Minsmere RSPB 2nd May 2017

We started out with the intention of trying to see the reported Savi’s Warbler at RSPB Minsmere which had apparently been reeling from a bush next to the L locator sign in the reed bed outside the Island Mere Hide earlier in the day. We stayed there for about forty-five minutes but apart from good displays by Marsh Harriers, some Common Terns, a Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler and Great Crested Grebes there wasn’t much to be seen so we backtracked to the Bittern Hide where we were also rather disappointed despite more great Marsh Harrier displays; it was hard to know how many were on the site but there were always several birds in the air.

We walked back to reception for a cup of tea and there were quite a lot of woodland birds  such as Jays, Tits, Finches, Blackbirds and Robins and obviously a lot of Woodpigeons and Corvids.

After some refreshment we went in the opposite direction intending to do a circle route of the scrapes. At the North Hide there were lots of Greylag, Barnacle and Canada Geese. Also hundreds of Black-headed Gulls and a smattering of Avocets.

At the East Hide we had a splendid collection of birds with two islands holding at least 27 Mediterranean Gulls. There were large numbers of Common Terns and a couple of Sandwich Terns. We also got close views of Avocets there was a smattering of Shelduck, Gadwall, lots of confusing Gulls but at least Herring, Common, Lesser Black-backed and a multitude of Black-headed Gulls. We also got a nice group of half a dozen or so Black-tailed Godwits.

At the Public Hide we had better views of the several spits that radiate out from there towards the far side of the scrape. At this hide a very helpful chap also pointed out to us a pair of Bar-headed Geese of doubtful provenance but they were on a nest.

To add to the Gulls already noticed on the scrape as a whole we also got here Kittiwakes which appear to be nesting on structures at the nearby Sizewell Power Station and roosting during the day on the scrape! We could also see from this hide a small group of Bar-tailed Godwits to add to the Blackwits of the previous hide. Also on the spits was a fantastic Knot showing exactly why their proper name is Red Knot as it was in full summer plumage. Not so the Grey Plover that was resolutely in its winter coat. A couple of Redshank, a Dunlin and a Ringed Plover rounded the birds off from this hide.

Walking along the path that runs by the dunes we heard plenty of Whitethroats and we also got a Stonechat. That was about it for the day and we walked back around via the South Hide and the Wildlife Lookout Hide. At the latter we got a rather unexpected Mandarin Duck and a more likely pair of Wigeon. A few Swallows were in the air overhead but it was noticeable that the huge numbers of Sand Martins that had nested in their Sand Martin Bank near reception last year were nowhere to be seen this year. Curious !

Fifty-seven species with five year firsts wasn’t a bad haul so with the weather getting a bit greyer and colder, we called it a day. The year ticks were Bar-headed Goose (if countable – probably not), Common Gull, Kittiwake, Mandarin Duck and Sandwich Tern.

Bird Sightings : Minsmere