A Strange Trip to Suffolk

With nearly 2 weeks of annual leave from work booked for March of this year I had originally planned to head off abroad somewhere but decided instead to visit family in Suffolk - very fortunate really as we would probably have ended up stuck somewhere unable to get back to the UK with transport systems crashing due to the Corona virus shutdown.

We travelled up to Ipswich by train on Monday 16th March and it was a strange experience with the trains, underground and London being eerily empty and quiet. The lock down of the UK began that night with Boris Johnson beginning his daily news conferences and as the week progressed the restrictions grew but we were fortunately able to get back to Plymouth on the train on Friday 20th March with the trains, underground and London being even more deserted.

The weather while we were in Suffolk was mostly grey and dull but fortunately dry and with people being asked to self isolate and socially distance themselves we decided to get out into the countryside to enjoy the fresh air while avoiding people and crowds.

Our train journey to London on Monday 16th March provided the usual sightings of Red Kites between Swindon and Paddington and Herbert the Slavonian Grebe was seen off Cockwood on the River Exe.

Tuesday 17th March and we visited the Beth Chatto Gardens near Colchester, somewhere we haven't been before, and we had a pleasant wander around listening to a singing Chiffchaff and I finally saw my first butterflies of the year - Peacock and Brimstone - flitting about.

Peacock, Beth Chatto Garden, Essex

Wednesday 18th March and we visited Ampton where the Tree Sparrows were easily found around the bird feeders although they were very nervy and skittish. A couple of Red-legged Partridges were seen in the fields with lots of Pheasents but the highlight were 3 Grey Partridge feeding in a stubble field.

Tree Sparrows, Ampton, Suffolk

Tree Sparrows

Grey Partridge, Ampton

Onwards to Risby Barns and 3 Red Kites were seen soaring overhead along with numerous Buzzards while in the fields  more Red-legged Partridges were seen along with Hares and Muntjac Deer.

After a quick look around the antiques centre and lunch at Mums cousins cafe we drove to Lackford Lakes for a walk, only my second visit here. Chiffchaffs were singing away despite the cool breeze and grey skies but a Kingfisher showed very well right in front of the hide along with Snipe, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, a Little Egret, Greylag Geese and Reed Buntings.

Kingfisher, Lackford Lakes, Suffolk

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Snipe, Lackford Lakes

Thursday 19th March and Mum decided to head to Sainsburys to do some food shopping as it was over 70's only from 8am to 9am, a move instigated by Sainsburys due to the stripping of food from the shelfs in supermarkets, something we had experienced already on a brief look in both Tescos and Sainsburys on out travels the previous few days. Mum managed to buy what she needed including toilet rolls which bizarrely are like gold dust at the moment but there were apparently some ugly scenes in the aisles and Mum was harrassed and harangued by a belligerent old lady who didn't believe she was over 70 and felt she should be kicked out of the store (my Mum is nearly 74!).

After Mums shopping adventure we headed off to Minsmere where I had 3 hours to myself - the visitors centre and cafe had been closed but the nature trails were open and I made full use of my limited time there.

Bitterns were booming, Bearded Tits were pinging, Green Woodpeckers were yaffling and Water Rails were squealing but I didn't see any of them. Marsh Harriers showed very well quartering over the reed beds and I did get a brief view of a Cettis Warbler singing in the undergrowth. 2 Red Deer were a surprise sighting out in the open before they entered the water and disappeared into the reeds.

Marsh Harrier, Minsmere 

Red Deer, Minsmere

Red Deer

The Scrape held the usual birds - Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Lapwing, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Shoveler were all seen along with a flock of (feral) Barnacle Geese and lots of Gulls - Great Black-backed, Herring, Common, Black-headed and Mediterranean. I also found a 3rd Calendar year Yellow-legged Gull preening away which was briefly joined by a 3rd calendar year Caspian Gull which it took great umbrage to and attacked causing it to fly off.

Yellow-legged Gull, Minsmere

Yellow-legged Gull

Yellow-legged Gull - yellow tinged legs

Yellow-legged Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Herring Gull and Yellow-legged Gull

Herring Gull and Yellow-legged Gull

Herring Gull and Yellow-legged Gull

Herring, Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls

H, C and YL Gulls

Herring, Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls

YLGull sees Caspian Gull

YLGull attacks Caspian Gull! 

The sea was quiet but the dunes held a pair of Stonechat and Linnets and I almost stepped on 2 Adders curled up together out of the wind before they slithered off into the gorse.

Adders, Minsmere

Adder, Minsmere

On the journey back to Ipswich we stopped off briefly at Snape Maltings where I had a quick look along the river and was very pleased to find a very lovely looking Spotted Redshank along with 4 Avocet and quite a few Black-tailed Godwits including a bird with coloured leg rings.

Spotted Redshank, Snape Maltings, Suffolk

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Black-tailed Godwit, Snape Maltings

Black-tailed Godwit with leg rings

The train journey back to Plymouth on Friday March 20th was uneventful with more Red Kites seen between Paddington and Swindon and I also saw quite a few Roe Deer out in the fields and a Snow Goose with Canada Geese at Powderham along the River Exe.

And so a great time away in what is fast becoming a very strange time. Next week I return to work, entering the lions mouth of Derriford Hospital and who knows what which will mean my wildlife watching choices will likely become much more limited.

Sicily - Part II

The drive to Selinunte from Agrigento on Tuesday 1st October was broken up by a visit to the ancient site of Eraclea Minoa. It was mostly unexcavated but still very interesting with lovely views from the clifftops down to sandy beaches and clear blue seas.

Crested larks were vocal and flighty around the site and I briefly heard a cirl bunting singing. Grayling, clouded yellow, painted lady, wall, swallowtail and hummingbird hawkmoths were also seen.

 Grayling

 Swallowtail

Swallowtail

We carried on to Selinunte and arrived without incident and after checking into the Hotel Miramare we headed down to the beach just across the road for a swim in the Mediterranean sea and a chill out.

Tree Sparrow from our hotel balcony

Balcony View at the Hotel Miramare, Selinunte

Wednesday 2nd October saw us heading firstly to Cave di Cusa, a large abandoned quarry which was the source of the stone used in the building of the ancient city of Selinunte. It was very rural and peaceful and I added jay to the bird list while also seeing vestal moths and a nicely marked unknown moth species.

Moth Sp., Cave di Cusa

Onwards to the ancient city of Segesta where we marvelled at the temple and the views from the ancient theatre across the valleys and hills while watching house martins and a red-rumpled swallow overhead. A fan-tailed warbler was the highlight though, showing very well as it fed in the undergrowth, and as usual there were wall lizards everywhere.

 Segesta

 Segesta

Wall Lizard

Segesta

Thursday 3rd October was spent wandering around the extensive ruins of Selinunte, a fascinating place and for once somewhere we were actually allowed to clamber over and amongst the ruins.

Temple G, Selinunte

Temple E, Selinunte

A pair of marsh harriers soaring high overhead were new for the bird list and I finally managed to get some proper views of Moorish geckos resting on the stone walls. A plain tiger butterfly was a surprise too as it dashed past in the strong breeze and I also found a male common blue feeding on flowers.

 Moorish Gecko

 Moorish Gecko

 Moorish Gecko

Moorish Gecko

 Common Blue

 Clouded Yellow

 Wall Lizard

Grayling

The next morning saw us driving back to Agrigento to return the hire car before catching the train back to Palermo. The train journey was just as stunning as before and I had some better views of great white egrets along the coast and briefly saw 2 little grebes before they dived underwater.

Our last afternoon was spent wandering around Palermo enjoying food and drink and the wonderful buildings and I managed to find an oddly marked male common blue and a few brown argus flitting about in the park by the sea to finish off the day.

 Common Blue

 Common Blue

Brown Argus

And so all in all a great holiday, some interesting wildlife sightings and some fantastic archeological sight seeing and as usual I feel like I need a holiday to get over it now that I am back home.