Welcome to the Buteo Wildlife blog, a record of some of the wildlife that we have been seeing and occasional identification articles that will hopefully be useful for those trying to learn about wildlife.

If you enjoy reading this blog, join us on one of our tours - days and weekends looking for wildlife. Visit our website for details: www.buteowildlife.co.uk
Note that tours with clients may not always feature prominently on this blog because we are unlikely to have time for photography when out with clients - and walls of text don't tend to make the most interesting posts. If there is time for a few snatched photos they may not always be of the highest quality - but we'll use them anyway!


To try and keep posts in chronological order they may sometimes be given earlier dates/times than when they are actually posted. Apologies, for this - it's not meant to mislead anyone (and we will try to avoid this happening too often).

8 May 2012

Minsmere 12 April 2012

On a day of April showers we visited the RSPB's flagship reserve at Minsmere. On our first view of the Scrape we were surprised to find that it has become totally dominated by Black-headed Gulls. They were everywhere! The first bird of interest turned out to be one that we couldn't tick as it was the Greater Flamingo, nicknamed Fiona, who has been around for quite a time having taken a break from her life at Marwell Zoo. Another species very much in evidence was Barnacle Goose of which there were several pairs.
Viewing the Scrape from the various hides we found Mediterranean Gulls, a few Sandwich Terns and a male Pintail. There were a few waders with 25+ Avocets,Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and a single Black-tailed Godwit. We also managed to see a cracking male Bearded Tit, albeit briefly.
A male Bearded Tit (photographed elsewhere).

After lunch and a heavy shower we made our way round via the Bittern Hide to Island Mere. At the former we managed to get a view of a Bittern and another from Island Mere. We had heard 2 booming as we went round the Scrape in the morning. Altogether there must have been over 10 Marsh Harriers flying around and we had close views of 3 Red Deer hinds in the woodland.

A brief visit to Dunwich Heath before starting for home provided prolonged views of a very showy male Dartford Warbler which performed for us for several minutes.

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