Trip Report: Felixstowe, U.K., vicinity, September 22-30, 1996

Mark E. Perkins, AT&T, Rm 3F-502, 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733-3030, USA; mark.e.perkins@att.com or perkins@zippy.ho.att.com

Bird Folks--

Here is a brief report on my recent birding experience in the UK.

Public thanks are in order for information sent to me by Andrew Culshaw, Paul Hammerton, and Mark Welford. Gail Mackiernan's 1995 trip report (neatly archived on the Web by Urs Geiser) came in handy as well.

I was in the area of Ipswich (staying in Felixstowe) on a business trip for the week of 23 September. The only birding time I had during the week was the odd observation near the hotel or outside the windows of the meeting room. However, I did get in a brief afternoon walk on the day I arrived in the UK. Starting late in the afternoon on Friday, 27 Sept, I had the weekend and the following Monday. I spent two days birding and one day sampling more of the local cask conditioned ales (yum!).

NOTE: In the species lists below, I have tried to use the common names used in the UK. I have also given scientific names, followed by the common name (in parentheses) used in North America, when that name is different from the UK common name, e.g.,

Robin                   Erithacus rebecula          (European Robin)

Sunday, 22 September

I arrived at Heathrow early in the morning and drove to Felixstowe. The wind was blowing hard from the south and west. I spent a little more than an hour in the mid-late afternoon at Landguard, near the Felixstowe container port. The combination of strong wind and my jet-lagged state made for limited sightings. I did not see any of the rarities listed on the board at the observatory (Ring Ouzel, Ortolan, Firecrest, among others).

Herring Gull            Larus argentatus
Rock Dove               Columba livia
Starling                Sturnus vulgaris
Robin                   Erithacus rebecula          (European Robin)
Blackbird               Turdus merula
Brambling               Fringilla montifringilla
Rock Pipit              Anthus petrosus

For the rest of the week ('til Friday afternoon), I only saw the following, while in transit from hotel to meetings to pubs and restaurants

Pied Wagtail            Motacilla alba
Rook                    Corvus frugilegus
Carrion Crow            Corvus corone
Woodpigeon              Columba palumbus
Collared Dove           Streptopelia decaocto   (Eurasian Collared-Dove)
Starling                Sturnus vulgaris
Rock Dove               Columba livia
House Sparrow           Passer domesticus

Friday, 27 September-- Trimley Marshes

We finished our work in the middle of the afternoon. A non-birder colleague and I headed for Trimley Marshes. He lives in Felixstowe, but was quite unaware of the richness of birding opportunities within 5 minutes drive from his home.... He may be a convert now.

Great Crested Grebe     Podiceps cristatus
Goldfinch               Cardeulis cardeulis         (European Goldfinch)
Rook                    Corvus frugilegus
Mallard                 Anas platyrhynchos
Greylag Goose           Anser anser
Coot                    Fulica atra                 (Eurasian Coot)
Great Black-Backed Gull Larus marinus
Cormorant               Phalacocorax carbo          (Great Cormorant)
Wigeon                  Anas penelope               (Eurasian Wigeon)
Woodpigeon              Columba palumbus
Moorhen                 Gallinula chloropus         (Common Moorhen)
Wheatear                Oenanthe oenanthe           (Northern Wheatear)
Bar-tailed Godwit       Limosa lapponica
Gadwall                 Anas strepera
Kestrel                 Falco tinnunculus           (Eurasian Kestrel)
Lapwing                 Vanellus vanellus           (Northern Lapwing)
Pheasant                Phasianus colchicus         (Ring-necked Pheasant)
Grey Heron              Ardea cinerea
Collared Dove           Streptopelia decaocto       (Eurasian Collared-Dove)

Saturday, 28 September-- Minsmere

My friend in Felixstowe had made some inquiries on my behalf and learned that there would be an early morning walk with a Warden. I made a reservation earlier in the week, in part hoping that an organized activity with some local birders would help me get organized and acquainted with all of the new species. It worked. The warden was quite helpful as were the other birders on the walk. I had chosen not to take my spotting scope to the UK (there is only so much stuff I feel like carrying, and this was a business trip, after all), so being on a walk like this with other folks who were willing to share their 'scopes was very nice.

Robin                   Erithacus rebecula          (European Robin)
Canda Goose             Branta canadensis
Teal                    Anas crecca                 (Green-winged Teal)
Mallard                 Anas platyrhynchos
Rook                    Corvus frugilegus
Wigeon                  Anas penelope               (Eurasian Wigeon)
Whinchat                Saxicola rubetra
Magpie                  Pica pica                   (Black-billed Magpie)
Kestrel                 Falco tinnunculus           (Eurasian Kestrel)
Mute Swan               Cygnus olor
Bearded Tit             Panurus biarmicus
Stone Chat              Saxicola torquata
Cormorant               Phalacocorax carbo          (Great Cormorant)
Lapwing                 Vanellus vanellus           (Northern Lapwing)
Grey Plover             Pluvialis squatarola        (Black-bellied Plover)
Black-tailed Godwit     Limosa limosa
Black Cap               Sylvia atricapilla
Swallow                 Hirundo rustica             (Barn Swallow)
Jay                     Garrulus glandarius
Wren                    Troglodytes troglodytes     (Winter Wren)
Blue Tit                Parus caeruleaus
Chaffinch               Fringilla coelebs
Mistle Thrush           Turdus viscivorus
Black-headed Gull       Larus ribidundus            (Common Black-headed Gull)
Greylag                 Anser anser
Great Black-Backed Gull Larus marinus
Herring Gull            Larus argentatus
Coot                    Fulica atra                 (Eurasian Coot)
Little Grebe            Tachybaptus ruficollis
Shoveler                Anas clypeata               (Northern Shoveler)
Kingfisher              Alcedo atthis
Gadwall                 Anas strepera
Tufted Duck             Aythya fuligula
Great Tit               Parus major
Coal Tit                Parus ater
Carrion Crow            Corvus corone
Pheasant                Phasianus colchicus         (Ring-necked Pheasant)

Sunday, 29 September

Hard wind with rain and drizzle. This was the perfect excuse to sleep late, then spend the afternoon around Southwold, making sure that the Adnams ales were everything I had heard about. I was not disappointed.

Monday, 30 September-- Landguard, Fagbury Cliffs, Trimley Marshes

I had some residual business to attend to in the afternoon, so I decided to try Landguard again during the morning hours. It was much less windy than the week before, and I was more alert. The combination made for a good morning. After about two hours, I decided to go back to Trimley Marshes and to an adjacent area, Fagbury Cliffs.

Landguard

Black-headed Gull       Larus ribidundus            (Common Black-headed Gull)
Herring Gull            Larus argentatus
Wheatear                Oenanthe oenanthe           (Northern Wheatear)
House Sparrow           Passer domesticus
Redstart                Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Linnet                  Cardeulis cannabina
Blackbird               Turdus merula
Chaffinch               Fringilla coelebs
Carrion Crow            Corvus corone
Kestrel                 Falco tinnunculus           (Eurasian Kestrel)
Cormorant               Phalacocorax carbo          (Great Cormorant)
House Martin            Delichon urbica
Dunnock                 Prunella modularis
Robin                   Erithacus rebecula          (European Robin)
Meadow Pipit            Anthus pratensis
Willow Warbler          Phylloscopus trochilus
Red-legged Partridge    Alectoris rufa
Song Thrush             Turdus philomelos
Blue Tit                Parus caeruleaus
Woodpigeon              Columba palumbus
Rock Dove               Columba livia
Starling                Sturnus vulgaris            (European Starling)

Fagbury Cliffs / Trimley Marshes

Whitethroat             Sylvia communis
Goldfinch               Cardeulis cardeulis         (European Goldfinch)
Stock Dove              Columba oenas
Carrion Crow            Corvus corone
Grey Heron              Ardea cinerea
Black-Headed Gull       Larus ribidundus
Cormorant               Phalacocorax carbo          (Great Cormorant)
Meadow Pipit            Anthus pratensis
Mallard                 Anas platyrhynchos
Magpie                  Pica pica                   (Black-billed Magpie)
Great Black-Backed Gull Larus marinus
Wheatear                Oenanthe oenanthe           (Northern Wheatear)
Collared Dove           Streptopelia decaocto       (Eurasian Collared-Dove)
Woodpigeon              Columba palumbus
Kestrel                 Falco tinnunculus           (Eurasian Kestrel)
Chaffinch               Fringilla coelebs
House Sparrow           Passer domesticus

That's it for this trip. It was an extremely pleasant experience. I would highly recommend East Anglia for birders who are visiting the UK. Between the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, there are ample preserves for birding. My next trip to that area will be for pleasure only, with the intention of adding the North Norfolk coast.

Mark E. Perkins                       Internet:  mark.e.perkins@att.com
AT&T, Rm 3F-502                             or:  perkins@zippy.ho.att.com
101 Crawfords Corner Road             Tel:  +1 908 949 5441
Holmdel, NJ  07733-3030               FAX:  +1 908 949 1652

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