Hopped the fence this morning with my bike and had an absolutely superb day along the Suffolk coast
A bit overcast early on and no real surprises in the back roads through Lowestoft, Wrentham & Reydon, but still a few singing Yellowhammers, Chiffchaffs, Chaffinch, Goldfinch etc along the way and an early Sedge Warbler plus one harrier near south Cove.
Song Thrush, a Jay, Willow Warbler, couple of Redshank, Lapwing, calling Green Woodpecker, family of Shelduck along the dusty track & railway bridge to Walberswick, and then got really lucky as i took a break on the Walberswick station commemorative seat - one reeling Grasshopper Warbler in the reedbeds just in front. Very nice.
Took a detour in Dunwich Forest down a Bridleway with countless Blackcaps & Goldcrest singing and soon came to a clearing near entrance 41, where with the sun shining down & the gorse looking and smelling wonderful, midway up a conifer tree sat a singing Nightingale. And as i could think of nowhere in the world better than right there at that moment i took the opportunity of a flask break and listened to it singing. Wonderful.
Dunwich NT, was about to resign myself to failure and put away the bin's when a Stonechat caught my attention at the top of a gorse bush... and right underneath in the same bush were 3 Dartford Warblers. very nice. c8 Sand Martins & 2 Swallows on the beach
Minsmere Canopy Hide. 10 mins- Greater-Spotted woodpecker, Green woodpecker, 2 (totally unexpected) Nuthatch, 2 Jays.
Minsmere 'loop' - cant list everything but - 7 Red Deer, harriers, 2 booming Bittern, pinging Bearded Tits, pr Marsh Tit. Waders inc. Spotted Redshank, Avocet, Turnstone, Knot, Black-tailed Godwit (couldn't find any Bar-tails although i was informed they were certainly there), etc. Several Cetti's in song on the reserve, a few Sedge Warblers and one Reed Warbler. c4 Nightingales in bushes between the cafe and the sea
And if not content with those, passing South Cove again on the way back, i spotted (#75!) a superb Common Buzzard circling over the fields.
Gorgeous sunny day, cracking birds, lovely countryside. Best day of the year so far.