Suffolk- RSPB Minsmere

We spent a week in Suffolk earlier this month, staying just outside Lowestoft. We were keen to visit RSPB Minsmere again, as it was three years since our last visit. We operate a rota system for places to visit in the spring, just can't fit them all in!

So I will do a summary for Minsmere as we visited it 3 times over the week, then do another post for the rest. The first visit ended up being in thick sea mist on the coastal side of the reserve so we ended up concentrating on the woods, Bittern Hide and Island Mere, where we did get some sun for an hour before the mist thickened up again.
So photos are few and far between for day one, plus my camera is still playing up. (Gone for repair now!) Anyway I managed to get a Bittern, as you can see its a bit hazy due to the mist..

 A rare moment of sunshine found a Whitethroat singing, but no matter where I stood he hid his head from the camera.

 At least this cormorant stood still.

 Then as we were heading 'home' this young Rabbit posed for us in the car park.

Next day we returned with better weather, this time we circumnavigated the scrapes, disappointingly as it was a bit windy there were no Bearded Tits showing, we were falling over them three years ago!
We missed out the North Hide and visited all hides thereafter.
First call though was for a quick look at the Sand Martins,

 Followed by the Black-tailed Godwits from the first hide.

There were plenty of Kittiwakes about, in from the coastal platform roosts to have a wash,

 Shoveler,

 Avocet,

 Oystercatcher,

 Reed Bunting,

 Mediterranean Gull;

Plus plenty more, shame my camera wouldn't play ball sometimes, so no pictures of the Redshank, Barnacle Geese, Shelduck, Gadwall, Bittern, Little Egret, Teal, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Common Tern, Cuckoo etc.

To finish the day we returned to the Bittern Hide, to see plenty of Hobby, Marsh Harrier and some more Bittern and some Roe Deer.
Marsh Harrier,

 Roe Deer with Fawn

Not a great photo this one, but only noticed when looking through, this Marsh Harrier spooked a Bittern (bottom right hand corner)

Our third day at Minsmere was a couple of days later, we went late afternoon after a very long but fruitless walk in Dunwich Forest, the plan being to stay late at the Island Mere hide and wait for Otters, of course every time we plan for Otters they never show up and this was no exception!
Still the Common Tern were a delight to watch

 and the Bitterns showed well,

 as did the Reed Buntings

 and Marsh Harriers

In total we only saw 56 species at Minsmere, but some real quality!