24th September - RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk

It was back to Suffolk and Aldeburgh again, this time for a week with the extended family, this allowed me to spend some serious time birding and the first trip was to Minsmere.  It was a short drive and there were not many cars in the car park when I arrived, as I changed footwear in the car park I could hear the sea crashing onto the beach.  It was a bright morning, clear skies and a north westerly wind that took the edge off the temperature.  The beach and dunes called to me so I headed out towards the north wall.

I was here at the end of August when we were still in the grip of the summer's drought.  Thorough September there has been quite a bit of rain as Mother Nature starts to balance things up, but it appeared to not have made much difference to the Stone Curlew field, the grass still looking very dry and Serengeti like.

 I had hoped for some Bearded Tits in the reeds along the North Wall, but it was very quiet.  As I walked towards the beach the sound of the sea grew louder and looking out across the dunes the waves were very strong, crashing on to the beach, it was almost high tide.

A view looking back along the North Wall, Dunwich Heath and the Coastguard cottages away to the right.

Walking through the dunes I disturbed Meadow Pipits and a single Wheatear, a juvenile Kestrel flew along the line of the reserve.

The gorse and the bramble around the concrete blocks was busy with quite a few Blue Tits and Stonechats.

This male was extremely approachable.

The view from the Sluice looking across the famous Minsmere Scrape and the extensive reed bed that stretches' to Eastbridge and beyond.

I was going to walk on to Sizewell, but I could hear the "pinging" calls of Bearded Tits coming from the reeds around the Sluice, so I diverted and managed to find a flock of about twelve Bearded Tits, they mostly stayed low only briefly coming to the top of the reeds.

I returned to the dunes and carried on towards Sizewell, I failed to locate a Dartford Warbler that called and then immediately dropped into the gorse.  I was taken by the mixture of lichen and grass alongside the path.

A group of Barnacle Geese flew north past me.

Wherever you are at Minsmere there is always the distant sight of the Sizewell nuclear power station, the most obvious feature being the 65 metre high and 45 metre diameter dome.

The dome houses the beating heart of the 26-year-old plant - the pressurised water reactor (PWR), which splits uranium atoms in a process called fission to create nuclear energy.  The energy it creates is intense - enough to power two massive turbines with shafts rotating at 3,000rpm, which turn it into electricity for 2.5million homes.

Up closer it takes on a sci fi film appearance which is enhanced in black and white media

The temperature of the reactor inside is 260C and it is highly radioactive, meaning the shell of the dome is built to withstand the impact of a potential which is reassuring considering how close I now was.

There had been little sightings of birds in the dunes and surrounding bushes, so as I approached the warm water outflow just off the beach I was hoping for something special.  There were plenty of gulls both in the area and and on the water.  Scanning through the flock I found both Sandwich and Common Terns and at least three Little Gulls, the smaller gulls keeping themselves away from the larger Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.  On the platforms there were both Cormorants and Shags, with several also in the water.  This was the best shot I could get with everything challenging even a 'scope.

I turned to walk back, away to the north quite a strong storm was gathering above Southwold, the sky quite dramatic and lending itself to a black and white image.

Here the view from within the dunes.

The lone tree in the field was highlighted against the sun lit grass.

On reaching the Sluice I entered the reserve, I could hear Bearded Tits calling from the reeds but the strong winds kept them low.

The scrape is currently being worked on and this along with very low water levels meant there were very few birds.  I managed one Avocet from the South hide.

And from the West Hide (I can't call it the Wildlife Lookout!) a couple of Grey Plover.

I decided to return to the visitor centre for something to eat, but as I entered the wooded area I was distracted by a large flock of small birds.  I managed to see Blue, Great, Marsh and Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and this Treecreeper.

After a very nice ciabatta sausage and bacon roll I headed out towards the Bittern and Island Mere hides. I had intended to walk to the Island Mere first, but at the last minute changed my mind and turned off for the Bittern hide in what turned out to be good change of mind.

It was a little busy but as is always the way people do not stay too long in this hide, probably due to the fact that the vast expanse of reeds below the hide are not always the most entertaining sights.

The modus here is to sit watch and wait, every so often something will appear like this Great Egret, that flew past.

The orange bill of the Great Egret distinguishing it from the smaller Little Egret at a distance.

A brief view of a Bittern coming out of the reeds and flying left before dropping back down was followed by a shrill call that heralded the appearance of a Kingfisher in the ditch on the right hand side of the hide.

The turnover of visitors continued and as a couple moved in next to me they were pointing something out to the right again, I thought it might be the Kingfisher returning but as I looked along the cleared path I saw what they were interested in, a Bittern out in the open on the path.

It crossed the path and I expected it to disappear into the reeds, but instead it turned back to the reeds on the right hand side..

Now I have seen Red Deer on this path, and one time a Stoat running along it, Pheasants use it as do duck, but I never expected to see a Bittern so much out in the open. 

 It started to walk towards the hide, lifting the large feet in a kind of goose step.

It then turned into the reeds and was gone from sight, but the entertainment in the Bittern Hide wasn't over, almost as the Bittern went from view, a Hobby appeared high over the reeds.

It was catching dragonflies, probably Common Darter as there were many flying in the warm sunshine.

Not close, but very classic Hobby views.

With the Hobby gone, what next?  Well the Bittern appeared again, this time closer.

This time though it made its way into the reeds and away.

But the Hobby was back.

But this time drifted away from view.

There are five specialties at the Bittern Hide and so far I had seen four, Great Egret, Bittern, Kingfisher and Hobby, conspicuous by its absence up to now it soon arrived, the Marsh Harrier.

This was an immature bird and appeared to be interested in a spot in the reeds.

The path that leads away on the right of the Bittern Hide, with the ditch that the Kingfisher appeared in on the right of the path

At one time I saw four Great Egret in flight, there is a roost at the Island Mere of eight individuals that includes 2 juveniles, however breeding on the reserve has not been confirmed.

One of the RSPB staff then pointed out a male Sparrowhawk at the base of a hawthorn bush in the reeds.

Then somebody called out a Bittern in the pool in front of the hide, there was the usual calls from within the hide "where?"  "I can't get on it"  "It's there in the reeds on the right".  Finally I managed to find it.

Slowly it showed itself a lot better out in the open.

There is very little open water in the reed bed which makes viewing much more difficult at this time of year and is probably one of the reason people do not stray for long.  The reeds are cleared in the winter, cutting can start after October the first .  So for now we had to make do.  But the Bitterns was being good and moved to one of the more open areas.

I have seen this behaviour in Bitterns before and with Little Egrets too, the head is turned and almost laid on the water, I speculated with the RSPB worker as to why they do this and it is thought to allow the Bitterns to reduce the reflection and allow them to see better through the water.

It made its way across the open patch and finally eased itself into the reeds.

It was possible to still watch its progress through the reeds but never with a clear view, finally it turned into the reeds and was out of sight. The chatter in the hide rose as everyone congratulated themselves on the experience, see it just pays to stick it out in the Bittern hide, unfortunately five minutes just isn't enough unless you are very, very lucky and some are.

With the Bittern experience over many left the hide and at one point I was the only one threre, coming up to three hours sitting and watching.  To the right of the hide is a dead tree and apparently the Hobby like to sit there.  I managed to get a flacon sitting there, but unfortunately a Kestrel

A beautiful little falcon nonetheless.

I love this shot.

There had been some short, but sharp showers and as one stopped I finally decided to leave the Bittern hide and to go and try my luck at the Island Mere hide.

As I set off I could see some very black clouds gathering away to the north and I didn't quite make it to the hide, being caught on the board walk in some heavy rain.  Looking out from the hide a Great Egret did not look happy in the shower either.

Eventually flying off to one of the inlets to the left of the hide.

And surprise on the island out in the mere was a Whooper Swan.  It spent most of the time with its head tucked under the wing asleep, but every so often it would look up to confirm the white swan was a Whooper.

A break in the clouds above the poplars of Eastbridge.

The "pings" of Bearded Tits could be heard and every so often they could be seen darting across the top of the reeds but dropping immediately out of sight, the wind keeping them down at the base of the reeds. This was one of the only times one stayed out in the open long enough

One male was present in the reeds below the hide and you could see it moving the reeds as it made its way through them.  Every so often it would give a glimpse and I managed this portrait, a different perspective of what can be a secretive and skulky bird.

A very smart male Marsh Harrier appeared for a short flight as it headed into a bush.

A colour view across the mere towards the poplars.

The Great Egret returned to the area in front of the hide.

A more usual view of a Bittern at Minsmere

Then one came from the right and headed to wards the hide, unfortunately it flew over a Great Egret that lunged up and the Bittern veered away.

And then dropped back down into the reeds.

And with that I decided call it a day.  Minsmere is a place where there are birds, there is no doubt, but you have to work for them.  Today I put in the effort and was rewarded with good results and views of some Minsmere's specialties, notably Bittern.  Hopefully I will get the chance to come back before the week is over.