Day in suffolk

On Saturday the 8th october headed up the coast to suffolk and first call was Minsmere and due to the work on the reserve walked around round tothe temporary scrub trail with Swallows and Martins still flying overhead which were to be my last of the year and got to see a couple of Marsh Tits briefly feeding with a flock of Long-tailed Tits then further round to the reed beds saw 1 Bearded Tit briefly in flightly but mainly they were just pinging away and staying low down.

Further round out on the lagoons there were 4 Red-breasted Geese out on the flats and according to fellow birders these were naturally ones. Also feeding out on the lagoons were Dunlin, Shelduck, Avocet, Ruff, Barnacle Geese along with Wigeon and Teal.

Then along the beach had 1 flyby Mediterranean Gull and in the scrub area had good views of a Wheater and a Stonechat. Then headed down the main path were alongside a pair of Little Egrets were feeding along with a Grey Heron.

Stonechat on the wire

Little egret hunting

Hunting together

Next stop was a visit to Dingle Marshes just slightly further up the coast walking down the paths had good views of Skylarks singing their songs. In to the Lagoons had my first Glossy Ibis only distance views but better views ofCommon and Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Little Egret and a kestrel overhead. Just i was walking back out to sea had 1 Great Skua.

Then to finish off the day headed to the harbour at Lowestoft where there was a stunning juvenile Woodchat Shrike and off shore a Yellow-Legged Gull with lots of Black-headed Gulls a good end to a wonderful day.

Woodchat Shrike