Suffolk – Minsmere Part 1 – 27th February 2011

Watch out for: Marsh Harrier, Bittern, Red-throated Diver, Cetti’s Warbler, Wildfowl and Waders

Minsmere is a large reserve with a diverse habitat (woodland, marsh, levels, open water and the North Sea).  Therefore you can easily see a lot of species in one visit and it’s a great place to practice ID skills and pile on a few ticks.

We started by heading out to the Island Mere, just before we got to the hide we heard a Cetti’s Warbler, absolutely no chance of seeing it, but that’s so often the way with this resident.  Looking out across the water there were 5 female Smew and 1 male, all quite close and in the trimmed down reeds Greylag, Coot & Mallard, plus a large number of Tufted Duck grouping on the open water.  Over head there were 4 Marsh Harriers, calling to each other.

We then took ourselves back through the woods, another calling Cetti’s, Willow Tit, Treecreeper & Goldcrest along with numerous Chaffinches, Blue Tits & Great Tits.

99 East Anglian Birds now, more to come…

East Anglia Year Count: 99

Life bird count: 399. Year bird count: 99. Month bird count: 64.

Photo: Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)