Suffolk – Minsmere – 19th June 2010

Arrive as early as you can is my advice for this premier RSPB site, especially in the summer months.

As we stroll down from the car park, breeding Sand Martins are ever present in the old car park and a speculative Peregrine Falcon hangs around overhead for a brief while, before stooping down on to the reed beds. Further down Cetti's Warbler sings and we briefly see it flash across the bushes. Then as we have the reed beds each side there is a very confiding Sedge Warbler.

We stop at the east hide, the mix of very young Black-headed Gulls & Avocets is interesting to say the least also a couple of Spotted Redshanks, a gathering of Barnacle Geese, odd! Ringed Plover & Common Terns. Walking on and around to the South Hide, two Arctic Terns, I'm thinking its early to see them this far south, they are well mixed in with some Sandwich Terns.

We finally end up at the Island Mere, Reed Bunting & Bearded Tit dart around gathering food and two Marsh Harriers get quite close. Such a diverse site. On the way home we stop at Sizewell for a peek at the breeding Kittiwakes, pity they are just too far to photograph, must get a boat!

Life bird count: 395 Year bird count: 209 Month bird count: 80

Photo: Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)