Category: Birds

Cuckoo still calling, which is getting late. As the nursery rhyme has it, '...in June he changes his tune/ in July he prepares to fly'.

The local oystercatchers still have three surviving young, which are highly mobile but not yet flying. Not long to go now before they can take to the air – and safety.

A group of four spoonbills feeding actively near the viewing platform on the Hollesley Marsh reserve. They commute between here, Boyton and Havergate (where they are probably nesting). Spectacular birds!

The lapwing and oystercatcher families in the pools by the sea-wall to East Lane now each have three surviving young, mobile but not yet flying, so still in danger from foxes, otters and dogs.

The Shingle Street cuckoo is still calling – just. Already the first cuckoos that have successfully deposited their eggs with a foster are returning south. Sometimes we see the juveniles here later in the summer, as in this image, but by then their parents are long gone.

A male marsh harrier was quartering the reed beds between the Twin Banks this afternoon. I've seen him around here a few times so I think there must be a breeding pair in the area.

Walking to East Lane from SS I saw three successful breeding waders in the pools: 2 pairs of lapwing, 3 of ringed plover and an oystercatcher with four fledged young in train. Also a redshank present but probably non-breeding.

Cetti's warbler are more often heard than seen (so no pic provided!), but the song is unmistakeable. It's a very loud 'QUICK quickety-quick quickety-quick', usually delivered from a reedbed. There are several singing at present along the Twin Banks. If you ever glimpse them they are large chestnut-brown warblers with long rounded tails but they are very hard to spot even when singing very close to you.

Reed buntings are singing along the Twin Banks. The males are very smart birds with glossy black heads and a striking white collar and moustache, but they must have the worst song of any British bird – a sort of tuneless jangle.

Two nightingales duetting in their usual spot in Bromeswell this evening. Better be quick if you want to hear them – they stop singing in mid-June.