There has been a noticeable shift in the season this week, with summer coming to an abrupt end and a definite autumnal feel to the weather. In fact, when I came in for our final moth morning of the year at 6.15 am today it was rather too chilly to still be wearing shorts! The sunrise was worth the early start though.
One of the first indicators of autumn is the first arrival of winter migrants, and today saw the discovery of a lovely snow bunting in the dunes. These fabulous birds breed in the mountains and tundra of northern Europe before moving south to winter around the UK's coasts. At Minsmere they often linger for a few days in the autumn before continuing south.
Snow bunting by Les Cater
Interestingly, the snow bunting was found on exactly the same stretch of dunes where a wryneck was found last weekend. Wrynecks are small, highly camouflaged woodpeckers. Unusually for woodpeckers, they are migratory, heading south to Africa for the winter. They used to breed regularly in the UK but are now only regular passage migrants. As is typical of wrynecks, this birds alternated between showing extremely well and disappearing for long periods during its four day stay.
Wryneck by Jon Evans
Other migrant songbirds this week are, like the wryneck, pausing on their journey south, and have included whinchats and wheatears in the dunes, a redstart in North Bushes and various warblers: reed, sedge, garden and willow warblers, common and lesser whitethroats and blackcaps. There has also been a steady passage of swallows and house martins, while several hobbies remain around the Bittern Hide area.
The snow bunting was not the only early winter visitor seen this week as a small flock of 15 pink-footed geese flew north yesterday. Although common in Norfolk, this is a scarce species here on the Suffolk coast. What was presumably the same flock obviously returned overnight as they were roosting on Lucky Pool this morning. The regular feral flocks of greylag, Canada and barnacle geese are best seen around Island Mere at the moment.
Our contractors have been very busy on the Scrape this week starting the re-profiling of East Scrape. As well as moving some of the islands and adding more topography to the Scrape, they have removed a large patch of reeds that had developed between South and East Hides. This area is now, once again, much more attractive to ducks and waders (or will be once we can re-wet it), as well as giving much better views for birdwatchers - it's been a long time since I saw South Scrape from East Hide (see photo below).
Work is also progressing well on the new accessible path to East Hide, which once complete will allow all visitors to enjoy this fantastic hide. For now, though South Hide and Wildlife Lookout offer the best birdwatching on the Scrape, where you should see flocks of wigeons, gadwalls, teals, shovelers, lapwings and a few avocets and dunlins. One or two green sandpipers remain, and a wood sandpiper proved popular with visitors last Sunday.
Island Mere and Bittern Hides continue to provide regular sightings of bitterns, bearded tits, hobbies and marsh harriers, with at least six great egrets still present, too and several families of great crested grebes on Island Mere. Other raptors this week have included red kite, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel and peregrine. The unseasonal whooper swan also remains at Island Mere, and a kingfisher is regular at Bittern Hide.
The cooler, damper weather have reduced the numbers and variety of insects, but there are still good numbers of common and ruddy darter and migrant hawker dragonflies, willow emerald damselflies and speckled wood butterflies on the wing. More excitingly, we've had several sightings of huge convolvulous hawkmoth caterpillars near the sluice this week.
A weasel near Bittern Hide and Chinese water deer on the Konik Field were the pick of the week's mammals. The red deer are gathering on the heath ready for the rut, with our first 4x4 safaris starting next weekend. There are still spaces available for some of these popular tours, so why not book yours now at www.events.rspb.org.uk/minsmere
Finally, if you are planning a visit next week, here's a couple of important changes to be aware of. On Monday 19 September, the visitor centre, shop and cafe will closed as a mark of respect for the funeral of our Patron, HM Queen Elizabeth II. The car park, toilets, hides and nature trails will remain open. Then, from Tuesday 20 to Thursday 22 September, our entrance road will closed from Scott's Hall to Westleton, so all visitors will have to arrive via Eastbridge. There will be a signed diversion.