It's another damp, dreary day here in Suffolk. What the Irish would call a "soft" day. Or the Scots might call "dreach." I hate having to sit in the office with the lights on during the day, but without them I'd struggle to see my desk. It's that gloomy. At least the rain has stopped, so we might be in for a better afternoon. (Oops, spoke too soon - it's chucking it down again!) Coming on top of rain all morning on Monday and most of yesterday afternoon, the ground is getting a little soggy in my garden, though here at Minsmere the sandy soil drains really quickly. Look out for a few puddles if oyu're coming in the next few days.

Luckily, a little rain doesn't mean no birding. There's been plenty to see over the last few days. Here's a few highlights:

  • yellow-browed warbler (from Siberia), lesser whitethroat and two ring ouzels in North Bushes on Monday
  • pectoral sandpiper (from N America), curlew sandpiper and avocet on East Scrape on Tuesday
  • three jack snipe (from Scandinavia) flushed during management work on the Scrape on Tuesday
  • short-eared owl over the dunes and hen harrier over the reedbed on Tuesday
  • four black terns south offshore on Tuesday
  • king eider still offshore on Tuesday
  • 50 lesser redpolls, 70 goldfinches and several siskins in the car park this morning
  • brambling outside the visitor centre on Tuesday
  • great skua and Arctic tern offshore on Sunday
  • Lapland bunting still in the dunes on Monday
  • bearded tits showing well most mornings, especially along the North Wall - see Jon Evans' lovely photo of a male below

 

Add to that the superb colours as the trees start to turn yellow, brown and red while berries drip red or black from the hedgerows and there's plenty of good reasons to don the waterproofs and wellies and head to Minsmere. (or of course to buy some new wet weather clothing in the Minsmere shop, then warm up and dry out after a walk in the lovely tearoom!)