Lakenheath and Weeting Heath

2nd May 2021

Well what a contrast between reserves. Reserves catering for wildlife and not people. Small VC with little to no facilities, still the disappointment of dog restrictions but i can live with that when theirs a bigger picture to look at.  

Anyway started at Lakenheath, bringing back great memories from our yearly holidays camping to North Norfolk and always visiting for the long gone Golden Orioles.  So we didn't go on the reserve but the next best thing was the river bank which ran along the reserve and im sure you would see the same birds anyway. The Hockwold wash was full of life. A Black Tern flew briefly through, lots of Swifts, Greenshank, Wood Sand and 2 Drake Garganey.

The area was alive with Warblers and Cuckoos. A Red Kite flew over and Hobby was a year tick. We walked the river bank for a couple of miles just passed the main reserve and it was great with upto 30 Hobbys in the sky at once, a great site. Eventually 2 Common Cranes flew over from the rough grazing area the other side of the river. 

We had a lovely day here so just to finish the day we nipped over to another great Nature reserve there just for the birds, Weeting heath. We had a late lunch in the car park, it was delightful to sit and listen to a few Common Crossbills singing away.  We nipped into the West hide quickly before they closed to see 2 Stone Curlews, displaying and mating. Looking good again for more Stonies. 

We headed home and as it was only just over an hour away i still had the opportunity to nip into Ramsholt for a newly found Glossy Ibis. A 10km square patch tick from home.

Great end to the day.

03.05.2021

Last day of the bank holiday weekend was spent on patch Hollesley to Boyton.

Highlights were 6 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 1 Hobby 6 Common Tern (sea). White Wagtail 2 Med gulls flew up river, the White-front and a Pink footed Goose still. 2 Cuckoo still around and again plenty of Swifts and hirundines. 2 Greenland Wheatear on the sea wall with another 2 on the way to Boyton. 3 Yellow Wagtails  and 3 Lesser Whitethroats along the way. Little Owl in its usual tree but still no Turtle Dove.

As suspected the Ramsholt Glossy Ibis left Ramsholt and headed for Havergate island, almost certainly passing Hollesley, unfortunately this happened after my visit but hopefully it will visit Hollesley sometime soon.