Part 2 of my travels through Suffolk.
I had reached Saxmundham. The name itself generates some Anglo - Saxon historical conotations which wouldn't be too wide of the mark.
There is a real tangible feel about this place on the East coast with the North Sea beating on it's shore.
I felt that last year - my first foray to this part of England.
I had arrived the evening before for four nights at the Happy Days Retro Vacations caravan park. I had been here for the first time last year and was so taken with the place, a return was inevitable.
Make no mistake, this is only a small place. Some eight or so American made silver Airstreams sit permanently nestled in a Suffolk copse, out of view. There is an English made Cheltenham caravan too. Real cute looking in amongst it's bluff confident Atlantic cousins. I was due to stay in this, after all, what did I want with the extravagance of a large caravan when all I was doing was putting my head down for the night with a view to rising before the dawn and crashing out in the evening?
My hosts, Jenni and Kevin very kindly upgraded me as the bank holiday had finished, so they were quiet for a few days. The extravagance was most appreciated. Their Airstreams are really cool so it was a real treat to stay in one again.
I was up before first light with the RSPB reserve of Minsmere as my destination and point of focus for the next few days.
Sunrise was around 5.15am but you really need to get to the reserve before then to see the things that won't show as well later on.
The Island Mere hide is the place to be. Jutting out into the water with commanding views across the reedbeds. My hope of sightings of otter and bittern were top of the list.
Last year was very poor. I was hoping for better in 2019..
The view from Whin Hill down to the hide is fab.
Then onto the walkway into one of the best hides.
The sun wasn't even above the horizon yet.
As I sat looking South over the water, I kept glancing over my shoulder as the sun rose over Whin Hill.
Which began to light the scene in front of me.
A duck Mallard with her few remaining ducklings ambled past the huge open windows of the hide. Every time I saw them I wondered how many would survive to adulthood ? They would no doubt begin to get fewer by the day.
Minsmere is a mecca for breeding Bittern, and no wonder, as this is some of the largest reedbed in the UK. Last year I had been promised so many great views, only to be disappointed at the end of four days searching due to many different factors.
Within minutes I had witnessed more views than last year and coupled with Lakenheath the few days before I had seen more than the last few years put together.
One was flying directly towards us as we sat in the hide in the still weather. I let my shutter finger fly...
All too soon it had disappeared back into the reeds in front of us.
A short burst of adrenalin until the next sighting, or so I hoped. This is a game of sit and wait and patience...
In the meantime the Reed Bunting pair went to and fro frequently. If only the Bittern would be so obliging so frequently but it's not in their nature so I wasn't surprised. That's probably why they are so engaging when you do get a brief glimpse.
The sit and wait game does give many minutes for contemplation and shots of golden reeds but I wasn't complaining. I had my flask of green tea to see me through until the cafe opened.
The raptor master around these parts is the Marsh Harrier. There were a couple of territories from the vantage point of the hide as I watched them make nests deep in the base of the reeds.. This male had to put up with the usual grief from the local corvids though.
Directly in front of the hide are a couple of wooden bars that are great perching points for passing birds. Over the next few days a variety of species would use them and they were regular in their timings you could almost set your watch by them.
The first up was usually the Cormorant who would sit and dry it's wings after a good feed.
Magpies would peck at the faeces deposited on the bar, no doubt gathering nutrition from it.
The Marsh Harrier was on constant patrol in front of us, either hunting or nesting or even chasing off unwanted predators such as the corvids.
Next turn on the parallel bars was an odd one. A Common Sandpiper, something I wouldn't have expected !
It paraded up and down for a couple of minutes, then was off to feed on a shore somewhere as it normally does.
The occasional bush juts out above the reeds. The perfect promontory for a warbler to set out it's territory. Perfect in fact for a sedge warbler that seem to prefer these points. So did the rare Savis Warbler which happened to be here last year and was singing from the exact same bushes too. I'm sure it would be the same bird fresh in from it's wintering grounds in Africa, back to the exact same bush. That's just so incredible if it was, pretty amazing regardless to travel so far for such a tiny bird. Sadly they are too far away for a decent shot but it's song is a constant trilling similar to a Grasshopper warbler but just that little bit deeper in tone.
Thankfully much closer were the pair of Great Crested Grebes. It being spring, I was hoping for some late mating rituals. They gave a brief courting display so I was hopeful of some more through the week.
Another regular sight on the parallel bars were the Common Terns. Their 'keeyak' calls are the first impression of their presence.
They postured for a few minutes then left abruptly as is their wont.
The five o'clock start was beginning to hit home as the time reached 9am. The cafe would be opening in the visitor centre. They do fantastic coffee and vegetarian sausage baps. It's pit stop boost to see me through until lunchtime was a regular thing over the next few days and always welcome. Except for the first morning when I was actually given a real pork sausage, not good for a vegetarian!
I left the hide and ventured towards the cafe passing the Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting setting up territory in and above the jungle.
The early morning sun - although it felt like lunchtime for me- was enhancing everything around.
The weather was forecast to be mixed but the reality was slightly better, as is often the case I've come to notice.
Near the adder viewing area - as ever lacking the reptiles - I managed some great views of the usually shy Garden Warbler. An ever decreasing species but not too uncommon if you know where to look and can decipher it's song from the Blackcap which is almost identical.
The predominantly Oak woodland throws up some wonderful shapes, either growing or decaying.
One of the early Butterflies in the season can start to appear in the sun traps. Although very cool generally, when the sun does emerge it ignites a microcosm of species including the Speckled Wood which thrives in the dappled insulating shade of the trees.
In the occasional glade where the maligned bramble sprouts, I came across a tiny Butterfly, the Green Hairstreak. A most common species but wholly overlooked, due in no small part to it's size. No bigger I'd say than a twenty pence piece.
The UK's only green Butterfly and quite stunning.
Feeding on the Storksbill flowers that carpet this whole area I found- not 3 feet away from the Hairstreak - one of my favourites, a Small Copper.
Thigh rubbing time for me !
Yet, when the sun disappeared, I watched it shut down inconspicuously on the edge of the path. It looked more like a small stone.
Having quelled my hunger and thirst at the cafe my next stop was to perform the exact same thing at Westleton just up the road. A bird on the edge of extinction in this country has a foothold around the reserve and this was my next hope of a sighting.
Having reached the area, I set up camp with my telescope and camera. First through the lens was a male Cuckoo which proceeded to sit on the wires calling for a few seconds. Not a bad start.
Patience being the key word so far on my trip was rearing it's head again. I gave about an hour of my life to find another needle in another haystack. But trust me, it was well worth it !
They are camouflaged for a reason. They nest right in the middle of open land with little cover so your first line of defence has to be that.
Eventually after almost giving up hope, one appeared near the fence with a rabbit in tow.
I somehow thought that this must be the male. The female could be nestled down in a hollow with an egg or maybe a chick but they are so similar it's hard to tell. The male's roll in most partnerships is to provide food for the female and her chicks.
Having located him, I stayed on his movements in the hope of finding the mother.
Eventually he led me to their nest which is just a rabbit hollow in the ground effectively. It had one chick which the mother was brooding and keeping safe. The male fed it with it's insect catch. Unfortunately it was too hazy with the heat for a good shot but what an amazing moment. I first saw these bizarre looking birds that have eyes like the late English comedian and actor Marty Feldman just a year ago but knew of them as a child. I've always wished to be in the presence of one, so for the second year in succession I was enthralled to be near them again even if a little way off.
Chuffed with my views of the Curlew I thought I'd circle Minsmere for the last time on the first day.
On the eastern edge bordering the North Sea, Little Terns paraded up and down the shingle shore. The smallest of our summer breeding Terns and the most charismatic for me. They seem to have a mask about their faces, a bit like Zorro.
Common Terns are their big brother and equally as beautiful.
Back on the scrapes of the reserve, looking from the East hide which is accessible from the coastal path, there is a myriad of species. The cutest of them all has to be the Mallard chicks. I always fear for their safety though . They produce a large offspring for a very good reason. Predation is a certainty as is common in the natural world, as hard as it may seem. Life begets life...
The Black Headed Gulls have to feed each other too. Even if it is regurgitated bread...
My mate the Sandpiper was back...
I gave up on the scrapes and ventured along the outer path by the sea again.. There seems to be a resident Cuckoo here. Their presence is understandable. They are looking for a mate who will lay their eggs in an unsuspecting nest. There are plenty of species to choose from. Reed and Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, and just about anything of that ilk of that size. It's really not too fussy.
My day was done. After picking up supplies in Saxmundham, it was time for a rest back at Happy Days. I had another long day ahead of me tomorrow, so I needed as much rest as I could muster. Even their amazing Escape Room escapades would wait for another day when I had the energy....
The title of this post is a line taken from the track, 'Stoned Love' by The Supremes
