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Writer's pictureMartin Roper

Norfolk and Suffolk June 2022

Updated: Mar 18, 2023

Norfolk and Suffolk have long been great locations for wildlife and are ideal counties for catching up with a few target species such as Dartford warblers, Stone curlews, Chinese water deer, Swallowtail butterflies and the Norfolk hawker. Staying at the market town of Saxmundham, chosen because of its proximity to RSPB Minsmere and Dunwich heath we were able to visit reserves in both counties, stopping off along the way at some of our favourite spots, here are the highlights from our week long trip. Dartford warbler.

RSPB Snettisham coastal park ~ Parking at the beach we headed along the path towards wild ken hill where a Great reed warbler had been reported near the kissing gate, along the beach Ringed plover and Oystercatcher were observed nesting while in the surrounding scrub several juvenile species were spotted including Linnet, Sedge warbler, Stonechat and Whitethroat. Returning back along the ridge a group of eight Spoonbills were noted which included a couple of teaspoons while overhead a male Marsh harrier was spotted carrying prey. A Turtle dove called before taking flight and giving us an opportunity for a few flight shots, meanwhile back at the car we had the pleasure of a female Mallard who appeared as soon as we opened our lunch boxes.


RSPB Titchwell marsh ~ Continuing along the coast road our next stop was RSPB Titchwell Marsh where a Spotted sandpiper had been reported, unfortunately by the time we arrived the bird had already moved on. Heading towards the Island hide a female Pochard was noted with ducklings while at the hide we had great views of Avocet's with chicks. Down at the Parrinder hide several Little gull were observed at some distance along with Med gull, Sandwich tern and Little tern. Returning back to the car via Patsy's reedbed, Red kite, Cuckoo, Great white egret and Marsh harrier was also noted along with Cetti's, Sedge and Reed warbler.


Vault Hill ~ The following morning we set off looking for Stone curlew in the area around RSPB Minsmere and after several stops and false alarms we came across a nesting pair. Observing from a footpath and at a safe distance we were fortunate enough to see them swapping over before one of the adult birds took flight in our direction. A little further up the path we discovered another 3 and at least 2 youngsters making a total of 7 individual birds. Other sightings in this area included Garden warbler, Linnet, Cuckoo, Fieldfare, Dunnock, Mistle thrush, Goldfinch, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common buzzard, Skylark, Jackdaw, Rook, Swift, Wren, Barnacle geese, Shelduck and Green woodpecker. Also noted were Red deer with fawns and a Muntjac deer.


RSPB Minsmere ~ Visiting Minsmere on two occasions during our week long trip the highlights were a total of 9 individual Bittern sightings mostly from the Bittern hide and Island mere hide with additional sightings from the North wall and South hide. Other sightings at the Bittern hide included 4 Great white egret and a Hobby, Marsh harrier sightings were too numerous to count with both male and female regularly spotted along with several Common buzzard and a distant Sparrowhawk. At the Island mere hide Bearded reedlings were recorded while at the wildlife lookout hide Redshank, Spotted redshank, Greenshank, Oystercatcher

and Black-tailed godwit were noted along with Avocet. West scrape had Barnacle geese, Greylag, geese, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Canada geese and Gadwall while South scrape was home to Sandwich tern, Common tern, Little tern, Little gull, 50+ Med gull, Black-headed gull and Lesser-black backs. Other sightings of note on the reserve were Swift, Swallow, House martin, Sand martin, Blackcap, Green woodpecker, Great spotted woodpecker, Sedge warbler, Linnet, Stonechat, Little ringed plover, Shelduck, Kestrel and Ringed plover.


Weeting Heath ~ Primarily visiting here for Stone curlew we observed 3 adult birds and 2 Juveniles albeit at some distance, other sightings included Curlew, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Marsh tit, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Great tit, Blue tit, Goldfinch, Mistle thrush, Skylark, Wren and Kestrel.


RSPB Lakenheath ~ A short drive (3.2 miles) from Weeting heath our next stop was Lakenheath where we headed for the New Fen viewpoint, sightings here was Bittern, Common buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby, Cuckoo, Water rail, Bearded reedling, Sedge warbler, Kingfisher, Cetti's warbler, Willow warbler, Whitethroat, Reed warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed bunting, Tufted duck, Grey heron and Little egret. A pair of Marsh harrier were observed several times food passing with the female feeding the young while the male continued hunting.


Westleton Heath ~ An early morning start meant that Dunwich Heath wasn't open so we decided to call at Westleton first and parking in the small carpark we took the circular path around the heath. Almost straight away we could hear a vocal Woodlark and it wasn't long before we located the bird in nearby trees. Several Dartford's called from the tops of the Heather and Gorse, and a pair of Common buzzard circled overhead. Other sightings of note here were Skylark, Swift, Swallow, Willow warbler, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue tit, Great tit, Wren, Chiffchaff, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Whitethroat and Silver studded blue butterflies.


Dunwich Heath ~ Arriving at Dunwich we parked up in the pay and display and headed towards the Heath taking the Pink trail on the visitors map. Dartford warbler was spotted almost immediately followed by more Woodlark, Skylark, Dunnock, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Linnet and Willow warbler. Continuing on the trail our path intersected the Orange route and at this junction we sat on a bench. Within a few minutes we had a pair of adult Dartford warblers busily feeding 4 recently fledged youngsters, at times the birds were within 2 metres of the bench, we stayed for the next 45 minutes watching the Dartford family before continuing back to the car via the Orange route. Other sightings included Great spotted woodpecker, Herring gull and Swift.

Juvenile Dartford warbler: Dunwich Heath and Beach | National Trust


Benacre Broad ~ Accessing this coastal lagoon from the South at Covehithe we parked in a lay-by close to the No entry signs for the village and walked along the public footpath signposted Benacre Broad. Here we had Garden Warbler, Common whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Wren.

A Marsh harrier quartered over reedbeds next to the coast while on the beach around 200 Sand martin were nesting on the cliff face a few metres away and a kestrel flew very close carrying a vole. Continuing the long trek down the beach we eventually reached Benacre where we saw nesting Ringed Plover, Avocet, Sandwich tern and Oystercatcher. Other sightings included Rock dove, Starling, juvenile Crow, Green woodpecker, Swift, Swallow, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, Jackdaw, Wood pigeon and a very inquisitive Grey seal.


RSPB Strumpshaw Fen ~ Our aim this morning was to see Swallowtail butterflies although conditions were far from perfect, on arrival we took the path through the meadow looking for butterflies, these were few and far between with one fleeting sighting of a Swallowtail, Norfolk hawker however was a different story with 6 or more very confiding specimens along the dyke. From here we back tracked to the Fen hide where a female Marsh harrier was nest building and a Sedge warbler gathered food. At the Tower hide Mute swan, Blackcap, Wren, Common tern, Reed warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Common buzzard, Jay and a male Marsh harrier were noted while returning to the visitors centre a Hobby was observed hawking over the meadow.

NWT Hickling Broad ~ By now it was late afternoon and this would be our last chance of finding the UK's largest and rarest butterfly, having photographed them here before we had a good idea where to look and our persistence eventually payed off after an hour or so with some decent views of a single Swallowtail. Sightings here was Bittern, Marsh harrier, Egyptian goose, Reed warbler, Sedge warbler, Kestrel and Buzzard.


SWT Carlton Marshes ~ We called over at Carlton marshes for a few hours this morning before we began our journey home, on arrival we made our way to the Tower hide where we had fleeting views of a Barn owl which had young in a nearby box. From here we headed to the lookout where we had views of Marsh harrier

then onto the octagon where we observed a passing Peregrine falcon. At the fen platform we had good views of Raft spider while back at the tower hide a female Chinese water deer with a fawn came to the waters edge.

The pair was on show for an hour before slipping back into the reeds and at this point we set off for home.






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