Blogs

Continuing the themes of variety and unpredictability, the last few weeks have once again proved that life is never simple when it comes to natural history!

Wader migration is in full swing now, so every time you look at the Scrape there is something different to see. Among the flocks of black-tailed godwits and dunlins there are many more unusual species. Minsmere is a great place to look for spotted redshanks, some of which are still in their breeding finery, and to compare them with redshanks and greenshanks. There are also several ruffs in various plumages to provide an identification challenge.

The real rewards for the avid birdwatcher are gained from careful scrutiny of the dunlin flocks. Late July to September invariably sees small groups of curlew sandpipers and little stints accompanying their commoner cousins. Occasionally, something even rarer arrives, and that was certainly the case last week.

Being close to England’s most easterly point, Minsmere is perhaps the last place you’d expect to see American birds on this side of Atlantic, but last Friday we had an incredible three different species of American wader on the reserve! A white-rumped sandpiper had been here for a week by then – the first at Minsmere for four years. A pectoral sandpiper (the commonest American wader in the UK) was a brief visitor in the morning.

But the real highlight was a tiny, grey wader feeding with dunlins on the Levels, then resting on the beach. Patient watching by Robin Harvey, one of Minsmere’s wardens, was rewarded when he saw the partial webbing between its toes and confirmed the identification as a semi-palmated sandpiper. This was only the second Minsmere record, and the fourth for Suffolk.

Having missed many of Minsmere’s good birds this year, I was lucky enough to see both the white-rumped and semi-palmated sandpipers while leading guided walks – giving some lucky visitors the chance to see these rare birds. One group also had stunning views of a young cuckoo in the reedbed.

Now that the school holidays have started, we’re busy organising family activities. Look at the events pages for full details of what we’re planning. Why not bring the family this summer to discover many fascinating facts about wildlife?

One of the joys of working at Minsmere is that you never really know what's going to happen from one day to the next. Motivation is not a problem with so much variety on offer – even without the fantastic birdwatching!

The last week has been an excellent example. On Wednesday evening, I met a group of staff and their families from one of leading local tourist attractions – Southwold Pier. It was a gorgeous evening, as I led them on an introductory tour of Minsmere. Highlights included nesting little terns, a red deer in the reedbed, and a good selection of waders and gulls on the Scrape.

Then on Friday I led a nightjar guided walk, preceded by a superb dinner in our tearoom. We strolled around Westleton Heath at dusk listening to singing Dartford warblers as the light faded, then to the mysterious, mechanical sound of singing nightjars. If you've never seen one, make an effort to find a local nightjar site this month – or plan a short break next summer (mid May to late July). You won't regret it - as long as take precautions against insect bites!

We even got good views of a feeding pair flying low over the heather. To finish the evening off in style, we found several glow-worms emitting their strange fluorescent light from the pathside vegetation.

Yesterday, I met colleagues from English Heritage and Suffolk County Council to celebrate the completion of repairs to the 12th century Leiston Abbey chapel. TV, radio and newspaper reporters joined us to mark the occasion. The original Leiston Abbey, situated close to the sluice on land now owned by the RSPB, is one of the most important historical landmarks in Suffolk. Click here for more information. This was an excellent example of working in partnership, and a chance to celebrate our cultural as well as natural heritage.

With the school holidays approaching, we are also planning the forthcoming family activity days – see www.rspb.org.uk/events for further details.

As you can see, there's many opportunities to do something different here on the Suffolk coast! Why not come along and see for yourself?