I started a full day’s birding at 6:30, on my own, around Dunwich cliffs. Not a lot of migrants unfortunately in a fairly strong and cold northerly wind. Returning to the campsite to awake Tom (if that’s the right word, none of us had really slept), we went for a coffee before heading to Dunwich Heath to look for Dartford Warblers. We were later joined by Celia, David, and Eliot, who brought Sam along with them, before we all headed on to Minsmere.
Here, we all had views of the Wryneck by the visitors centre and then walked around to the North hide and the beach. It was not possible to do a full circuit as the recent rain had flooded the paths. With no waders on the flooded scrape, myself and Tom decided to carry on towards the flooded fields near the sluice whilst the others went back to the campsite.
Rather disappointingly there was little of interest and so we decided a coffee would be the best idea. However, just as we were leaving a probable Wryneck flew into an isolated bush on the sea wall. I quickly called Tom over who was carrying the scope and we got onto it. The bird was motionless and very difficult to see but was obviously a Wryneck (which had been a new bird for Tom only the day before!) I tried to get a bit closer to it in order to get a photo but it soon flushed towards the more sheltered sluice bushes below. Over the next hour and a half we managed another six very brief sightings. It responded to playback once (we had no idea if the bird was present or had headed inland) and sounded like a male.
The bird was very flighty and I’m sure it was a new arrival in-off the sea, even though I didn’t see what direction it had come from. There would have been no reason for it to be in the exposed bush on the sea wall and once in the sluice bushes remained loyal to those.
A great bird to find on an otherwise quite day but we did have time for a few nice padders on the way back: First a superb male Redstart at the start of the sea wall, and then a male Ring Ouzel and Whinchat just outside the reserve, as well as several good looking male Wheatears.
Minsmere (Includes Dunwich cliffs and Heaths)
05 May 2012 06:45 - 18:23
Overcast with occasional light rain 10C 15NE
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Cormorant, Bittern (heard), Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Ruff, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Wryneck, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Willow Warbler (heard), Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Dartford Warbler, Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler (heard), Wren (heard), Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat (heard), Wheatear, Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch (heard), Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Red Deer
