Home Patch Sightings of Zebra Spider and 7-Spots

These two 7-spot Ladybirds were the first I have seen in my home patch this year. They were out in the sunshine this morning. It's always a thrill when over-wintering insects begin to emerge.  

The walls of our house seem to attract these jumping Zebra Spiders, though I have yet to see one jump. And, like the ladybirds, this was my first 2020 sighting of the species.

An Afternoon at Dunwich Heath (and Minsmere)

NT coastguard cottages at Dunwich Heath, Suffolk, UK

Like many others, we have been feeling somewhat confined to base on account of the recent storms and high winds, so it was a joy to see the sunshine over the weekend. We headed for the coast at Dunwich Heath.

It felt quite bracing to start with, but the sun soon helped the temperatures to rise (though I gather some snow is forecast in our region tomorrow).

It didn't take David long to spot a Stonechat, and in fact there were two. They were quite a distance from us, so I apologise for what is barely a record shot.

The National Trust have these beautiful Hebrideans to maintain a healthy heathland ecology.

There was gorse in abundance, along with that warm coconut aroma that it seems to give off in the sunshine.

Suddenly we heard a distinctive call and I spotted a Dartford Warbler.

The photo above has been considerably enlarged (and cropped) from the one above, but it gives an impression of the beady eye and those orange legs.

You get good views of Southwold from Dunwich.

There are few insects about at present, so I was quite pleased to find what I think may be a Yellow Dung Fly. I have only seen one once before, so my ID may or may not be correct.

These are the coastguard cottages. Edward Thomas, the poet, stayed in one of these while he was writing a biography of Richard Jefferies.

The photo below shows the expanse of empty beach...

...and this is the view in the other direction, with RSPB Minsmere down below and Sizewell in the far distance.

After a thermos of Earl Grey, we dragged ourselves away from the waves and drove home via Minsmere. We have seen floods in the network of low-lying roads in the area before, but these were probably the most extensive ones we have encountered here. Our hearts go out to all who have been affected by the floods elsewhere.

Road near Minsmere

Flooded fields

And, yes, twe were on this road...

We came home to a starry night and a pair of Tawny Owls making their respective 'twits' and 'twoos'.

Female Hooded Merganser in Christchurch Park, Ipswich

Earlier in the week I had read a post on Facebook (David Quinton, Suffolk Birds, 21 February 2020) with photos of a female Hooded Merganser in Christchurch Park. We decided to take a look to see if the bird was still in the area. As you can see, she was, though the sunlight was intermittent and my photos are little more than record shots. I have read on the internet that the bird was introduced by the park authorities in the hope that this female would mate with a male, but I have not verified this suggestion.

What I do know is that a certain male Hooded Merganser recently went for a waddle down Tavern Street in the town centre, and had to be returned to the Christchurch pond by park rangers. According to the report in The Ipswich Star, the bird is almost certainly not a wild one.

Hooded Mergansers hail from North America, and the female in the photo is the first I have knowingly seen. Having watched a good number of Goosanders and Red-breasted Mergansers in the north of Britain, I was surprised at the small size of the bird in the park.

You can see her ginger 'tuft' in the photo below as she leaves the geese to their rest and heads out alone onto the water.





David thought he saw a Song Thrush in the garden a couple of days ago. I missed it, but was pleased to see this thrush in the park hopping about in the twigs.

The photo below shows one of the Coots we noticed.

There was a large queen Bumblebee on the pussy willow below, but by the time I had focused my camera, she had flown off. Just look at the pollen she left behind.

We noticed a few Manadrin ducks. There are usually some in or around the pond.

Christchurch Park is really very convenient for Ipswich. The church below, St Margaret's, in the town centre can be seen from the park. 

Flowers and blossom are beginning to grace us with their presence. I believe this flower, with its distinctive speckled leaves, is Lungwort or Pulmonaria.



The yew in the photo below is the oldest tree in the park, and has its own sign which explains that yews are among the hardest 'soft wood' trees. The tree is over 14m high and at least 600 years old.

What fascinating bark and trunk structures...

There were several Grey Squirrels darting about and skimming up and down trees. The ground was littered with what looked distinctly like half nibbled chestnuts.

Thomas Wolsey was an Ipswich man...

The picture below shows part of the facade of Christchurch Mansion, which is situated in the park. It was constructed on the 12th century site of Holy Trinity Priory, which failed to survive the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII.

This plaque with the date 1550 rather appealed to me.

My Latin is pretty rusty but if you think along the lines of making the most of your talents, you probably won't go far wrong...

It was good to have made the most of the sunshine...



...and to have enjoyed birdsong from the bushes. The Robin below was looking magnificent.

* * *

The light was fading by the time we reached home, but I was thrilled to find that our single Snowdrop had become a tiny drift...

...and with a very early tulip braving the wind and a hungry Blue tit feeding from the coconut, it began to feel just a little like spring.