Join us on our short break in Suffolk at the perfect time of year to see the very best of its spectacular wildlife ranging from marsh harriers and bitterns to emperor dragonflies and peacock butterflies.
In late spring, this beautiful and hugely diverse stretch of coastline has an extraordinary range of breeding birds. This is a heartland for breeding bitterns, marsh harriers, avocets, bearded tits and many other birds of coastal reedbeds and marshes. There are also extensive heaths, supporting woodlarks, Dartford warblers, tree pipits and stone curlews. Along the shore, dunes and very rare vegetated shingle hold a host of special plants and insects.
From a comfortable single base, we explore a wonderful range of Suffolk's finest coastal nature reserves, at a time of year when they are buzzing with life. We hope to hear nightingales and nightjars in song, see nesting gulls, terns and waders, watch marsh harriers and bitterns bringing food back to their nests and see an abundance of rare coastal plants in bloom and insects on the wing.
We meet early this afternoon at our hotel. After check-in we head straight to the field, visiting a nearby coastal nature reserve. At this time of year marsh harrier, bittern, lapwing, redshank, little tern and a host of other birds are all breeding around the Suffolk coast, so there is sure to be plenty to see.
Accommodation: Bawdsey Hall, 3-nights
We have two full days over which to explore the beautiful Suffolk coast, for its rich diversity of habitats, its birds and its plentiful other wildlife.
We are sure to spend at least one day around the RSPB's iconic Minsmere reserve. One of the most diverse lowland nature reserves in the UK, Minsmere has reedbeds, scrapes, wet grazing marsh, oak woodland, heather heathland and nationally rare vegetated shingle. As a result it is home to an astonishing array of wildlife. The reedbeds hold nationally important populations of bittern, marsh harrier, bearded tit and other species, while the scrapes have colonies of avocet, black-headed gull and common tern. Otters are frequently seen on the scrapes too.
One day we will combine visits to Carlton Marshes and Benarce Broad. We start by heading north to Carlton Marshes on the edge of Lowestoft. This reserve consists of 120 acres of grazing marsh, peat pools and fen, and is home to a wide range of wetland and Broadland birds including reed, sedge and Cetti’s warblers, bearded reedling, hobby and marsh harrier. Other notable flora and fauna we may see include water vole, dragonflies and the rare water soldier and raft spider.
Afterwards, we will return south to Benacre Broad near the impressive ruin of Covehithe church, where we will explore coastal woodland, saline lagoons, reed beds and heathland covering 393 hectares. Over a hundred breeding bird species use the reserve including marsh harrier, bearded reedling, water rail, wildfowl and in some years bittern, woodlark, hobby and wheatear breed on heathland areas and little tern fish off the coast. Other noteworthy species here include lagoon sand shrimp, starlet sea anemone and grey hair grass.
On one evening of our stay we will be sure to visit local habitat in the hope of seeing nightjars displaying and perhaps hearing nightingales. This is also an excellent time of year for seeing woodcock courting.
Our last morning involves a short hop to the Hen Reedbed near Southwold, which consists of reed bed, grazing marsh, scrape and estuary. Key birds here include marsh harrier, bittern, bearded reedling, hobby, lapwing, snipe, avocet, black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, reed and sedge warblers. Passage migrants such as wood and green sandpipers are a possibility too. Otters and water voles are frequently seen, as are four-spot chaser and hairy dragonfly. There is also a brown argus colony close to the car park. We return to our hotel where the tour comes to an end.
Best known for his wildlife journalism, contributing to BBC Wildlife, Birdwatch, Birdwatching and Nature’s Home, Ed also has a strong background in wildlife conservation.
He has previously worked for the RSPB at Symonds Yat Rock in Gloucestershire and surveyed nightingales for the British Trust for Ornithology. Ed has a passion for all birdlife with a particular interest in raptors and bird vocalisation, and takes pleasure in committing new ones to memory.
Suffolk is a historic county in the East of England. The county’s coastline and heaths are designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and encompass many of Eastern England's most cherished nature reserves, with an astonishing diversity of habitats and wildlife. Find Out More about {acc:title}
