News archive

November 2005

Friday, 25 November 2005

Male lapwing in breeding habitat

November Mid-Week Walk

Despite a cold and dreary November day in Orford, 26 members turned up at this attractive riverside town. The walk downriver was not well rewarded. The usual black-headed and herring gulls plus a redshank and a curlew were the only birds to be seen. It was a blank with birds as we walked across the fields back into the town. Here we had only the architecture to admire. It was even quiet as we walked along a footpath back to the river. We then walked upriver and it was there that the bird list grew with little egret, marsh harrier, avocet, bar-tailed godwit and other waders. The final site, the pond by the car park, proved interesting with the usual water birds on the pond and a number of other birds in the trees surrounding it. Despite the slow start our tally was a respectable 40 species.

Saturday, 5 November 2005

Female house sparrow perched on dead branch

Volunteering on Make a Difference Day

On October 29th we joined in this national celebration of community volunteering by descending on the new RSPB Reserve of Snape Warren with bow saws, loppers and spades. A total of 29 people turned out to clear the last stand of silver birch scrub, opening up a beautiful vista of the River Alde with Iken Church on the far side. This is the culmination of three years work and already the heather is regenerating and the heath and surrounding woodland will provide homes for more churring nightjar, Dartford warblers, woodlarks and tree pipits.

Friday, 4 November 2005

Volunteer working on tree roots

Work Parties

Our regular work parties have commenced this autumn at North Warren and Boyton Reserves.
These take place on the 2nd and 3rd Saturdays of the month respectively starting at 9.00am and continuing until about 12.30pm.
The work at North Warren tends to comprise heathland restoration (e.g. removing birch scrub) and at Boyton can vary considerably.
North Warren has seen the return of the bittern following several years of habitat restoration and the heathland supports such birds as nightjars and woodlarks.

If you would like to participate in these work parties please contact Colin Coates (Tel: 01394 385209)

Friday, 4 November 2005

Spread Your Wings

Sales of our book, Spread Your Wings, are continuing apace, proving its publication to be extremely worthwhile.
Spread your Wings, produced and written by Woodbridge Local Group, and financed by The Local Heritage Initiative and The East of England Tourist Board, is the definitive guide to five RSPB reserves on the Suffolk Coast. The reserves are North Warren & Aldringham Walks, Minsmere, Havergate Island, Boyton Marshes and Dingle Marshes.
The book contains information on the geography and history of each reserve, notes on the habitat and management, details of fauna and flora and a season by season account of the birds to be seen. Maps of each reserve are provided together with details of opening times and how to get there. There is also a check list of Suffolk birds.
In all the book comprises 96 pages and contains 123 colour photographs and is extremely good value at £5.00 per copy (plus postage 83p).

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this book please send an e-mail via our Contact page, ensuring to include your name and address.