I booked a rental car from 10th to 12th June 2025 for a trip away from home to include visits to a number of sites in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk plus joining the Naturetrek "open day" at their base in Hampshire.
My aim was to primarily add species to my 2025 UK year list, including specifically Turtle Dove, Stone Curlew, Kittiwake, Nightjar, and Little Tern.
I was successful in seeing Turtle Dove, Nightjar and Kittiwake but, surprisingly and very disappointingly, I failed to see Stone Curlew or Little Tern. However, unexpectedly, I did see a singing male Firecrest during the wildlife walk on the Naturetrek "open day".
Therefore, I added 3 species to my 2025 UK year list, taking it to 174 species to date.
I also wanted to see Swallowtail and Norfolk Hawker, amongst other species, at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen.
During my trip, I visited the following sites:
EWT Wrabness, Essex
NWT Weeting Heath, Norfolk
Sizewell Beach, Suffolk
NNR Westleton Heath, Suffolk
NNR Winterton Dunes, Norfolk
RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk
10th May 2025
After picking up my rental car, I drove up to north east Essex and Wrabness Nature Reserve | Essex Wildlife Trust where Turtle Dove was my target species.
EWT Wrabness comprises hedgerows, scrub and grassland plus views overlooking the River Stour estuary. It is primarily known as a breeding location for Turtle Dove, a rapidly declining species which can be very difficult to locate now in the UK although this site remains a stronghold in Essex.
It took a while but I eventually located a calling male Turtle Dove on my walk around EWT Wrabness albeit it was a very distant view. I did hear another calling male in the same general area and, whilst obviously much closer, I failed to see it in the dense trees and bushes.
The highlights during
my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Turtle Dove
(1 calling male and another heard), Common Whitethroat (3 singing males
seen, 4 other birds seen plus 2 other singing males heard), Sedge Warbler
(1 singing male), Blackcap (at least 4 singing males),
Chiffchaff (1 singing male seen, 3 other birds seen together plus 2
other singing males heard), Sand Martin (at least 3), Cetti’s
Warbler (2 singing males), Kestrel (1), Stock Dove
(1 male heard calling), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Green
Woodpecker (1 heard calling), Skylark (at least
1 singing male), Oystercatcher (2 on the estuary foreshore), Mallard
(1 female flew over)
Addition to 2025 UK year list: Turtle Dove
Here are some photos from my visit ....
Photo: distant and heavily cropped record shot of Turtle Dove
Photo: Common Whitethroat
Photo: Common Whitethroat
After my visit to EWT Wrabness, I drove 60 miles north to NWT Weeting Heath in Norfolk where Stone Curlew was my target species.
NWT Weeting Heath is a 141.8 hectare reserve which is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve and it is also part of the Breckland Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area.
NWT Weeting Heath is probably the best site in the country to see the rare breeding Stone Curlew. The species requires open, stony ground with short vegetation to breed, making the close-cropped grass and lichen heath of NWT Weeting Heath an ideal site. As well as the Stone Curlew, NWT Weeting Heath is also home to a range of other heathland and woodland species.
Despite seeing Stone Curlew annually at NWT Weeting Heath as far back as I can remember, I failed to see any birds at all this year despite much scanning of the usual area in front of the hide. I am unsure as to why this was the case and I have not read any reports of failed breeding this year.
The highlights during my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Lapwing (at least 10), Curlew (1), Kestrel (1), Stock Dove (c.15), Chiffchaff (1 singing male), Skylark (at least 1 singing male), Goldcrest (2 singing males), Coal Tit (1 calling bird)
After a relatively disappointing visit to NWT Weeting Heath, I drove 65 miles east to Sizewell Beach on the Suffolk coast.
Sizewell Beach is dominated by the sight of the Sizewell B nuclear power station but just offshore there is a structure associated with that which has a breeding colony of Kittiwakes. This was my target species and it was not difficult to see around c.200 birds!
Addition to 2025 UK year list: Kittiwake
Photo: Kittiwakes
Photo: Kittiwakes
My last visit of the day was to NNR Westleton Heath but, before doing so, I went to have my evening meal at one of my favourite pubs in Suffolk: Eel's Foot Inn in the tiny village of Eastbridge near RSPB Minsmere.
Since my last visit to the Eel's Foot Inn, a remarkable "Swift tower" has been installed at the rear of the pub .... see here for more information on this brilliant initiative.
NNR Westleton Heath is part of the best remaining tract of heathland in Suffolk and located just outside the village of Westleton. In medieval times a large area of heath known as the Sandlings (on account of its dry sandy soils) stretched along the Suffolk coast. Today only about 20% of the heathland remains and the rest has been lost to modern farming and forestry. The site is particularly good for heathland and woodland species.
I had an excellent visit to NNR Westleton Heath on 27th April 2025 but my main target species on this visit was Nightjar during the short period after sunset until it went dark.
I arrived to see a wonderful sunset and left as the "strawberry moon" was rising.
I have visited NNR Westleton Heath many times over the years but, like last year, this was an exceptionally good visit with probably 5 "churring" males (including 2 seen perched) plus the sight and sound of calling and wing-clapping birds in flight.
The highlights during my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Nightjar (at least 5), Dartford Warbler (2), Tawny Owl (1 calling male), Cuckoo (1 calling male), Chiffchaff (1 singing male), Reeves' Muntjac (1 "barking" male)
Addition to 2025 UK year list: Nightjar
Here are some photos from my visit ....
11th June 2025
NNR Winterton Dunes is an extensive dune system on the east coast of Norfolk located within the Norfolk Coast National Landscape. The site is unusual in that it shows greater ecological similarities to the dune systems of the Baltic coast countries which support acidic plant communities rather than the dunes on the north Norfolk coast where the sand is calcareous.
NNR Winterton Dunes shows good coastal habitat succession from the open sand and shingle beach, through embryo and fixed dunes to acid heathland and low-lying wet dune slacks with areas of scattered scrub.
In spring, migrant birds pass through, often including uncommon or rare species. Little Terns and Ringed Plovers nest in shallow scrapes on the sandy beach, Nightjars use the heath to feed and breed and Skylarks and Stonechats are often seen and heard. The temporary pools in the dune slacks provide breeding sites for nationally important colonies of Natterjack Toads. Atlantic Grey Seals and Common Seals may be seen offshore and throughout the year. The range of habitats here also provide suitable homes for many rare insects such as sand wasps, many dragonflies and damselflies and a variety of butterflies.
After taking a short walk from the car park, I arrived at the fenced-off breeding colony of the Little Terns.
In my trip report regarding my visit last year to NNR Winterton Dunes, I said .... "The on-site RSPB warden told me that an estimated 400 birds had returned in May and, subject to the usual threats of tidal flooding, aerial and ground predators and human and dog disturbance, he is hopeful for another successful breeding season. The sight of so many Little Terns at a single small site was amazing."
This year there was not a single Little Tern to be seen within the fenced-off breeding colony, on the foreshore or flying and fishing out at sea!
A quick Google search revealed that the Little Terns had abandoned their breeding colony due to human and dog disturbance! .... Eastern Daily Press - Disturbances see red-listed bird leave Winterton beach
Little Terns face enough challenges with high tides/storm surges and predation by Red Foxes and corvids without humans totally ignoring all the very evident signs and the advice of RSPB wardens. Hopefully, the Little Terns at NNR Winterton Dunes have relocated to the other large colony at the reasonably inaccessible Blakeney Point.
Despite this terrible experience, my visit to NNR Winterton Dunes was not a complete waste of time, not least given that it provided an excellent opportunity to photograph a Ringed Plover.
The highlights during my visit were as follows: Ringed Plover (3 plus a distant flock of c.20 waders which were also probably this species), Skylark (at least 5 singing males), Great Black-backed Gull (1), Herring Gull (c.10)
Here are some photos from my visit ....
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
Photo: Ringed Plover
After the disappointment of not seeing any Little Terns at NNR Winterton Dunes , I drove 16 miles south west to RSPB Strumpshaw Fen.
RSPB Strumpshaw Fen is part of the Mid-Yare Valley along with Surlingham, Rockland, Buckenham and Cantley in the Norfolk Broads. The valley protects a mosaic of wetland habitats which is home to a wide range of important species.
RSPB Strumpshaw Fen has the designations Site of Special Scientific Interest , Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation. It has the full range of broadland habitats including reedbeds, wet woodlands, wet grasslands, ponds and ditches and orchid-rich meadows.
I had an excellent visit to RSPB Strumpshaw Fen on 28th April 2025 but my main target species on this visit were the very localised Swallowtail and Norfolk Hawker. I was successful in seeing both. In addition, I saw many other butterfly and dragonfly/damselfly species, most notably Scarce Chaser and Banded Demoiselle, plus there were still good numbers of spring/summer visiting warblers.
The highlights during my visit were as follows:
Butterflies: Swallowtail (1 or possibly 2), Small Tortoiseshell (c.15), Red Admiral (2), Speckled Wood (2), Meadow Brown (1), Small White (1)
Dragonflies and damselflies: Norfolk Hawker (at least 15), Scarce Chaser/Broad-bodied Chaser (at least 10, probably mostly of the former), Four-spotted Chaser (at least 10), Emperor Dragonfly (1), Black-tailed Skimmer (1), Banded Demoiselle (6), Azure Damselfly (at least 10), Blue-tailed Damselfly (1), Large Red Damselfly (1)
Birds (heard only records in italics): Willow Warbler (4 singing males), Chiffchaff (1 singing male plus 4 others heard), Blackcap (6 singing males), Sedge Warbler (1 singing male and at least 2 others heard), Reed Warbler (at least 6 singing males), Cetti's Warbler (1 singing male), Marsh Harrier (2 males and 1 female), Lapwing (1), Cormorant (3), Mute Swan (pair with 4 cygnets)
Here are some photos from my visit ....
Today, I attended a Naturetrek "open day" at the Naturetrek base in converted barn in the village of Chawton, near the market town of Alton in Hampshire.
Naturetrek operates the largest selection of professionally organised, expert-led wildlife holidays and tours in the world and has being doing so for 39 years.
The main reason for attending was a presentation on their Tiger tours to India, specifically "Tiger Direct" which I am considering booking for February/March 2026, plus an opportunity to meet and discuss this with Rajan Jolly.
However, a Naturetrek "open day" also offers the opportunity to experience the identification of moths caught in the overnight moth trap and undertake a guided wildlife walk through nearby woodland, fields and meadows.
The moth trap experience was so interesting with 68 moth species identified by the Naturetrek staff although others flew off before being identified. Species that were identified included the amazing Privet Hawk-moth (the largest UK resident moth species) and Elephant Hawk-moth.
The main highlight of the wildlife walk was a singing male Firecrest in the woodland, another addition to my 2025 UK year list. Other species recorded were Red Kite (1), Roe Deer (1), Marbled White (1), Large Skipper (1), Meadow Brown (c.10).
Love nature .... act now
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