Members’ pictures The sparrowhawks are by Alan Baldry and the purple sandpiper by Barry Hall. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales—No. 207076, Scotland No. SC037654 GROUP LEADER’S THOUGHTS from Tim Kenny t’s amazing. One minute you’re waiting you may well be as enthused as I am by I for a mini ice age to end, the next you the plight of this fascinating bird. find yourself complaining that it’s too hot. The golden tinge to the normally green Mid-June sees one of the highlights of our grass is indicative of a dry spell, and I local group year, the nightjar walk. At can’t recall it raining since early May. The Upper Hollesley Common were some crops and gardens could do with a drop singing Dartford warblers (warbling a bit between my writing this (it’s July 17 as I later than usual thanks to the Beast from tap out these thoughts) and harvest time. the East) before the stars of the show But on balance it’s been a glorious began their ethereal churring. Good, if summer, and for those that believe in the silhouetted, views were had of a singing St. Swithin’s Day myth, it was dry and male atop a tree before it got too dark to sunny two days ago – it looks like we’re in see anything. However, a glance to the for more of the same. heavens led me to train my binoculars on Jupiter, and to my surprise four of its When out on my bike training for my next moons were clearly visible in the clear adventure on two wheels, I’ve been going summer night sky. A scope was soon put through twice the fluids I normally would on it so all could enjoy this celestial thanks to the heat. But at least the wonder, and it got me thinking that compensation is the songs of sometimes nature’s highlights are not yellowhammers and whitethroats from always the animals of our earthly realm. the roadside hedges. These are sounds that tell me I’m out in the country away And before we know it, autumn migration from the traffic and bustle of urban is upon us again. Migratory waders such Felixstowe or Ipswich. During a ride out as curlew sandpiper, spotted redshank to Shotley recently I was delighted to see and green sandpiper have already been and hear a screaming party of swifts sighted around the coast, along with the around the area of the Rose pub. On usual July gathering of little gulls up at June 22 I attended a talk by Edward Minsmere. It won’t be long until the Jackson of the Save Our Swifts campaign aforementioned swifts, only with us since which was eye-opening to say the least, late April, are off back south and the but there are things we can do. One swallows and martins are gathering on example is encouraging developers of the wires before making their way across new build housing to incorporate a ‘swift the Sahara and beyond. brick,’ an entrance to a hollow section of roof space where the birds can nest. Happy birding and until next time. Modern houses are just too perfect for swifts, as they are almost hermetically Editor’s comment: sealed, as opposed to those fine old Victorian terraced houses in the centre of We often hear mention of the difficulties Ipswich, with their nooks and crannies of finding nesting spaces for birds in that are ideal for this most aerial of modern houses. Nevertheless birds can creatures to bring up the next generation. be, and are, quite resourceful. Our house Edward’s talk is scheduled for 13 is a ‘hermetically sealed modern brick September so by the time you read this, (Continued on page3 ) 2 ORWELL OBSERVER September 2018 (Continued from page2 ) box’ or so we thought. Built in 1992, we moved in in early summer 1999 and soon became aware of starlings nesting under the tiles then, and in subsequent years. Later on we were obliged to have the facias replaced and wondered what we could do to help the starlings as we were told that ‘birds could not get under the tiles.’ This was a selling point apparently! However, the next year the starlings were back using instead the edging tiles on the gables and ridges to gain access to The picture (by Barry Hall) is some of our nesting spaces. ‘family’ of 2017. Last year the Pin Badge box scheme raised over £118,000 in the Eastern Region and over £1,029,000 around the UK. We are looking for more volunteers to help raise even more money. If you would like to find out more about how you can help by managing one or more boxes, please contact Judy or Mick Cook on 01473 682239 or speak to either of them at an indoor meeting. Bypass Nurseries Tel: 01473 310604 Magazine Printers & Sponsors: Sponsors of an indoor meeting Sharward Services Ltd, PO Box 1053, Ipswich IP1 9YL Collins Waste Solutions Tel: 0147 212113 Website: sharward.co.uk Tel: 01473 327596 Sponsors of an indoor meeting 3 ORWELL OBSERVER September 2018 Summer Birds….. All by Tim Kenny, from top: barn swallow, common tern, female linnet and green sandpiper. 4 ORWELL OBSERVER September 2018 TRIP REPORTS from Stephen Marginson Holbrook Bay—11.3.18 A calm morning with a few drops of rain greeted those who came along to the Holbrook Bay field trip. Spring was underway as we gathered at Stutton Church with the resident songsters such as blackbird, song thrush, robin, wren, dunnock, blue tit, great tit and chaffinch all in song. Snowdrops and the first daffodils were out in the churchyard. Walking down to Holbrook Bay we enjoyed the Yellowhammer. bird song. The meadow adjacent Picture—Chris Courtney to the bank was wet after recent rain and held good numbers of curlews, black-tailed godwits and oystercatchers; the curlews being Upper Hollesley Common—25.4.18 in smart spring plumage before heading off to breeding areas. A couple of Cool conditions were the feature of the godwits also showed signs of the evening trip to this area of Sandling reddish summer plumage which will soon Heath. A large area of conifers has been adorn them. From below the bank the cleared over the winter leaving bare ‘chuddles’ of Brent geese were audible. ground which in time will revert to heather Once on the bank about 400 of them heath. Several areas are being treated were feeding on the mud as the tide like this under a forest enterprise scheme receded. With them were dunlins, in co-operation with the Suffolk Wildlife redshanks and more curlews and black Trust. At the moment the areas cleared -tailed godwits. Noticeable by their are of little wildlife value but this will absence were lapwing, which had change as the areas revert back to already departed for their breeding areas. heather heath. The Mini-beast from the Around 120 common gulls were also East has ravaged ground nesting bird seen, a pre-dispersal gathering before populations such as those that occur on heading off north. Out in the river a few the Sandlings and there were no goldeneyes were noted. Grey plover, sightings or calls from Dartford meadow pipit, skylark and reed warblers. A couple of woodlarks were bunting were also along the bank. An heard and one was viewed for a short enjoyable morning's birdwatching in this while. A yellowhammer was also heard excellent area for birds and with the and noted. Other birds were difficult to magnificent backdrop of the Royal find but great tit, blue tit and coal tit all Hospital School. seem to have survived in good numbers. Summer songsters were few and far (Continued on page6 ) 5 ORWELL OBSERVER September 2018 (Continued from page5 ) finished off an enjoyable evening watching and listening to a reed warbler between due to the chilly spring so far down by the ponds in Bobbitts Lane with chiffchaff and blackcap the only meadow. ones seen. The flock of crossbills which are regularly seen in the area we walked Newbourne Springs SWT—16.5.18 round also kept well out of the way of the RSPB Ipswich Group trip. An enjoyable The best bird of the evening was as we evening in an area of precious habitat returned to the car park. A hobby flew despite the lack of birds. over the reserve enroute to the Sandling heaths across the Deben from it’s feeding Kiln Meadow and Spring Wood—2.5.18 areas. This fine falcon was a welcome sight on a cool evening dominated by a The sun came out as we met in the chill north westerly wind. Most birds were Bobbitts Lane car park for a walk round therefore taking shelter and were Spring Wood and Kiln Lane meadows generally subdued in song. A couple of and we enjoyed a lovely sunny spring bursts of song from two or three evenings wander. The birdlife was not nightingales were heard but none of the that great with only chiffchaff, blackcap birds were located. A cuckoo was also and whitethroat noted of the summer heard briefly. The turtle doves which are visitors. Due to the recent cold and wet on the reserve neither called or showed, weather it is likely the nightingales have no doubt due to the cool conditions. yet to return as none were heard. Blackcap and chiffchaff were noted in Several have been passing though good numbers along with the resident Landguard recently enroute to breeding song birds such as blackbird, robin, areas such as Kiln Meadow.