The Gipping Valley Lakes - 30/4/2022

WHITETHROAT

What a beautiful day it was to take a walk along the river Gipping, to do some birdwatching in a quiet and underwatched area. The sun was out and people were few and far between, as were the birds. Although I didn't see much, it was such a great day to do some birding, a way to appease the soul as only nature does. I walked from my house in Whitton, down the traffic free Old Norwich Road, to Claydon where I made contact with the river Gipping and then made my way up the river to Baylham, passing along several flooded pits along the way. The usual breeding birds were about, but what was shocking was the lack of any hirundines, swallows and martins, birds I would usually see in large flocks at this time of year. Their population seems to have crashed this year, I saw a flock of five SWALLOWS and two further individuals, a paltry amount for some usually common birds at this time of year.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE among the bulrushes

My house exists on the edge of Ipswich and its a short walk to Old Norwich Road, which takes me right into the countryside. Traffic is purposefully restricted here, so its an idyllic area of walkers, cyclists and horse riders, not having to worry about getting run over. Along this road it was a forty minute walk to Claydon, with plenty of birds in the road side hedgerows, warblers like WHITETHROATS stood out, their scratchy song issuing from a tall bush.

Male REED BUNTING. This species is very obliging for photography as it has the tendency to sit on an exposed point.

In Claydon I caught the river Gipping and came to Barham Pits. A series of fishing lakes, created to make the bordering A14, they look natural enough, being bordered by trees. However they are pretty lousy for birds, with just the usual gravel pit birds present in small numbers. Its best not to have high expectations of seeing something rare, as you would be very disappointed.

Barham Pits

The first pit is Barham Pit B, the largest lake on the Gipping, a long thin lake bordered between the river and the A14 . Its attractive to breeding birds found in this type of lake, common birds found anywhere there is plenty of water. Two pairs of GREAT CRESTED GREBE were about, both with broods of two chicks, although one was very old, close to fledging, so possibly had been born over winter! A SWAN was nesting, and within the large number of GEESE there was a GREYLAG brood of six. Four COOT were about and a flock of nineteen TUFTED DUCK, the largest number I've seen on this pit, although they will be passing through, and probably wont breed.

Being close to the A14 the area was very industrialised with many depots and factories about

Barham Pit A is much smaller, and the new owners have destroyed a lot of habitats, like the fringing reeds, creating a soulless area of water. As a result only a pair of CANADA GEESE, GREAT CRESTED GREBE and COOT were about. The most northerly lake, Meadlands Pit held nothing.

Nesting SWAN Barham Pit B

From Barham Pits it was a short walk to the middle pits along the river. Although Barham was quite urbanised being next to the A14, the river soon moved into areas of countryside, areas of cow pasture, outside any village. Where the river slows down, reeds grow within its stretches, providing home for REED WARBLERS and REED BUNTINGS.  Not particularly close to a public car park, the small middle lakes are very much underwatched. Causeway Lake is fished, although no as much as Barham, but Shamford Mere is pretty quiet human wise.

Causeway Lake and Shamford Mere

Fairly quiet, Causeway Lake Held two pairs of SWAN, a pair of GREAT CRESTED GREBE, a whooping GREYLAG brood of ten, and a COOT brood of five, with four further birds about.

Along the Gipping by the middle lakes, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust had planted a number of trees along its stretch

Shamford Mere held a few more birds. A pair of GREAT  CRESTED GREBE, a pair of SWAN, and a CANANDA GOOSE brood of five. Possible breeding birds were a pair of GADWALL, ten TUFTED DUCK, and a single EGYPTIAN GOOSE, birds which may be passing through or not. A GREY WAGTAIL was about, and a KINGFISHER whizzed by too fast to appreciate its beautiful plumage.

CANADA GEESE with goslings

From here I took the river path to Baylahm Rare Breeds Farm and out on the main road to catch the bus home.

The lock on the river near Causeway Lake, a human made barrier on the river

In a quiet underwatched area, off the beaten track where few people go, the lakes of the river Gipping are a great way to get away from it all in a fairly urbanised area. Although I go to Barham Pits quite regularly, as its only a short bike journey away, I can't remember the last time I went to the middle pits, maybe over a year ago, so it was nice to have a look. It may be another year before I go back again, and although I may not see anything interesting again, it doesn't matter as I'll still have a pleasant time as I always do birdwatching.