TWO SHORT TALKS: Birding South Africa & Barn Owl Support Suffolk. Speakers: Katya Bathgate & Sally Nelson. Thursday, 25 September 19:30 Venue: Hintlesham Community Hall, Timperleys, Hintlesham, Ipswich, IP8 3PS Admission charge: £3. Non-members most welcome. Full-time students free. #SuffolkBirding

Recent early September holiday to New Quay, Ceredigion. A treat to seawatch over a few days from the apartment with lots of Manxies, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Sabine's Gulls, Arctic Skuas, Fulmars, Gannets, Common Scoters and Shags and more, plus forgetting many Bottle-nosed Dolphins #BirdingWales

First visit to @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social for #migfest - lots to explore with loads of Meadow Pipits on the move. Really enjoyed the weekend, interesting talks and great to meet with friends, old and new. The Red-necked Phalarope was a fantastic find by @adamfaiers.bsky.social #Spurnbirds

🦉 Good news — in the next few weeks we’ll be swooping into a couple of primary schools to chat all things Barn Owls! Feathers, pellets & a bit of owl magic coming to the classroom… wish us luck with the small humans! ✨ @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

This is the driest #RSPBLakenheathFen has ever been www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing control: Sedge Warbler ringed 9th August 2025 at Trimley Marshes, Suffolk, controlled by us on Salisbury Plain on the 16th August 2025. 7 days since ringed, 238km movement west #birdringing #Migration

The Red-footed Falcons at Carlton Marsh @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social were too tempting, so visited yesterday. Superb views of four birds roosting, with a fifth more distant. Nice to have two Grey Partridges fly in and land on the walk up - turns out they're a reserve rarity too! #SuffolkBirding 🪶

Finally went through photos from super @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social trip to Essex the previous weekend. Great to hear loads of Warblers and Nightingales, amongst a number of other highlights #ukbirding 🪶

The other day I came across a Common Water-measurer feeding on a hoverfly in the garden pond. The movement then alerted a Common Newt that then preceded to eat the hoverfly #insects #nature

Save Our Suffolk Swifts have a full project update talk next Thursday 24th April in Hintlesham Community Centre IP8 3PS at 7:30pm. 231 Suffolk boxes were used in 2022 & 263 in 2023. How many in 2024? @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social Suffolk Swift lovers are most welcome.

Early morning walk at Boyton Marsh on Sunday. Several Sedge Warblers along the dykes plus two Ruff, two Green Sandpipers and a Greenshank on the new scrape #SuffolkBirding 🪶

Suffolk Sandlings for a @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social trip today - Yellow Wagtail and Whimbrel heard going over, plus picking up the White Stork distantly. Woodlark and Dartfords with a nice selection of other wildlife #SuffolkBirding

Great to find a cracking White Stork at Bawdsey this morning prior to a @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social field trip #SuffolkBirding

SOSSwifts help house builders to plot S-bricks onto their developments; high above the insulation line where there is a clear line of flight, in groups. These provide nesting space for Swifts for the lifetime of the building. How many nest bricks can be seen here? @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

How are migration sites connected? wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/01/09/h... This blog from three months ago is the most widely read WaderTales blog of the year. #ConservationScience🌍

Brief, but beautiful early morning visit to Minsmere @rspb.bsky.social Everywhere alive with the sound of birds. Had to pop to Viking Optical to sort digiscoping adapter/scope - great service as always #BirdingGear #SuffolkBirding

Great to see that these Swift nest boxes have gone up on The Star Inn in Wenhaston where Swifts nest already under their roof tiles. Big colony coming @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social Can you guess where the Swift boxes were made @adamfaiers.bsky.social?

Save Our Suffolk Swifts have a talk this coming Wednesday 2nd April in Glemsford near Sudbury at 7:30pm. Glemsford Village Hall, Tye Green CO10 7RH. Learn about Swifts, their plight and how easy it is to help them. @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social Swift Conservation Works.

SOSSwifts have donated 5 Swift nest boxes and a 240V call system to Old Newton Primary School, near #Stowmarket. Their pupils will decorate & number the nest boxes plus line the egg concaves with feathers before installation on this gable. @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Visited @rspb.bsky.social #Minsmere on Friday with @dave09.bsky.social and Keith. A great selection including FOY Sandwich Terns, Sand Martins and Little Ringed Plovers. #SuffolkBirding

Another car load of Save Our Suffolk Swift nest boxes collected from ace volunteer JT; now over 600 Swift boxes made for us, plus Little and Tawny Owl, Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch and Treecreeper too. All space for nature @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social #SuffolkBirds

‘Behold, the Owl King claims his throne! All rodents shall bow before me!’ @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirding

Had a walk on part of my old patch Sunday morning - found a couple of colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwits along the River Deben but not found the schemes yet @wadertales.bsky.social @waderstudy.bsky.social @edkeeble.bsky.social #SuffolkBirding

A beautiful day for my first full day of birding on Saturday, on the @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social trip to Thorpeness and North Warren. Many thanks to @david-walsh.bsky.social for leading. A nice selection of birds - wetland, woodland and heathland plus a bit of seawatching! #suffolkbirding

Excellent @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social walk around Thorpeness yesterday thanks to leader @david-walsh.bsky.social with best views ever of White-fronts & Goosander and great company as always! Very lucky with the weather too for a change🌞 #suffolkbirding

I did a short walk recently with the Birdweather PUC set up. Used a cinch strap that's threaded through a 3D printed plate, screwed into the base of the PUC. Powered by a portable charger. Picked up Wigeon on the river #BWPUC

A recent message on Suffolk BINS about an "eastern type" Jackdaw at Thorpeness got me looking back at photos taken of likely the same bird in early October - was quite striking compared to Jackdaws present #SuffolkBirding

Final day out birding in 2024 on Monday with @limeypomme.bsky.social - visiting Minsmere. A couple of Bullfinches were a nice start. Two Whooper Swans, Caspian Gulls, Purple Sandpiper on the sluice and lots of ducks. Offshore, several Gannets and some G-c Grebes on the sea #SuffolkBirding

An AONB funded Swift Community Set compromising 6 nest boxes plus a Swift call system has gone to a location in Raydon, near Ipswich. The boxes will be painted pink to match the house render and calls will be played from next May. @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Well what an incredible year 2024 was for us ringing at Trimley Marshes SWT! Numbers and stats to follow but for now, just enjoy some of the birds.

Ending the year as we mean to go on: thinking outside the barn—have an owl-mazing New Year! #suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirds

6 #Swift boxes and a 240V call system have been donated to a care home in Woodbridge, they’ll install above their garden seating area. These nest boxes were kindly donated by BUNZL & we have more Community Sets available! @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #UKBirding

3 of the BUNZL donated nest boxes have now gone to Ivan (The Suppressor) & Val (Womble). Swifts always nest in a neighbour’s roof and the colony has now spread into their nest boxes; 4 used in 2024, up from 3 in 2023. Now more nest room ! @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social

Swift conservation doesn’t stop for Christmas, 3 of the BUNZL donated nest boxes have gone to a location in Shotley where Swifts use multiple nest boxes already, so providing additional nesting space for the colony to expand into. Swift conservation works! #Suffolk @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

A visit to the old Melton patch the other day. Started off with Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Redwings and G-s Woodpecker in a wood, before walking along the Deben. A nice selection of waders etc. including a large flock of Lapwings #SuffolkBirding

Thank you to everyone for your support this year – from following our journey to offering help and helping us raise awareness of our magnificent Suffolk Barn Owls. You’ve truly made our efforts take flight! Wishing you all a very owl-some Christmas and New Year! #suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Everything you could possibly need when putting up a Barn Owl Box, well and a ladder! Two installed today 🦉 #suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirding

There are some excellent field trips coming up in 2025, all put together by @wildlifegig.bsky.social. The trips are good for those new to birding and for the more experienced. For information on membership of Suffolk Bird Group go to www.suffolkbirdgroup.org SuffolkBirds

The latest @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social The Harrier is now out with members and will be my final one as editor after 7 years! Thanks to all the contributors over that time, including @lesjwc.bsky.social who provided the front cover image for this edition. #SuffolkBirds

Thanks to @learnerbirder.bsky.social for leading the last @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social field trip of the year. Great selection of birds and nice to have a social get together in The Shipwreck for lunch. Started the day with a Corn Bunting with @dave09.bsky.social too! #SuffolkBirds

SOSSwifts have donated additional Swift boxes for @mollettsfarm.bsky.social so space for both House Martins & Swifts to nest. The Swift call system speaker will be relocated to another Swift box away from where the House Martins chose to nest. @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #SuffolkBirds #UKBirding

Great to learn that a Kelsale location that installed 4 nest boxes early in 2023 had a pair of Swifts breed in its first box this year, attracted in by a call system. This is the start of a new colony, Swift conservation works! @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #SuffolkBirds

Always a pleasure to come home to the latest Suffolk Bird Group Harrier magazine, and good to get the 2025 indoor talks & outdoor walks on the calendar early. Magnificently edited by @wildlifegig.bsky.social as always. #SuffolkBirds @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Suffolk Birds 2023 is now out. Looks like yet another masterpiece of a county bird report. Compiled by Suffolk Bird Group, published by Suffolk Naturalists’ Society. Congrats to all for all the hard work! #UKBirding #SuffolkBirding

Stuck for a Christmas gift? Sponsor a Barn Owl box! Starting at just £25, it’s a perfect low-cost present for nature lovers. Your support funds nest box creation, repairs, and monitoring of breeding Barn Owls. For more details contact us @sbgbarnowls.bsky.social #suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

SBG has supplied Tawny/Little Owl, Spotted Flycatcher & Nuthatch nest boxes to Melton Park Management Company whose land encompasses Hospital Grove Woods. Richard Llewellyn (left) receiving them. John Turner donated his time making nest boxes using materials paid for by a SBG bursary #SuffolkBirding

One thing I've noted with the Birdweather PUC is that it I ran it using a power bank for 3 nights and one day before needing to recharge the power bank. Much better compared to when I've done #nocmig with the Zoom H4N Pro that I found can use up most of the power bank over one night. #BWPUC

I have seen Cattle Egrets on each of my recent visits to Shotley, but today’s count of 8 was my highest so far #ukbirding #suffolkbirding

Two more boxes put up today before the rain set in! Two wonderful oak trees overlooking perfect habitat. Some Barn Owls are going to be very lucky! #suffolkbirding @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Great trip to Lynford and West Suffolk with @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social yesterday, despite the murky weather. Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Marsh Tit plus loads of Red Kites #SuffolkBirding