RED DEER rut at Minsmere - 8/10/2017

Okay, so this time we knew the RED DEER rut was happening and today was a great opportunity to witness it. The heaths around Minsmere and Dunwich were the best location for finding them, one of the largest lowland herds in England. However over the years culls have taken their toll on the herd, and there are a barely a fraction of the 400+ found five or so years ago.
We started the search at the lookout point on Westleton Heath, a small hillock on the edge of an old quarry. We were quite surprised to actually see a deer up close, a young stag, sprinting across the grasslands. We later found out that this animal was scared away from another herd by a larger male, and he just kept running and not looked back.
With nothing else much to see we headed off west, taking the path around the grasslands before hitting the Minsmere road. We didn't see any more deer and neither did anyone we met. We saw three deer safari 4x4s, those belonging to the RSPB, and apparently they were scaring away all the deer, so whenever one of them turned up it was always a bad sign.
On joining the Minsmere road we finally found a herd of deer, a decent number of hinds with a massive male. Annoyingly they were so far away, in a kind of haze, my camera had difficulty in focusing on them. So here is a record shot:

 

 

We took the Minsmere road until we met the bridleway, which winds its way through Minsmere's back woods to Dunwich Heath. Its a great path with heathland as far as the eye can see, with a mix of oak, birch and pine trees. From time to time a stag deer would bellow out, quite a haunting sound.

We came to another area of grassland as we entered the outskirts of Dunwich Heath. Here we found another herd, this time quite a bit smaller, with a smaller stag guarding them. They kept to a kind of depression so even though we walked around this field, we could only see them from one spot. Here are a few record shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The path took us from Dunwich Heath to Mount Pleasant Farm, an area of heathland restoration, bought back around fifteen years ago. Its amazing how an area of intensively managed farmland can be turned back to heath in such a short time. A short sward of heather mixed in with areas of acid grassland dominated the landscape. The path then led back to Westleton Heath, and we didn't see any more deer, but there were more people about.

The eventual route we took was a square that skirted the area of mainly grassy habitat favoured by the deer. The deer seemed to be mainly fenced in here, where they were mostly kept away from humans. It meant there were few places to observe them, despite the large number of people who tried, but also created a safe haven for the deer, and helped preserve this place as one of the last areas of wilderness in lowland England.

 

 



Minsmere -1/10/2017

We headed out to the Westleton/Dunwich Heath complex, with my brother, in the hope of witnessing the RED DEER rut. This is one of those wildlife spectaculars that happens in Suffolk, one that just has to be seen. However after scoring a blank from the viewing mound at Westleton Heath, we went to Dunwich Heath where the woman at the information centre told us we were rather too early in the season. The stags were only just starting to flex their muscles, just starting to gather the females. So with that information we decided to spend the rest of the day at Minsmere, and it was a fairly decent day.
At the Visitors Centre we were told that the PEC SAND had moved on, a species which has so far eluded me, although I have had many close calls where I haven't had the courage to fully identify the bird species.
However the Scrape still held a decent number of WADERS, with passage still going strong. Highlights were three LITTLE STINTS, a new bird for my brother, which would often associate with the four RINGED PLOVERS present, giving a good comparison of their size. Two RUFF, small flocks of DUNLIN, some remnant AVOCETS, a CURLEW, a BAR TAILED GODWIT and the usual common WADERS were also present.
DUCKS were emerging from their dull eclipse plumage, with the males starting to look a lot more colourful, with all the usual suspects about, mainly tucked up asleep on the Scrape.
The day was quite windy, so all the small birds were keeping low in the vegetation, but there were three STONECHATS in the dunes and a KINGFISHER flew in front of the South Hide. There was also a MARSH TIT on the feeders in the North Bushes, and some SWALLOWS were still about.
In the reeds immediately in front of West Hide we found a WARBLER SPECIES, with yellow legs, an olive green colour and some barring near the wing. It was like no species I have seen before, and looking through the bird guides in the shop, still couldn't identify it.
Over and around the reedbed hides, nothing much was present except the usual HARRIERS. A HOBBY was seen behind Island Mere Hide, probably the last one of the summer, and a BEARDED TIT right beside the path to the hide.
A CHINESE WATER DEER was present in the same place we saw it last visit, grazing on the reedbed edge in the Konik fields.
So it was good birding and at the end of the day we had encountered most of the birds present today, which is no small feat. Here's hoping October is a good one and lots of rarities end up in this corner of the world, I think we deserve that.

Red Throated Pipit at Languard Point - 28/9/2017

Not sure about this  one - maybe a MIPPIT?

 



Its not usual that I go to twitches, I don't really like crowds - hence why I took up birdwatching - but a RED THROATED PIPIT on one of my local patches was too good to miss. The day started off cloudy but soon cleared up and it became quite sunny, and with the bird reported yesterday took a trip to Felixstowe.
The bird was located at the point - the furthest part of Languard - and was keeping itself to the roped off areas and was being seen on and off. A group of around ten people had gathered and it was fairly easy to locate the bird.
When the bird was in flight it gave off a monosyllabic call much different to the MEADOW PIPITS around. It also had distinct white wing bars and heavy black stripes on its chest. It also seemed to have burgundy red spots on the side of its throat.

 

This one more like the RED THROATED PIPIT - see the red throat

 



Apart from the PIPIT not much else about, with the usual WHEATEARS, GOLDFINCHES and LINNETS.

Warbleswick - 25/9/2017

With my brother spending some time in Suffolk I wanted to show him some of the birding highlights that the Suffolk coast has to offer, and where better than the often overlooked Warbleswick. Despite being one of the most biological rich reserves in the country its often overlooked compared to the nearby reserve of Minsmere, which is geared up for birding, rather then the more low key Warbleswick. Its a wilderness of coast, reedbed and heathland that stretches over a huge area.
We started from the Dunwich car park which was unusually quiet, and from then on saw barely a soul. A pair of STONECHATS were present in some gorse bushes by the car park, but apart from that the area was quiet. Walking up by Dingle Marshes, the pools there were fairly quiet with the usual estuarine waders, and the first couple of BRENT GEESE of the Autumn.
We turned off from the coast at the entrance to the Warbleswick reserve, and in the reedbeds there were three MARSH HARRIERS. By the abandoned wind pump there was a party of 'pinging' BEARDED TITS. These birds were to become a feature of the day as dispersing parties of birds were seen across the area. A WHINCHAT was found perched on a bush in the reedbeds, with its eye stripe and white patches on its tail, when it flew, making it a nice find.
As the land rose, the habitat turned from reedbed to woodland and eventually to heathland. A lot of the heathland at Warbleswick is more kind of grassy, with stunted heath plants dotted about. I hadn't been to this area for quite a while and a lot of the farming practice had changed since then.
We followed the footpath to Tinker's  Marsh an area of grazing marsh bordering the Blyth Estuary. Most of the grassland had dried out, and the estuary was quiet. However there were two COMMON SEALS resting on some exposed mud, a good sighting for this area. There were several parties of BEARDED TITS seen along the ditchside reeds, it really has seemed to be a good year locally for this species.
We connected with the old train line that used to run to Warbleswick village, and on a cow grazed area of grassland were four WHEATEARS. On the marshes north of Warbleswick were a huge number of BARNACLE GEESE. We walked through Warbleswick Common, an area of more overgrown heath, of gorse and scrub.
We traced our way through some farmland and came across a huge flock of birds. Seeing the number we guessed them to be STARLINGS but on further observation found them to be RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE, in a flock numbering several hundred! There were loads of PHEASANTS about, on Tinker's Marsh one kept running into my leg, in a vain attempt to get some food off me!
We returned to Warbleswick reedbed, where we saw a pair of STONECHAT, a REED BUNTING and more BEARDED TITS, before diverting off around Dunwich Forest. On a pool on the edge of the Warbleswick reedbed, viewed from  a small hill, were a large number of commoner DUCKS and GEESE, and also a GREAT EGRET, standing as tall as a HERON next to it, with its large yellow bill.
Further along the track on the edge of Dunwich Forest we saw a MARSH TIT, always good to see. The path took us back to Dunwich and a drink at the beachside café.
So we covered pretty much all of the Warbleswick reserve, which is a huge area, it took a long time, about five hours. I haven't been to this area for a long time, nearly a couple of years, as I tend to go to the reserves further south, which are so much easier to birdwatch. But its a good reserve, and by putting in the effort it can be richly rewarding.

Wader Spectacular - Snettisham -19/9/2017

 

The real reason I came out to this area of the country was to take advantage of the Spring tides that were occurring on the Wash. Spring tides are the highest tides of the year which results in more mud being covered by water leading to the huge numbers of birds present being pushed closer to land. And boy were there a lot of birds.



 

 

We arrived here from Holme at about half three, with high tide not due until eight passed seven, which we hoped would give us plenty time to appreciate the forces at work here. The tide was well out, with only small  numbers of waders on the vast area of mud. There was a small flock of SANDWHICH  TERNS and COMMON TERNS on the mud and there was also a SPOONBILL which would later relocate to the gravel pits.

 



 

The wader spectacular is the rock concert of the birding world with lots of people truning up to view the natural wonder, with much more people than you would expect at a nature reserve. Everyone was expecting a big show.

The tide gradually came in and we noticed sights like a boat stuck on the mud becoming floating on water and other areas becoming submerged. The main bird flocks were always on the water's edge and they were gradually coming closer and closer. We were able to start identifying birds. KNOTS in massive flocks, some still slightly pink from their summer plumage. Loads of OYSTERCATCHERS, forming a great black mass, a few GREY PLOVERS, RINGED PLOVERS, GODWITS. The birds would form huge murmarations twisting about as if trying to create giant knots from rope in the sky. Offshore there was a flotilla of SHELDUCK with a few AVOCET amongst them.

We positioned ourselves by the last hides, and then gradually the tide met the start of the reserve and along the way the jetty where we were standing before became submereged. The mud turned into a mass of bird, different flocks formed of single species creating a strata of different colours.

In the end the sea didn't quite cover the entire mudflats leaving a small amount of bird covered dry mud. When it became obvious the tide had reached its peak and the birds had stopped flying and had gone to sleep it was time to leave whilst there was still some light left.

 

 

So even though it was an amazing spectacle and a wonder of the natural world we were slightly short changed. What was supposed to happen was the tide was to cover up all the mud and the remaining waders were to fly inland and roost on the gravel pits positioned behind the sea wall. This didn't happen, even on this the highest of tides, so it seems a rare event even though it is advertised as something that happens a lot by the RSPB.



 

 

Out on the gravel pits some young COMMON TERNS were present with adults flying in to feed them from the sea. There were a few SPOTTED REDSHANK and GREENSHANK present preferring here to the mudflats.

So a good day of sorts. I was able to witness a great wildlife experience, probably the greatest in lowland England, and another tick from my bucket list, I came away thinking I kind of missed the full experience, that if only the sea had come in a fraction higher I would have witnessed something truly spectacular. Oh well, such is life.  

Holme Dunes - 19/9/2017

View from one of the hides

 

 

Today I went on a trip to North-West Norfolk, specifically to Holme Dunes, to catch migrant birds, and to Snettisham for the wader spectacular of a spring tide. However on both counts I was fairly unlucky and got neither of what I wanted.

I arrived at Holme around midday and the weather was absolutely gorgeous, with a cloudless sunny sky. However the southerlies which led to this were also the worst winds for birdwatching and resulted in there being few birds about.

Holme is a large dune system behind which lies an area of grazing marsh. It is a large reserve managed by the local wildlife trust, within which is a bird observatory, managed by someone else. This is only the fifth time I've visited here, over a period stretching twenty years, so its not a place I know well.

The hides produced few birds, just a handful of DUCKS on the pools. Likewise the dunes produced only a couple of STONECHAT and a large flock of several hundred STARLINGS, which could be heard from some distance away. I think these birds were more locally produced birds rather than migrants.

The pine trees contained the bird observatory

 



Onto the bird observatory, the tiny little reserve within the big Holme Dunes reserve (yes it is a bit of a strange arrangement). This little reserve is based in a pine forest, and consists of bushes which supposedly attracts migrants. I don't know if they do because I've never seen anything there. The guy at the observatory brought my attention to a large gathering of birds of prey. Around 15 BUZZARDS were high in the air in the distance, with some MARSH HARRIERS closer to the ground. This was a nice record for a fairly bird less day.

After I left the reserve it came to me why I have only ever been to Holme five times. I've always concentrated on Titchwell and Cley, which I have visited many times, and with the distance I have to travel to get to North Norfolk always went to those reserves which were more reliable and could guarantee good sightings.

However with a trip to Snettisham to see the waders it gave me a chance to experience this reserve as part of a trip when I normally wouldn't.



KINGFISHERS Galore at Lackford Lakes - 14/9/2017

 

 

 

What ever else you say about Lackford Lakes, one thing undisputable is that this reserve is the best in the country for viewing KINGFISHERS. The sheer amount of photographic opportunities presented is absolutely amazing and its almost impossible to not get a good shot. These photos were all taken from the hides overlooking the Slough, which is the best bit of water for birdwatching on the reserve.

 

 

This bird posed for a long time on a branch

 

With its piping call this bird dashed across the water

 

This bird was hovering in flight over the water

 

 

Elsewhere on the reserve there was a small influx of TUFTED DUCK across the lakes and some GADWALL and TEAL on the Slough.

On the Long Reach lake there was still a GREAT CRESTED GREBE family present. However in general the lakes were fairly empty with not much birdlife really present.

 

 

Probably because of the KINGFISHERS this is a very popular reserve, maybe the most popular for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Being inland it is always going to suffer from a lack of birds when compared to the coast, but it is still one of the best in west Suffolk and I always enjoy visiting here.