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It's been a couple of years since the BBC last visited the island therefore it was with some pleasure that we where lucky enough last Thursday to host the BBC's countryfile team. Despite the cold temperatures (almost -6 according to the thermometer on nearby Orfordness) a good day was had by...

Readers of the blog will have noticed that a few weeks ago I finished the last blog with a to be continued as I posed the question, if it is not prey availability that holds a potential spoonbill breeding attempts back then what is it? It is a reasonable assumption that predators in the shape of foxes...

It’s been a fairly quiet time on Havergate. However, that’s not to say the island has been standing still. Aside from the changeable weather, which has at times been wet, mild, cold, snowing and windy with all the above. We have managed to fit in a couple of visitor events with highlights...

As the season’s roll around and the dreaded moment that the clocks go back approaches, it seems like the perfect time to recap on autumn on Havergate and what an autumn it’s been! In my three years working on Havergate the island has never looked better, attracted a greater diversity of...

As a change from myself writing the blog, this blog is a special guest piece by Malcolm Key, Leader of the RSPB Woodbridge Local Group. Giving an insight into the recent 'Havergate Adventure' weekend and the work that goes into it. If you are interested in finding out more about local groups...

This I believe is meant to be springtime? However it doesn’t feel much like springtime, in fact if it wasn’t for the presence of the breeding birds I would say that the weather has felt more like October. What has this meant on the ground for the birds on Havergate? Well, the terns...

After 5 months, the earthwork and engineering work on Havergate is complete. Now after the changes, comes the hard part, namely using the new sluices and island layout to increase the ecological effectiveness of the reserve. It will be worth keeping an eye on both the RSPB website and the Alde –...

Whilst the island is still shut to the general public bird life on Havergate has continued. Highlights so far include wintering spoonbills, shorelarks and short eared owls. Its interesting how spoonbill wintering ecology in Suffolk is beginning to change and especially in the Alde- Ore estuary. ...

Here as promised is a collection of videos from the island. Little Stint on Havergate, courtesy of David Fairhurst, Nov 2011 Definately an unsual record for Havergate in November but in a county contact they do overwinter. Having overwintered in other estuaries in the past 20 years or so. Little...

I appreciate that for some not being able to visit Havergate is a source of tremendous frustration, so I will do my best to bring some kind of flavour of what's going on, on the island at the moment. Currently Havergate island is undergoing the biggest change of a generation with both lagoons...

Its been something of a purple patch for birds on the Havergate reserves for birds over the last week or so. The highlights include a rough legged buzzard (twice), a short eared owl, a couple of hen harriers, a firecrest, two whooper swans and at least one spotted redshank. There has also been some...

One of Havergate's star species but also one of its hardest to see as quietly gone about having a great year. Starlet Sea anemone's have almost every protection and status imaginable. They have their own Biodiversity action plan (BAP), are a red book species in the United Kingdom and even...

The results are in, 99% of all birds have fledged and after a changeable summer, the 2011 Havergate island breeding bird story is ready to be told. The final counts of the large gulls where 460 herring gulls and 1030 lesser blacked backed gulls , a grand total of 1490 large gulls, how does...

By mid June the results of the breeding season start to come in, although how successful it proves to have been in terms of chick production will have to wait for next month. Starting with the good news Common Terns continue to strengthen there foothold on the island with the colony increasing...

Despite the lack of blogs recently its been a busy time on Havergate Island. The last two weeks have seen a flurry of activity, some great birds and a real sense that the seasons are once again on the change. Going back a couple of weeks to a cold February morning myself and the now sadly departed...

If visitor trips where football or cricket teams then the trips out to Havergate would be described as being in a bad run of form! The last three trips have all had to be cancelled due to a combination of factors. The December visit due to snow, ice and freezing conditions and the January and February...

As part of the ongoing EU Life + website the staff on Havergate are re –designing the saline lagoons. Anyone who has visited Havergate will know that the islands suffer from significant cliffing in places and that part of the island is virtually impossible to see into from the hides. There...

Otters once a near mythical sighting has become increasingly common in the last few years, in fact I heard someone recently describe them as “ubiquitous”. The island is a classic example of this before August 2010 the total number of sightings on Havergate sat at zero. Admittedly, there...

Lately the island has been visited by a Great Skua (Bonxie) these fearsome birds from the north have reminded me of a cause important to me and important to the nation’s biodiversity, that of the marine environment. Whilst Bonxies have largely been spared the ravages of Sandeel shortages...

It’s been a little while since I “blogged” about events on the island. Last week was dominated by the Havergate adventure, the annual four day visitor event organised by the Woodbridge local group. Its a long four days for all involved but a big thanks must go to the volunteers who...

Today was an emotional day, at least for me. The 2nd Tern chick from the colony on Belpers fledged. I even watched it fly, unbeknownst to it on even them as I should refer to them from the safety of the hide. It didn’t go far it merely flew up and bathed itself in the saline water in the lagoon...

As the year rolls on thoughts begin to turn from breeding birds to passage birds. However, If I was asked to use just one word to sum up the breeding season, I’d say long. The gulls were on eggs by Mid March with the first chicks hatching in mid April. Then we had the encouraging signs of 23...

The breeding season continues a pace on the island. However, firstly I must break some bad news. In my last blog piece I reported that the island was playing host to 23 Avocets the highest breeding number in some time, however between the dates 14 th to the 16 th of July all the nests where predated...

Finally, just after I was about to give up on them, the Common gulls have swung into action. Laying there eggs in some fabulous locations. I was expecting them to lay out in the open, in a big dense colony, like their close cousin the Tern. However, they’ve completely taken me by surprise by nesting...

On Wednesday the island got a visit from Auntie.... The bbc’s “inside out” team came out to do a piece on the Hares of Havergate. As with most visitors to the island, they were astonished at the tameness of the Hares. This makes Havergate an ideal place to film shots of Hares feeding...