Suffolk Birding (3 Viewers)

[GiG]

It is a bit quiet up there now when i first went to minsmere there used to be feeders and you used to see loads at really close range but for some reason they took them down

I've not seen much there but it was always a good view point for Purple Hairstreak in the summer.

Gi

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Good numbers of common species, including Song Thrush, which I said I'm sure I'm encountering more these days - has anybody else noted if they are increasing? Gi

I do seem to see plenty of Song Thrushes about these days, including one which spends a lot of time in my garden. I watched it the other night pecking at ants on the path – it must take a lot of them for a good meal.

I always think of Song Thrushes as the head boy of the bird world – they seem to be good at everything. They are good looking, clever and are brilliant singers. Quite sickening really!

 

[matt green]

Had a quick jaunt around the suffolk 'backwaters' today with a birding friend, nothing truly out of the ordinery but plenty to see.

Raydon, Southwold common and Blyth estuary.

The day started by scanning some rough set aside fields (no idea where exactly!) where we heard, then saw three Whimbrel.Despite checking out some promising quarry workings and the grounds of an electricity station? nothing else was seen of note so we moved onto southwold common..

First stop was at the sewage works! by the allotments, not much to be seen here except Herring and Blackheaded Gulls in full cry feeding off insects from the holding tanks.Walking through the paths we briefly searched for adders
but none where seen, however we did see plenty of Green Hairstreak butterflies along with the more common species, an interesting looking damselfly was also seen (anyone wanna ID it?)

Looking over the gorse bushes onto the large pool viewable from the common we didn't really see much of interest here either except for one marsh harrier over the marshes.Our last stop of the day was Blyth estuary, lots of waders where seen including a count of..

Bar Tailed Godwit, 33
Whimbrel, 2
Greenshank, 2
Dunlin, 1

Oystercatcher, redshanks etc where also seen along with 'lots' of Shelduck
and Greylag.Walking back through Hen Reed bed we heard Bearded tits, Reed and Sedge warblers but all where very difficult to see among the reeds.
Last notable sighting of the day were three 'lounge lizards' back at the carpark!!!


The pics..

Matt

 

[StuartReeves]

First stop was at the sewage works! by the allotments, not much to be seen here except Herring and Blackheaded Gulls in full cry feeding off insects from the holding tanks.Walking through the paths we briefly searched for adders
but none where seen, however we did see plenty of Green Hairstreak butterflies along with the more common species, an interesting looking damselfly was also seen (anyone wanna ID it?)

I think its a Large Red Damselfly. I saw a Small Red Damsel in my garden today, and a couple of Hairy Dragonflies over by North Cove. Also Turtle Dove, Swift, Hobby, House Martins and a Ring Ousel in the same general area.

edit: for Small Red Damselfly read small red damselfly - probably Large Red!

 

[Edward woodwood]

Hi Matt

it's a large red as Stu says - most like fulvipes colour form

late April is mega early for Southern Hawker though Stu and very early for Small Red (a really rare species in East Anglia)?

 

[StuartReeves]

Hi Matt

it's a large red as Stu says - most like fulvipes colour form

late April is mega early for Southern Hawker though Stu and very early for Small Red (a really rare species in East Anglia)?

I checked the emergence times before your edit Tim hence the switch from Southern Hawker to Hairy Dragonfly. Hadn't noticed the distribution of Small Red Damsel so I can only assume that this was even more stringy and that it was actually a poorly seen Large Red. Still learning these things!

 

[matt green]

Hi Matt

it's a large red as Stu says - most like fulvipes colour form

Cheers for the ID Stuart and Tim

Another couple of pics of the Blood-vein? (when it wasn't attached to my crotch!) and the Green Hairstreak, my pictures do not do this little insect justice.

Matt

 

[GiG]

3 Whimbrel on Martlesham Creek yesterday morning, they are a regular Spring passage migrant at this site - I've put a photo of one in my photos.

Also heard a secong Cuckoo for the area this Spring nearby. At lunchtime 2 Common Terns another regular passage migrant, the birds were on a mud bank with 1 flying off, caught a fish and and came back and presented it to the other.

This morning heard a Nightingale along the lane where I work the first time in a few years.

Gi

 

[GiG]

A Turtle Dove this morning - the first this Spring and eagerly awaited.

At lunchtime 11 Greenshank at high tide.

Gi

 

[Original PaulE]

Had a good couple of days in the south of the county yesterday saw my first swifts of the year returning to the local church and this morning on way to work saw a large bird of prey flying over raydon airfield which on examination through my bins turned out to be an osprey presumably on its way up north
cheers

 

[GiG]

Had a good couple of days in the south of the county yesterday saw my first swifts of the year returning to the local church and this morning on way to work saw a large bird of prey flying over raydon airfield which on examination through my bins turned out to be an osprey presumably on its way up north
cheers

Well done on a good find - I keep hoping to come across one on my patch one day!

Gi

 

[Penny Clarke]

2 Male Golden Orioles at RSPB Lakenheath today singing at 8am, view from River Bank.

 

[barryj]

Minsmere/Dunwich Heath

Great idea about this thread.
I had a blinder at Minsmere and Dunwich On Sat 12th,
Started off with Red legged Partridge, Little Owl and Nightingale all before getting to Dunwich. Then on the heath Dartford warbler, Yellowhammer,
Stonechat, Skylark and a possible Merlin. Drove back to Minsmere
and was rewarded with fantastic views of 8 Bitterns (3 in the air at once),
Knot, Coal Tit, Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Turtle Dove, Bearded Tit, Cetti's, Willow, Reed and Sedge Warbler's, Blackcap to name a few I ended up with 78
species. Also great views of Red deer, Muntjack deer and a Shrew.
All in all a great day dispite the showers.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Every time I've been to Minsmere recently, in the evening I've heard a very loud and rapid "peep peep peep peep peep" call coming from the trees. It sounds to me exactly like the recording of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on the RSP site, so I have scanned the tree tops to see if I can see one.

So far I have had no luck and, as nobody else has mentioned it, I guess it must be something else. Has anyone got any ideas? As I say, it sounds just like the 'peeping' noise after the drumming on the RSPB site recording.

Ron

 

[On-Firecrest]

hi
Does any one know where a good place for a grey partridge is in suffolk?
i have tried and failed too many times!!! any help would be appreciated.

Heard and saw a lesser whitethroat, common whitethroat, chiffchaff, sedge warbler and a couple of blackcaps at no mans meadows in bury st edmunds. Its a nice little after school patch which claims it has grey wagtails on its noticeboard. Never seen them though!!!
cheers
steve

 

[phyllosc]

Steve, I've seen Grey Partridge at Shingle Street in the past.

Ron, where abouts do you hear the 'peep, peep. peep...' About a year ago I saw LSWP on the access road close to the reserve 'works depot'. I've been searching for it since but I've not managed to see it again.


Dave C

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Ron, where abouts do you hear the 'peep, peep. peep...' About a year ago I saw LSWP on the access road close to the reserve 'works depot'. I've been searching for it since but I've not managed to see it again.


Dave C

I've heard it throughout the whole woodland area from the Bittern Hide to the Reception, mainly in the evening. It's really loud and piercing but it's hard to work out exactly where it's coming from. I'm just surprised nobody else seems to have noticed or commented on it. As you've seen a LSWP I'll carry on looking.

Ron

 

[On-Firecrest]

cheers for that Dave c (phyllosc) i will try their soon and tell you if i am succsessfull at long last!

good birding!!!

 

[StuartReeves]

Took a short trip to Minsmere after work today. From talking to people it seems there are now two Purple Herons there. I only saw one but I'm not complaining too bitterly about that!

 

[StuartReeves]

Now a Short-toed Lark at Minsmere. reported in the dunes halfway between the sluice and Sizewell. Also two Purple Herons on the reserve.