Trip reports

Minsmere Coach Trip

Saturday, 17 May 2008

45 booked for this popular outing, including some 'first-timers'. The day began with persistent light rain which did not clear until mid afternoon when it became sunny. 100 species were seen or heard by the group - a record?

Highlights:
Excellent views of Little Stint and Temminck's Stint - some people were fortunate to see both birds next to each other. A pair of Nightingales were seen by some, and Dartford Warbler was spotted by the group who went on the longer walk up to Dunwich Heath. A Pied Flycatcher was a surprising find and a Tawny Owl was heard calling in the afternoon. Some people were lucky enough to see Bitterns - one walking along a path, some flying over the reeds and at least one was heard 'booming'.

100 Bird species were seen or heard by the group:
Little and great crested grebe, cormorant, bittern, little egret, grey heron, Mute swan, greylag, canada and barnacle goose, shelduck, wigeon, gadwall, teal, mallard, shoveler, tufted duck, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, kestrel, hobby, pheasant, water rail, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, little ringed plover, ringed plover, grey plover, lapwing, knot, sanderling, little stint, Temminck's stint, curlew sandpiper, dunlin, ruff, black tailed godwit, redshank, greenshank, turnstone, mediterranean gull, little gull, black-headed gull, common gull, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, sandwich tern, common tern, little tern, woodpigeon, collared dove, cuckoo, tawny owl (H), swift, kingfisher, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, sand martin, swallow, house martin, meadow pipit, pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, nightingale, whinchat, stonechat, blackbird, mistle thrush, Cetti's warbler, sedge warbler, reed warbler, Dartford warbler, whitethroat, garden warbler, blackcap, chiff chaff, willow warbler, goldcrest, pied flycatcher, bearded tit, long-tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, treecreeper, jay, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, linnet, and reed bunting.

Other wildlife:
Red Deer, Muntjac, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel.

Our thanks to Terry Smith for organising this trip and to all the other walk leaders who gave their time and expertise to make sure everyone had a good day.