Another Short Walk on the Suffolk Coast.

After my last post " A Short Walk on the sunny Suffolk coast" another sunny day presented itself. Slightly different bit of coast this time, further north towards Kessingland with the hope of seeing a reported Shore Lark. Spoiler alert we didn't see the Shore Lark, after 3 consecutive days in the same area it moved off Disappointed. However we still had good walk in sunshine again.

We started by walking to Benacre Broad. a body of freshwater close to the sea with a bit of beach across it, at least that was what it was like 18 months ago, now there is a gap where the sea has breached it and it is slowly draining into the sea. The same thing happened a couple of years ago further south at Covehithe Broad, that bit of the Suffolk Coast is slowly disappearing.

These trees were closer to the edge of the beach before.

!8 months ago the sea was close breaching.

Now there is a break and the broad is draining.

Back 18 months again and the sea is attacking and I think these trees are now on the beach.

The first birds to show, Pied Wagtails again.

Then the usual female Stonechat posing nicely again.

Then my wife alerted me to incoming Swans, 6 Bewicks, 2 adults 4 signets.

Finally got all 6 in the frame.

Then a fly past of Brent Geese skimming the waves.

From Benacre we went north in search of the Shore Lark, a chance meeting with another bird watcher had corrected our original idea of where is was but no luck. Having mentioned coastal erosion, when we were on the beach at Kessingland our OS Map App placed us some way out in the sea, it is an expanding area of shingle and grass leaving Kessingland some way from the sea.

We finished the day at Suffolk Wildlife Trusts Carlton Marshes, late in the afternoon and getting quite gloomy, but there were no people about and these Chinese Water Deer were out and about. We also saw a hunting Barn Owl but nothing like enough light was left for a photo.

All that was left to do then was make our way to Pakefield for Fish and Chips.

All the best,

Trevor

  • Lovely set of photos Trevor, sorry you dipped out on the Shore Lark but other species were a bonus so thanks for sharing. btw, I lived in Pakefield for 4 years (back in the early 1990's - nice to know the chippy is still there !!
  • Scary to see the coast disappearing like that Trevor, your photos are lovely, glad to see the Stonechat looking so good and the Bewicks and Brent geese are impressive shots.
  • Nice photos Trevor, thanks. Have never seen a Chinese Deer before. What better way to finish the day than with fish and chips mmmm, BlowfishFries We had no power from 2pm-7pm on Thursday due to a broken pole, (and again yesterday 11am-2pm due to the high winds) so had a chippy tea by lamplight and our wee Gas stovie with whistling kettle for a cuppa, lovely.

  • Lovely photos Trevor, and the weather looked fab.

    I've yet to clearly see whooper swans this year, though there was a good chance on my last Burton Mere visit the solo swan I saw was a whooper, but that was only from other reports, because it never raised its head for me to see clearly.

    Do I spy a photographer trying to take an aerial photo with either a smart phone or compact in the third pic?

    It makes for a nice sunny day silhouette.

  • Hi Mike,
    The aerial shot was on my smart phone, I couldn't get my arms up high enough to take the shadow out of the shot and I forgot to edit it out before posting.
    Trevor
  • Hope you're back on full power and normal catering. We escaped most of the storm down here in Suffolk, Saturday morning was quite calm and fairly dry, the afternoon was very wet and breezy and this morning we had a few seconds of snow (about 20 seconds I think).

    Below is a another Chinese Water Deer (nice fangs) I saw at RSPB North Warren near the coast, we have quite a few pockets of them around the county now.

    Best Wishes,

    Trevor

  • Nearly missed this set Trevor, super stuff. We saw Chinese Water Deer at Welney end of Oct, was a lovely surprise. Your Stonechat was looking proper smart :o) Thanks for sharing
  • Many Thanks PB,
    If you like the Stonechats did you see my other post "A short walk on the sunny Suffolk Coast" posted a week earlier and is about 5 pages back now. It has some of my favourite Stonechat shots amongst other things.
    Trevor
  • TJS said:
    Hi Mike,


    The aerial shot was on my smart phone, I couldn't get my arms up high enough to take the shadow out of the shot and I forgot to edit it out before posting.
    Trevor

    It adds to the photo.