Category: Fauna

Peter Kennerley reported to me a most unusual observation this morning: a stone curlew that flew up from the concrete track south of the Martello and seemed to land on the shingle bank somewhere. This was clearly a bird of passage, but to where? They do nest in Breckland on sandy heaths there and I've sometimes wondered whether they might do so on Hollesley Heath one day ... I am green with envy to have missed this spectacular bird, having left SS just yesterday!

Chilly first thing with a persistent NE wind depressing bird song, but there are now two grasshopper warblers singing near the Sluice, so a second one must have come in overnight. Later in the day it warmed up and several swallows were swooping around and singing over the line of houses.

Bang on cue, the first cuckoo early this morning. Their arrival is beautifully coordinated to get here just after the reed warblers they parasitise (and they came yesterday!). Soon you'll be hearing them later in the day too. Several cetti's warblers singing too. A good place to hear those is near the Sluice and it's an unmistakably loud and explosive song, 'Tea, will you get the tea, will you get the tea', which reminds me it's time for breakfast ...

A very early morning start paid off with lots of singing sedge warblers at the Sluice and a grasshopper warbler reeling away nearby. The latter very interesting since they are quite rare but I have heard them here before and it may possibly stay to breed. I also saw a fine male ring ouzel perched up on a bush (this is the species that brought crowds here last week, but I had this one to myself) – this bird will be heading north to the Pennines or Scotland.

Yes, sedge and reed warblers in today, as predicted (nature is so punctual!). Also a buzzard overhead near the Sluice and a water rail squealing in the ditch there – these visit in winter and are very hard ever to see but I'd be surprised if they ever breed here, though you never know.

Chill day not very welcoming to migrants but there were half a dozen swallows and two house martins over the lagoons late afternoon. And the wind seems to have moved south at last, so watch this space ...

Just heard (and seen) the first common whitethroat in the big blackthorn bush on the right as you start walking along the seawall towards East Lane. A characteristic deep churring alarm call. The migrants are arriving every day now. This coming week we should hear the first cuckoo and the first sedge and reed warblers in the reedbeds.