Winter Birds on the Stour

Sunday 11 March

Pintail
Kestrel

Fourteen members assembled at the Bristol Arms for our walk along the River Stour. On a beautiful sunny March morning with temperatures forecast to reach 14 degrees, winter seemed a short and distant memory.
We enjoyed distant views of large numbers of waders, which included Brent geese, dunlin, grey plover, curlew and redshank. A trio of sanderling were busy on a shingle spit in the bay.
Good views of a male yellowhammer made a welcome year tick for several in the group. Two common buzzards were spotted flying over Erwarton – a bird that is at last becoming established in Suffolk with several now on the peninsular. As we returned to our starting point with the tide rushing in we had excellent close views of a kestrel. It was so intent on its prey and unconcerned about the approaching walkers. Using the wind off the river, it hovered motionless over the path, giving the photographers amongst us time to get good shots.

Barry Cooper

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