Its been a fairly underwhelming Autumn so far on the Suffolk coast with little of interest moving through. So with not much about I chose to visit Dingle Marshes on the off chance that I might find something of interest. Alas it wasn't to be, as although there were a few interesting birds about there was just nothing truly rare to see.
The walk around Dingle Marshes starts at Dunwich car park, walking north along the shingle beach, moving inland at the reed beds of Westwood Marshes before heading back south through Dunwich Forest. The Marshes are a mixture of grassland and reeds with a couple of shore pools, and the huge reed bed of Westwood Marshes, which is part of the Walberswick reserve. I spent some time around the area, three hours, giving it a thorough going over, checking all the available habitat so nothing could escape my searching gaze.
The shore pools on the marshes are pretty good for WADERS which are attracted to the shallow brackish water. The highlight today was a flock of five SPOTTED REDSHANK, a fairly common wader at this time of year, but for some reason they have been rare on the Suffolk Coast this Autumn. Its similar to a common redshank, but is more elegant, with a light grey wash plumage, and black on its bill. A WHIMBREL was present, as were two AVOCET, six DUNLIN, seven GODWITS and a COMMON SANDPIPER. Numbers of Teal had built up with 130 present, mainly asleep on the edges of the pools. Also around was a GREAT WHITE EGRET, mixed in with the LITTLE EGRETS, Dingle Marshes is the best place on the Coast to see this increasing species. A flock of seven RINGED PLOVERS were on the beach, often flying up and down when scared by a passing dog walker.
Walking through the reeds at Westwood Marshes, a KINGFISHER flew down one of the dykes, a bolt of sapphire shooting across the water, moving so quickly before disappearing for good. The reeds were full of BEARDED TITS, their metallic "pinging" call echoing among the tall stems, with the odd bird rising up to be seen. This is the time of year when they "erupt", when flocks of the birds emerge from the reeds, leaving the larger reed beds where they nest to winter elsewhere. WATER RAILS could be heard calling, a squealing pig sound coming from the reeds, this is a fairly common bird that is so hard to see, hidden in the reeds, but announces itself every so often. Several WHEATEAR were around the shingle bank, while a STONECHAT was seen in the grassy slope that rises from the marshes.
In the end it was a fairly standard day's birding down at Dingle Marshes with nothing much particularly of interest. I was hoping something of note might have turned up, but it wasn't to be. Its alright, its nice walking territory, and I enjoy visiting other places that aren't Minsmere. Its probably not the best place to visit on the Suffolk Coast, but worth a look every so often.
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