I'd agreed with Gary to meet up this week on Thursday, that changed to today after he suggested we try and see an Amur Stonechat in Suffolk. Arriving early at Gary's, we picked up James in Dartford, who I hadn't seen for ages and missed the worst of the rush-hour traffic arriving at Trimley marshes just after 7.30am.
Although it was light, there was a lingering mist making it feel as if it was still before sunrise. We walked from the car to the part of the entrance track where the Stonechat had been seen, but nothing much was moving. There was a very large weedy field, but only a small part was visible from the track as there was a reedy ditch in between which blocked a lot of the view, but we were happy to be patient and see what unfolded.
Without the weather really clearing some birds started to become more noticeable with a vocal Cetti's Warbler, some Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, Kestrel and eventually 2 European Stonechats popped up but nothing else appeared with them. We waited for another hour before another birder alerted us to the Amur Stonechat having appeared quite close to the path. It was distinctive, probably more so than I thought, with an orangey-buff breast and collar, white throat, dark primaries with orangey edges with an orangey secondary panel and a pale rump, with 2 distinct black tail-covert feathers. We had exceptional views over the next hour or so and certainly managed some pictures.
A Peregrine flew over, but we had no other birds before we decide on a change of scenery and headed to Abberton Reservoir.
The wind remained low and the light was poor but not obstructive. We spent a bit of time at the Layer de La Haye causeway, with common wildfowl visible but also Goldeneye, 8 Goosander and a Black-necked Grebe, with a Rock Pipit and Grey Wagtail on the edge of the embankment a flyover Marsh Harrier and both Little and Great Egret.
At the Layer Breton causeway we had similar wildfowl with the addition of Kingfisher and a final stop at Billets Farm, seeing 18 Cattle Egrets on route, we saw over 10 Great Egrets were along with Snipe and a distant Green Sandpiper.
A pretty decent day out.
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| Amur Stonechat |
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| Amur Stonechat |
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| The path where the Amur Stonechat was viewed |
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| Watching the Amur Stonechat |
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| Goosander |
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| male Marsh Harrier |
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| Abberton Res |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Great Egret |
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| Billets Farm, Abberton |
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