The last couple of weeks have seen a good movement of migrants along the Suffolk coast. As ever, some simply fly straight over, others pause briefly, while the more considerate ones actually settle on the reserve for a few hours or even days.
One example of the former was Monday's osprey, ringed and satellite tagged at RSPB Loch Garten this summer, which flew over the sluice before being reported later over RSPB Rainham Marshes, then around Portsmouth.
Others just noted flying over, or past include some of the waders (more of which later) and birds such arctic tern and pomarine skua offshore. A short-eared owl last week (15th) was very early. It appeared to settle in North Marsh, but was not seen subsequently.
Of the short stayers, two scarce visitors attracted interested but proved elusive. An icterine warbler in the sluice bushes on Tuesday evening showed well at times on Wednesday morning but wasn't seen again. Nearby, a wryneck was seen only on briefly on Wednesday morning. Hopefully these are a sign of more goodies to follow later in the autumn.
Among the commoner migrants, waders have become much more noticeable this week. Greenshanks seem to be on every pool, with smaller numbers of ruffs, green sandpipers, common sandpipers and little ringed plovers being widespread. Flocks of dunlins and ringed plovers are attracting the odd sanderling, curlew sandpiper or little stint, while knots, turnstones, bar-tailed godwits and whimbrels are also passing through. A few avocets remain on the Scrape too. In fact, the Scrape is not the only place to see waders at present, with several favouring the konik field pools, others seen on the North Levels from our autumn wader trail, and more on the south levels, south of the sluice.
Common sandpiper by Jon Evans
Among the smaller birds visitors have included pied flycatcher, whinchats, lesser and common whitethroats, willow warbler, reed warbler and chiffchaff. Cetti's warblers are just beginning to sing again, and the nuthatches around the wardens' office are very vocal.
Among the ducks, the ferruginous duck seems to have moved back to Island mere. Although numbers of other species are slowly inclreasing, ID remains very tricky as all will be in their female-like eclipse plumage for a few more weeks yet.
A purple emperor was again reported near North Hide this week. Graylings continue to be seen widely too. Among the dragonflies, the ruddy and common darters are particularly prominent in late summer.
With so many birds on the move, a visit to Minsmere is as enjoyable and unpredictable as ever as summer turns to autumn.