Trip reports

Bird walk at Landguard Point, Felixstowe.

Sunday, 20 September 2009

Initially it was cloudy but it gradually brightened up and the 11 participants enjoyed a pleasant walk in moderate sunshine and with very little wind. The conditions were fine for us but not ideal for bringing in tired, hungry migrants. Until the previous Friday there had been a week or longer of fairly strong north-easterly winds which had pulled in many passage migrants from the continent including two major rarities in Arctic Warbler and Greenish Warbler, both of which had been trapped and ringed at the Observatory and had subsequently hung around for a couple of days of so, thus enabling many enthusiastic birders to catch up with them.

Unfortunately these conditions had not persisted and it was a struggle to find many different species to boost our list. Shortly before our arrival there had been a large fall of Meadow Pipits and these were very much in evidence around the enclosure and at least two were in the ringing nets in the compound. We were informed of a Pied Flycatcher which had been seen in the brambles but we were unable to locate it. However there was a large number of Wheatears on the grassy stretches and their upright stance made them obvious as they searched for food and their white rumps showed clearly when they flew short distances. A few Dunnocks and Greenfinches were seen, and there were numerous Blackbirds, many of which had quite pale heads still and were obviously from this years broods.

A few other common species were seen but the star of the morning was undoubtedly a very confiding Purple Sandpiper on rocks by the old jetty at the entrance to the harbour. Many photographs were taken at extremely close range as the bird moved fearlessly around the rocks in search of invertebrates.

At the conclusion of the walk after two hours it was suggested that those who wished might move on to Boyton Marshes about ten miles north of Felixstowe (but a little further by road) and five of us made the trip to a new venue where we had absolutely brilliant views at no more than ten yards distance of a juvenile Glossy Ibis, which I since understand is one of many in the UK at present which come from a breeding population in Coto Donana in south-west Spain. We all took many photos of this stunning bird.

Four of us then drove a few miles to the south to Bawdsey, where on the first pool we were able to get reasonably good views of two smart Little Stints. Only two thirds the size of a Dunlin, they really are 'little' and it needed the telescopes to really appreciate them as they pecked around on the algal cover and also flew around occasionally. It was a lovely ending to a beautiful warm September day