Our day begins in the picturesque seaside village of Thorpeness, created in the early 20th century by the Ogilvie family as an exclusive holiday retreat. Thorpeness offers a choice of two cafés and public conveniences, not to mention being one of the most picturesque villages in Suffolk, making it an excellent base for our day of walking. From here we will drive to the nearby Sandlings Heath at Aldringham Walks, and amongst the gorse and heather search for specialist bird species such as Woodlark, Dartford Warbler and Stonechat and key insect species such as Green Hairstreak butterflies, and Green Tiger Beetles. Unique to East Anglia, the Sandlings Heath is a rare habitat, with 92% having been lost over the last century, but Aldringham Walks represents one of the most pristine fragments left remaining.
Extensive areas of scrub adjoining the Heath hold Common Nightingales and we will spend time looking and listening for these charismatic songsters.
We will return to Thorpeness for lunch and a chance to admire the view across Thorpeness Meare. After lunch, we will walk from the Meare past the iconic Suffolk landmarks of the House in the Clouds and Thorpeness Windmill, and head from here to the nearby reedbeds and marshes of North Warren.
The reedbeds of the Suffolk coast are alive with birds in the early spring, and we will enjoy a chorus of Reed and Sedge Warblers and perhaps even a Grasshopper Warbler. The reedbed also holds breeding Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Bittern and Bearded Tit and is a superb location for seeing Eurasian Hobby. Sunny weather will also increase our chances of seeing Large Red Damselfly, Norfolk Hawker and Hairy Dragonfly and butterflies such as Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and Comma.
The woodlands and scrub surrounding the reedbeds can be good for small songbirds such as Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest and Garden Warbler.
Our return wander will take us past an area of lowland wet grassland where we can make use of the viewing platforms to scan the flooded fields. Here we should see breeding Lapwing, Redshank and possibly passage waders such as Green and Wood Sandpiper, along with late-staying winter wildfowl such as Teal, Wigeon, and Pintail.
From the viewing platforms it is a short walk back to Thorpeness and the welcome prospect of tea and cake, and a chance to reflect upon the sightings of our day.
