Trimley Marshes

Two Peregrines hunting over the marsh today.

I just blinked and January flashed by.

Surveying the Alde Hinterland

Before first light, I saw a pair of Barn Owls hunting the verge at Staverton Thicks but once on site and before sunrise I had seen seven different Barn Owls (brilliant).  On one of the marshland areas there were 180 Curlews and 85 Black-tailed Godwits.  Other birds of note included a small flock of Yellow Hammers, a few Bearded Tits, a pair of Marsh Harriers and a Spoonbill (a first for the year).

Snape Marshes

The Snape volunteers have worked hard again.  They have raked up the bracken in the heathland area, felled all the small birches and made habitat piles with the brash. Thank you all.

During last week there have been Bullfinches, Redwings and up to 70 Goldfinches in the bushes leading to the cattle crush; on the marshes, birds of note included Snipe, Barn Owl and several Bearded Tit (Derek Walduck).

Trimley Marshes

I was on the reserve today with Julian (SWT Director), Anna Guthrie (Wildlife Trusts Media & PR Manager) and Simon Barnes.  We were discussing just how important our wetland is for thousands of waterbirds that rely on such areas and as an asset for people to treasure and enjoy.  We also talked about looking after our estuaries.

Reserves Update

Another well attended work party at Trimley; the volunteers worked hard to finish trimming the hedge back off the track. 

Birds of note included c40 Barnacle Geese, c600 Brent Geese, c400 Pochard, 4 Goldeneye, 800 Lapwing, 72 Cormorant, Buzzard and a female Marsh Harrier.

At Newbourne Springs there were 2 Mealy Redpoll in a mixed flock of Lesser Redpoll and Siskens (W Brame).

Trimley Update

I had a brilliant day watching birds with the Coast & Heaths Volunteers.  Observations included 3 Buzzards, Smew, Brent and Barnacle Geese and several thousand ducks of all species.

Trimley Update

Eight Suffolk Coast & Heaths volunteers with Countryside Officer Nick Marsh joined forces with six Trimley volunteers to work on the Bridleway hedge. At last, the end is in sight for this ongoing task thanks to everyone's hard work.

There are still impressive numbers of wildfowl on the flooded meadows; highlights today included female Scaup and Redhead Smew and five Goldeneyes.  Other birds of note included two Bearded Tits, two Buzzards and two Marsh Harriers.

Birding News

Survey work on Aldeburgh Marshes, at first light two Barn Owls were seen hunting along the sea wall and there were c600 White-fronted Geese on the marsh.


At Trimley there were over 5,000 waterbirds.  Over 2,000 geese, which included c1,000 Brent, Barnacle, Pink-foot, Bean, White-fronts and of course lots of Canada’ and Grey-lags. Over 3,000 ducks, which included c1,000 Teal, 800 Wigeon and several hundred Pintail.  Other birds of note included Reed Bunting. Buzzard and Red-crested Pochard.


There was an Eider and four Red-breasted Mergansers in Thorpe Bay (Will Brame).

Trimley Update

I had five volunteers (John, Mike, Margaret, Anna and Vincent) helping with reserve work today.  On two occasions we had jets scream low over the rerserve causing mayhem amongst the thousands of birds that we have here.

There was a Woodcock at first light and the Red-headed Smew is still on the reservoir.

Vincent, Margaret, Anna and Mike clearing up debris from the hedge work

Trimley reserve and Orwell birding news

New bird species for this year seen at Trimley over the weekend were Red-headed Smew, Egyptian Goose and Red-crested Pochard.

On the Orwell, in Ipswich Docks, there were two Shag, Kingfisher and the Peregrine was on the nest box ledge.

Knot, photographed today at Freston

Reserves update

In a rain soaked day, the marshes at Trimley were packed with waterbirds.  Despite the reservoir still being iced over there were an amazinging number (several thousand) of ducks and geese on the flooded areas.  Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Peregrine, Woodcock, Barn Owl and Waxwings have all been seen in the last couple of days.

At Hazlewood up to 350 White-fronted Geese are being seen on the reserve; today there were over 1000 Teal in front of the hide and two Woodcock were seen at the cattle crush.