison, with no where for escaped convicts to run to except desolate marshlands. The area is a fairly new reserve, one not really advertised, and so is only really known by a few local birders. A car park and a viewing screen are the only facilities, however, by the car park, as part of the prison, is a café, run by veteran volunteers. Its so out of the way, so you wonder how it will make money, but is worth a look if in the area, starting the days' watching with a nice warm coffee.

The scrape at Hollesley Marshes, looking towards the prison

The Reserve consists of a large area of wet grassland, with the centrepiece being the large scrape. A shallow area of water amongst the grass, its not as popular to birds as the Scrape at Minsmere, so there aren't the huge number of gulls and terns. I was looking for migrant WADERS, as spring migration was still at its peak, but the only birds present were the breeding birds. LAPWING and AVOCET were here, present in the largest numbers, with members of both species sitting on eggs. In smaller numbers were REDSHANK and OYSTERCATCHERS breeding birds in smaller numbers.

Nesting AVOCET

What was quite evident was how beneficial the scrape was to both CANADA and GREYLAG GEESE. There must have been over 25 broods numbering over a hundred gosling, that's one hell of a gaggle! The usual DUCKS were present, with a few SHOVELLER, GADWALL and SHELDUCK, with a couple of WIGEON and TEAL remnants of the winter.

A dapper male REED BUNTING

Bird of the day wasn't the rarest, but is one of the most charismatic. A CUCKOO was first heard singing from the viewing platform, on the sheep grazed higher ground behind the marshland. Then when we got to the river wall, what most have been another bird dashed along the concrete bank chased by a pair of MEADOW PIPITS, one of their parasited species. In flight the cuckoo has sharp wings and a long tail and resembles a bird of prey. This species is one of those I used to hear commonly throughout the countryside when I was a boy but has become quite rare and restricted to few places nowadays, mainly reserves like Hollesley.

A female MARSH HARRIER drifted over the scrape, under constant aerial attack from the nesting avocet and lapwing, a characteristic bird of the Suffolk coast.

Part of a herd of FALLOW DEER

After leaving Hollesley Marshes, and then passing the Suffolk Punch Centre, a flock of 24 FALLOW DEER were seen nonchalantly grazing the pastureland. With them were a small number of JACKDAWS feeding on their backs, pecking away at their lice and other parasites on their coat. Some of the deer had newly grown antlers covered in velvet, still a long way from the autumn rut.

Boyton Marshes

Boyton is similar to Hollesley, although it has a much smaller scrape, but more areas of grassland managed as a farm, with cattle grazing the pastures. It is full of world war two architecture, pill boxes and anti tank blocks, which make the flat marshes very picturesque.

AVOCET are very protective of their nests and young, they will often take to the air to see off a passing, gull, crow or even a harrier

The scrape at Boyton is fairly small, but the area was bursting with birds. AVCOET were the star birds, with around twenty pairs present crammed in on the islands, including the first chick of the season, keeping close to its parents. Also present was a small colony of BALCK HEADED GULLS, and a small number of GADWALL, SHOVELLER and SHELDUCK, which may nest here. By the scrape was a flock of five YELLOW WAGTAILS. Once common birds that nested in places like this, they are rapidly declining, and are becoming hard to see, so were a nice spot today.

The path cuts through the reserve to rise up to the river wall at Butley Creek, a tributary of the tidal river Alde. Where the path meets the river there is a pill box, one of the many architectural remnants from the war. Around here was a GREENLAND WHEATEAR, characteristically perching on a fence post, flying off and exposing its white rump. These birds are a variant of our own wheatear, but are slightly larger and more colourful, and as well as being a later migrant, appearing during May. A HARBOUR SEAL was on the river here, these animals are one of my favourites, they swim in from the sea looking for fish on the river. The tide on the river was high, and unfortunately I didn't see any waders, just a couple of GODWITS. On the landward side, a HOBBY graced us as it hunted over the marshes, on the lookout for a stray swift or swallow to catch.

The grassland covers a large proportion of the reserve, and though it can be quite featureless, does attract some birds. An over summering PINK FOOTED GOOSE was hanging around with a flock of greylags, lost birds tend to hang around with similar species. Pink feet winter in small numbers in the area, and for some reason this individual got left behind, while the rest left for their breeding grounds. A GREAT WHITE EGRET was seen in flight before landing and hanging around in a ditch a fair distance away, my first record of the bird at Boyton, but I doubt will be my last. The size of herons, these big all white birds have a large yellow bill and all black legs, in contrast to its stark plumage.

The ditches that cut their way through the reserve are a haven for wetland birds and the reed fringes prove just as popular. On the large ditch next to the river wall, two pairs of SWANS were nesting. With one pair, the cobb (the male) was seeing off a third pair which were maybe prospecting in their area. As anyone who has any experience with swans, they can be quite vicious when it comes to projecting their nests. The battle took place on the river, as the cobb on territory took his fury out on the other male, causing the intruder to ungracefully take off.

Over summering PINK FOOTED GOOSE, hanging round with the local greylags 

The reed fringes were alive with REED BUNTINGS and both SEDGE and REED WARBLERS their agitated scratchy songs, ringing out from the ditches.

Nesting SWAN on the main dyke by the river wall

After leaving Boyton, near the steel sculpture, a pair of YELLOW WAGTAIL were disturbed from drinking from a puddle. A few pairs probably still nest in the area, on low crops, like cabbage or peas, on low lying land.

One of the intruding pairs of SWAN, seen off by the local cobb

Later on, whilst driving through Aldeburgh, I was astounded to see a SPOONBILL fly over. This bird is like a heron, but in flight has an extended neck, and with its distinctive beak, it could be no other bird. Its now fairly common in the area, on the river Alde and North Warren, as well as having recently started nesting on Havergate Marshes, it was just unexpected to be seen over a busy little town.

The steel sculpture, Capel St Andrew, close to Boyton

Suffolk is blessed with so many good nature reserves, and Boyton and Hollesley aren't even the main ones. With so much remoteness, which has allowed so much of the area to survive as wilderness and as reserves, as land managed just for wildlife. The Suffolk coast is so unique, and is one of the few places in lowland England to still have this solitude, something that despite being so intangible is still very important.

Wolves wood & Groton Wood - 12/5/2021

Like green hands reaching for the sky

Away from the coast, the hinterland of Suffolk is very rural, with few towns or settlements, but also one in which there are few designated nature reserves. Rolling field after rolling field offer a formidable barrier in the way to look for birds, like looking for a needle in a haystack, I could spend a lifetime searching all the footpaths of this rural land, and never see what I set out to see. It can be quite daunting looking for birds in the endless landscape. So it was that today I discovered some new countryside, just a small amount, but enough, out Hadleigh way. Lying west of Ipswich, around that small town are a couple of pockets of ancient woodland, Wolves Wood and Groton Wood, which offer a place to be able to contemplate nature, in the reassuring confines of a nature reserve. 

Male BLCAKCAP inhabit the thick underlayer of the forests

As well as visiting those reserves I also planned to do a recce as part of the national Turtle Dove Survey. I was given a transect to monitor for this species, in an area between Ipswich and Hadleigh, around a village called Hintlesham. Today, being too early in the season for turtle doves, I just used it as a recon mission to have a look at the site I would be monitoring. Basically it was a golf course with not much habitat so it doesn't look too promising for the species. The turtle dove at the moment is hemorrhaging its population, with numbers plummeting year on year, mainly due to habitat destruction here and hunting on its migration routes. In the not too distant past it was fairly common in Suffolk, but nowadays it is quite rare, locally centred on the last remnants of suitable habitat. In a few weeks time I shall return, do the survey and upload my results to help gain some information on the species.

What an old coppiced wood looks like, each coppiced tree grows back even thicker

After that I went to have a look at the woods.

Wolves Wood

Along the Hadleigh road, Wolves Wood is a sizeable chunk of ancient woodland owned by the RSPB. Like a lot of ancient woodland it has a large amount of coppicing, a rural industry that provided charcoal for fires in olden times. Coppicing is basically the ancient art of cutting trees back on yearly cycles, with the trees growing back, but even thicker, ready to be cut down again. This opens the woods up making sure light rains down from the canopy, making the wood more beneficial to light loving wildlife. Along side the coppice, certain trees have been allowed to mature, growing taller than the coppice, reaching for the sky, again providing a different source of habitat for more wildlife. As well as this the forest provides sunny glades, rides and ponds, a complex interplay of different habitats that make up an ancient forest, a million miles away from those lifeless conifer plantations which are so much more common.

A path through the woods gloriously overgrown

At this time of year birdsong is at its peak, and it was good just to listen to the music being conducted within the forest. There is so much going on with this cacophony of sound that even my trained ear can be overwhelmed. Nothing unusual was about but even the most common of birds can have a beautiful voice. My favourite is the SONG THRUSH, a bird that belts out its song from a bushy thicket, a song that changes every two beats, a song so bewildering, so unique, that it takes you onto a sonic journey. Its just so pleasant to just stand and listen for a while just embracing the forest's sounds, a sound that connects me back with an ancient self, before civilisation.

Last winter's coppice, with the odd tree left to grow tall

At this time of year our woodlands are aglow with bluebells. However due to certain reasons Wolves and Groton Woods do not have this display. This is because the blue carpet of bluebells is something artificial, the result of an exploding population of deer. Natural, ancient woods have a hierarchy of thick layers from the canopy down, but as deer browse the forests they eat everything in their reach, resulting in empty layers of nothing beneath the canopy. Bluebells survive because they are toxic to deer and so end up being the only plant left to flower. In Wolves and Groton Woods, deer are controlled, and fences are put round the coppicing to protect from browsing, which results in a thick understory of young trees and bushes, which means the understorey is dominated by brambles. By controlled I mean culled, which again is a massive ethical question. As usual its the result of man meddling in the environment. Yes its good that deer populations are at an historic high, but its bad that they put such a strain on the environment.

PEACOCK BUTTERFLY are the most common in the forest

Groton Wood

This Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve is really out in the countryside, along single track roads through lost villages and acres of rolling countryside. This was my first visit to the site, I thought I might dare to visit being in the area and all. In many ways its superficially like Wolves Wood, both being excellently managed pockets of ancient woodland. But comparing these vast reservoirs of life is a folly as they are just so different. There are acres of coppice, rides aerate through the trees, and ponds and glades open up the canopy. It was in one glade where I found the only stand of naturally occurring BLUEBELLS, a carpet of blue beauty like rain drops appearing amongst the grass. 

A glade covered in BLUEBELLS

Its amazing to think that parts of Groton Wood has been tree covered since the ice age, thousands and thousands of years of tree cover, an area that has withstood the ravages time. These woods are so full of life compared to the surrounding fields, an area that embraces nature rather than fights it. Imagine being a giant, being able to rip the woods from the land and then to upend it and shake it, imagine all the life that would fall out, all the animals, birds and insects. Just this small wood on its own is breathtaking.

A fallen tree

These ancient woodlands are like a wildlife version of Stonehenge and are just as ancient, just as precious, and under the various wildlife charities are better protected. They are hidden gems, I barely saw anyone in either wood, great places in which to revel in nature, to breath in their timeless qualities. And like any dynamic living system the wood is always on the move, changing constantly through the seasons. The only drawback, however is that they sit there on their own, all alone in a countryside, surrounded by arable fields, isolated from one another. Not matter how big they seem, these relics of woodland are no bigger than an arable field, mere pin pricks in the countryside. We need more, and we need them to be connected, just so everyone can experience their majesty and have space to immerse.

Hen Reedbeds and Tinker's Marsh - 3/5/2021

WHIMBREL, notice the eye stripes and bent bill which distinguish it from the curlew

Vast acres of mud form the Blythe estuary, a low lying land with vast horizons. This forms part of the Suffolk Coast nature reserve, a huge protected area that like Minsmere encompasses a large variety of different habitats, the sort of reserve unique to Suffolk. This range of land forms attract a lot of birds, and this nature reserve is one of Suffolk's best. Its more low key than Minsmere, traversed only by footpaths, you would only know it to be a nature reserve if you had prior info. Its been a long time since I have visited either site, Hen Reedbeeds and Tinker's Marsh, so its good to finally catch up with them. Late April, Spring migration should be at its peak, but with the freak weather passing onto May, things were a bit different. The day suffered from a strong westerly wind, which made walking the exposed river walls a bit of a chore, as well as keeping all the birds low. At this time of year the best winds for spring migration is the exact opposite to today, a south easterly wind guiding birds from the continent.

Hen Reedbeds

On the north side of the estuary, Hen Reedbeds is a recreated habitat, where poor pastureland has been allowed to become overgrown with reeds. This in turn makes it attractive to rare birds of which the Suffolk Coast is a national stronghold. The site was created and is owned by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, who do a great job looking after the site.

WHITETHROAT by the viewing platform

Part of the reserve is a river valley overlooked by a viewing platform, with no access. Immediately in front of the platform a family of WHITETHROAT were raising a family, the birds busy coming in with food and and out from crap from the nest. Out in the distant marshes several MARSH HARRIERS were out gliding over the reedbeds, as you would expect. A BITTERN was briefly heard booming, the strange and distinctive song of a little brown heron which is the songbook for this kind of habitat. Both the marsh harrier and the bittern are the specialties of reedbeds that are attracted to reserves like Hen Reedbeds, found in no other habitat. Another, though commoner, reedbed specialist, REED WARBLERS were singing everywhere in large numbers, males seeking out a mate and to defend their territories. This is one of our later returning summer visitors, coming in at the end of April.

OYSTERCATCHER

Half of the reserve is accessible, where the main path follows the river wall, with the estuary on one side and with views of the reeds on the other. At the time I was there, the tide was out and WADERS were few. The estuary was a narrow channel at this point before opening up into a vast area of mud just a short walk down. A COMMON SANDPIPER was on the river wall and a WHIMBREL was on the mud. Later more WHIMBREL were seen, this time eight of them in flight over me.

One of the meres on the reserve

The reed lakes were the haunt of small numbers of MALLARD, GADWALL, TEAL and SHELDUCK. At this time of year duck numbers are low as its the nesting season, when ducks nest at low densities.

From the reserev I walked up to a nearby farm where I enjoyed coffee and some giant doorstop scones.

Tinker's Marsh

Tinker's Marsh, is one of my favourite place names in Suffolk. It evokes a countryside that has long been lost, when Suffolk was much more remote and wild, when there was probably a lot more birds. Although being located next to the honeypot site of Walberswick, Tinkers Marsh feels remote and wild, not many people traverse the river wall here. Its a low lying area of grazing marsh that hugs the sides of the estuary, with good stands of reeds. It lies right across the estuary from Hen Reedbeds, on the south side and you can see the hides from the river wall at Tinker's.

Southwold Harbour

I parked at Walberswick church, around midday, and started walking through the gorse covered common land, continued along the old railway line, before hitting the river wall, where close to Walberswick the estuary is a narrow channel. The tide was rising as I turned up with the mud around Southwold Harbour covered by the tide. Birding was quiet in the area, the odd duck or a LAPWING on territory seeing off a passing crow. OYSTERCATCHERS were about, this black and white bird is very noisy, flying around calling out as a pair. They are numerous breeders around this estuary. Another characteristic bird of the estuary, the REDSHANK, was only present in small numbers, its haunting call giving it the name "sentinel of the marshes".

Tinker's Cottage, a derelict building on the edge of the marsh

After some walking, one of the pools finally held some birds. Two male PINTAIL, two TEAL and loafing GULLS were present here, the pintail being interesting as they are very rare nesting birds, they don't often get hang around so late in the season. Towards the end of Tinker's Marsh the estuary widens out to a vast sea of mud. Being May numbers of WADERS were low but there was still a small variety about. Most numerous were the DUNLIN, with several small flocks, the birds numbering around a hundred in total. At this time of year the birds are in summer plumage, with a golden brown upper body and a nice black underbelly, different to their grey and white winter plumage. With one flock were four GREY PLOVER and three GREENSHANK. The plovers weren't yet in summer plumage, where they have a distinctive black chest and silver upperparts. Three BLACKWITS were around as well as a small flock of AVOCET. 

Mute Swan, common on all the pools

Of the pair of MARSH HARRIERS present on Tinker's Marsh, the male had red tags stuck to its wing, although I didn't get the number. This is a form of ringing which identifies the bird and the travails it goes through, I guess for scientific purposes because although common in Suffolk they are still a nationally rare breeding bird.

On one of the saltmarsh islands on the estuary, there was a small colony of BALCK HEADED GULLS with a few MED GULLS amongst them. This colony is a fraction of the size it was around fifteen years ago, when thousands of birds crammed into the entire island, making it an awesome sight. The reasons for the decline are probably natural, and may increase again, the habitat is still there.

Little jetty on the estuary

The walk back through the heaths resulted in a HOBBY over the trees, swooping through some arable land where it put a flock of pigeons to flight, before disappearing. This is a nice record, this marsh falcon is a late arriver, usually turning up around mid May, I haven't seen them in this area before.

After that it was a brief walk back to the car.

Blytheburgh

Just off the A12, the village of Blytheburgh sits on the edge of the Blythe estuary. Here the mud is vast and wild, although the tide was high at this point, a great expanse of water. Numbers of WADERS were small, mainly the same as the ones seen above. More WHIMBREL were about, it seems I have caught them on their main migration time, with numbers easily in double figures. Whimbrel are like smaller curlews, however they are slightly different, with a bent bill rather than a curved one, a black eye stripe and a different call. They are a birdwatchers bird, proving a challenge to identify, and provide a test of field craft.

Vast horizons and lots of mud

In the end it was an interesting day out on the Blythe, however with few birds about. Although the birds weren't in large numbers there was still a good variety about, and I saw a lot of species. As always with such places, the landscape was gentle but stunning providing great views when there weren't any birds. Its amazing that such areas of wilderness in lowland England still exist, one under so much pressure from development and the tourist hordes, and the financial starvation of the reserves managers, Natural England. These are the last strongholds of many birds, ones starved out of the surrounding countryside and it is essential such places are well looked after.