I'm sure many of you will be aware of the sandhill crane that has visited Suffolk this week. The fourth UK record, it's visited three RSPB reserves on the Suffolk coast. It made a brief stop at RSPB North Warren, then took up residence at RSPB Boyton Marshes and nearby farmland, with a visit to RSPB Hollesley Marshes today, and has attracted thousands of birdwatchers and twitchers. Somehow, though, it managed to fly over or past Minsmere without being seen by anyone - how else did it get from Kessingland to North Warren?
Never mind, there's plenty of good sightings at Minsmere to keep visitors happy. Bearded tits are showing particularly well around the reedbed trail, and marsh harriers, bitterns, kingfishers and hobbies have all been seen from Bittern Hide.
One the Scrape, the escaped Cape shelduck and four red-breasted geese continue to attract interest, while a garganey is a challenge to find among the hundreds of teals. Waders include bar-tailed godwits, greenshank, ruff, grey plover and the pectoral sandpiper, which continues to commute between "Lucky Pool" (on the Levels) and the Konik Field. A second calendar year yellow-legged gull was out there today, as was a white wagtail. Other signs of migration include a wheatear today, with several on the dunes yesterday, and a brambling in the dunes yesterday.
An early sign of the coming winter, and the forecast drop in temperatures this week, was a full summer plumage red-throated diver seen offshore today. A few gannets are passing by too, and at least two common buzzards flew south over the reserve today.
It's been a good day for reptiles, with both adder and grass snake reported today. Insects still on the wing include common and ruddy darters, migrant and southern hawkers, red admirals, commas, speckled woods, small coppers and large white. While leading a guided walk yesterday I also saw a gorgeous caterpillar (well it crawled onto someone's foot so we couldn't miss it), which I managed to identify as belonging to the pale tussock moth.
I went to Titchwell and heard a rumour that the crane was seen at Snettisham recently.
It was indeed. It was seen and photographed on Snettisham beach (just north of the RSPB reserve) on Saturday by two non-birdwatchers. From there, it managed to avoid detection as it crossed Norfolk - quite an acheivement! The next sighting, on Sunday morning, was over Kessingland. It's still at Boyton today and appears to be roosting on RSPB Havergate Island