August 15th to 25th October

The Lows, The Near-Misses, and the Migrant Magic: August to October Catch-Up

We’ve all been there—that heavy slump where work gets in the way, the mid-week birding FOMO kicks in hard, and by the time the weekend rolls around, it feels like the countryside has been thoroughly vacuumed clean. I’ve definitely been feeling the strain lately, questioning my mojo, battling a bit of laziness (the classic "couldn't be bothered to check the plovers" regret that hurts right in the soul), and wondering if I've lost my touch.

But looking back over the notes from mid-August through to late October, there has actually been some proper quality hidden amongst the quiet spells, local walks, and sea-watching marathons. Here is how the last couple of months have panned out across the Suffolk patch (Hollesley, Shingle Street, Boyton, and East Lane).

August: Dry Scrapes and Early Movement

August started off at Hollesley, yielding a couple of Pied Flycatchers and a dozen Golden Plover on the dry scrape. The river chipped in with Greenshank, two Whimbrel, and a Common Sandpiper, alongside a Hobby putting on a show catching young swallows and doing a food pass to a youngster. There were also plenty of wasp spiders about, steady southerly swallow/martin passage, three Whinchats, two Wheatears, and a movement of Chiffchaffs.

A nice Spotted Flycatcher graced the garden on the 16th, though a trip to Shingle Street proved quiet aside from a Dartford Warbler, a few more chats, and half a dozen Willow Warblers making a minor fall. Back at Hollesley, Hares and Green Woodpeckers were enjoying the prison lawns.

Boyton added a bit of spice with a passing Montagu’s Harrier, a Spoonbill, Bearded Tits, and a color-ringed Curlew. August wrapped up with a Yellow-legged Gull on the shingle at Shingle Street.

September: Sea-Watches, New Trails, and Lesvos

September kicked off in style with a brilliant sea-watch at Thorpeness—highlighted by a Bonxie, four Arctic Skuas, five Black Terns, three Little Terns, a Sooty Shearwater, and a parade of Gannets.

A brand new summer trail opened along the river from Boyton to Butley (73 species recorded!). Highlights included a movement of eight Jays, two Ravens, a Red Kite, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, and two Hobbys, with a Whinchat taking bird of the day. Another walk along the Butley River produced an Osprey, three Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff, and a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier out on Gedgrave Marsh.

• September 20th: A cracking stretch between Hollesley and Boyton. Another Montagu’s Harrier, 11 Cattle Egrets, good numbers of hirundine, Spoonbills, Red Kites, Hobbys, and a Peregrine coming in off the sea.
  
  
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• The Lesvos Break: September wound down dryly at Hollesley (still desperately lacking water), before heading off for a week in Lesvos from the 23rd (Lesvos blog post to follow!).
  
  

October: Firecrests, Raddé’s, and Near-Misses

October kicked off with a mixed bag. A morning walk from Shingle Street to East Lane brought a Tree Pipit and a Corn Bunting, but the real treat was right at home: breakfast in the garden with two Firecrests, followed by a sea-watch chucking out 55 Pintail, seven Wigeon, three Brent Geese, three Mediterranean Gulls, and 15 Grey Herons.

Subsequent coastal trips were a bit of a slog, though an October 10th Black Redstart on the rocks at East Lane and some cracking Northern Lights made up for it. 

The Turning Point: Water Returns & The Mega Sunday

• October 11th: BINGO! Water finally returned to the flash at Hollesley—much earlier than normal thanks to the RSPB. While still relatively quiet, it instantly drew 500 Teal, 100 Wigeon, 15 Pintail, a Ruff, and singing Chiffchaffs.
  
  
• October 17th: Things remained slow, but Hollesley produced a Water Pipit, a Short-eared Owl heading toward Boyton, a first-for-me Pale-bellied Brent on the river, a 1st-winter Caspian Gull, and a dozen Snipe.
  
  
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• October 18th (The Best Day of the Year): Started with a sea-watch at East Lane cut short by Olli calling in a Raddé’s Warbler just five minutes away. A total stunner and a sweet patch tick! Heading back to East Lane for a punishing 3-hour sea watch gave up a juvenile Sabine’s Gull (another patch tick!), a Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, 20 Red-throated Divers, 15 Eiders, a Purple Sandpiper, 18 Kittiwakes, a Manx Shearwater, Fulmar, and 70 Common Scoter, alongside 1,000 starlings arriving in-off.
  
  
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Of course, this was also the day I mentally kicked myself over the American Golden Plover. Earlier in the day, birders had mentioned 100 Golden Plover with "nothing obvious" with them. I told myself I'd check them before leaving, got lazy, drove past, and missed a juv American Golden Plover. Classic me. Still, you can't win 'em all.

Today (October 24th): Pigeons, Geese, and Ring Ouzel

Out and about today between Hollesley and Boyton:

• Another 1st-winter Caspian Gull.
  
  
• An incredible spectacle: 700 Stock Doves moving south alongside 10,000 Wood Pigeons.
  
  
• A brief visit from a White-fronted Goose on the flash, plus two Tundra Bean Geese tracked heading south and then successfully relocated back north toward Boyton.
  
  
• A late Swallow, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwits, and a surprise Bar-tailed Godwit.
  
  
• A male Ring Ouzel flashing over the scrape to the sluice (though it gave me the slip when I tried to relocate it), plus a Firecrest and a Chiffchaff hanging with a 50-strong flock of Long-tailed Tits.
  
  
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Rain ultimately stopped play, giving me the push I needed to finally clear the backlog and write up the Lesvos and autumn notes. Just September's stragglers left to sort out!

How have your recent outings been? Are you battling the autumn slump too, or have you managed to dodge the lazy-birder blues?

Battered, Bruised, and Blown Away: Shingle Street and East Lane in a Gale

October 25th

The winds were ferocious, but I ventured out anyway, starting the morning at Shingle Street. There was nothing to be found in the allotment trees, but a rewarding group of 14 White-Fronted Geese were feeding in the fields along the river bank towards East Lane, showing pretty well despite the weather.

I headed back via the sea, where I immediately picked up a pair of Little Gulls. It was still blowing a gale, making it tough going—I picked up loads of other bits along the way, but the wind was so fierce I couldn't make half of it out! On my way back to the car, yesterday's Shingle Street Ring Ouzel was calling from the Blackthorn, though it stayed safely tucked away deep in cover. The allotment bushes remained stubbornly empty.

Moving on to East Lane

Hoping the sea might be more productive, I moved on to East Lane, but it proved to be pretty disappointing. Undeterred, I went searching for the Golden Plovers from last weekend and eventually tracked down a flock of 72.

I scrutinised these hard in the hurricane winds, finally picking out a greyer individual. I moved down the bank trying to find some relief from the worst of the gusts, but nowhere was safe.

Standing my ground, I studied the grey bird further, noting its small, long-winged appearance. Then it lifted its wing to show grey—not white—auxiliaries, this must have been a trick of the light as others seem to think that this bird is a small grey colored Golden plover. 

Picture kindly donated by Mathew Deans.

I will add the weather wasn't great so there could still be some doubt on ID but only cos we all need to see it in better conditions to be 100%

Battered and thoroughly bruised by the wind, I happily called it a day and headed home for lunch.