SPRING EXTRAVAGANZA FEATURING NIGHTINGALES
Tuesday 3rd May - Friday 6th May 2022
SPRING EXTRAVAGANZA FEATURING NIGHTINGALES…
Are you curious to find out more about birds and the habitats in which they occur? If
so, this is the course for you! It will help you identify birds by sound as well as sight and you will learn about the unique and specialised habitats that occur in Suffolk. Woodlands (both
deciduous and coniferous), heathland, coastal marshes, farmland, estuarine mudflats, saltings and beaches with amazing geological features are all within the immediate vicinity of Bawdsey Hall. Birds will be in full song and staunchly defending their nesting territories from feathered intruders, so there will be lots to see and, more importantly, lots to hear.
Southeast Suffolk is now at the heart of the Nightingale’s UK range and there are many nearby breeding sites. Although this amazing songster will be a principal target for the group other summer migrants will also be covered. The course will help you identify birds by sound as well as sight and you will learn about the unique and specialised habitats that occur on the Bawdsey peninsula. Birds will be in full song and staunchly defending their nesting territories from intruders, so there will be lots to see and, more importantly, lots to hear.
There will be evening talks illustrated with slides and videos that will supplement the days will be spent in the field at some of Suffolk’s best birding sites meaning that a good variety of species are likely to be seen. Typically participants will work as a group however there will be opportunities for individual support.
Locations for our field excursions are to some extent weather and bird activity dependent but will include some of the following sites:
Shingle Street
East Lane coastal scrub and ponds
Boyton and Hollesley RSPB Reserve
The Deben Estuary and Ramsholt Marsh
Hazlewood Marshes
Without doubt, you will have many memories to take home. The course will involve a series of complementary activities to ensure you become familiar with the identification and behaviour of birds which are seen.
These will include:
Watching birds from a distance in the various habitats
Viewing birds in close-up at the Bawdsey Hall bird ringing site (if bird ringing is able to be arranged)
Learning the art of fieldcraft
Learning key visual clues to help you identify species by sight
and by their callsLearning bird song and key calls to help you identify species on their nesting habitats
Time will be divided between watching and listening to birds out in the field as well as working indoors reviewing and revising what has been learned. As many species as possible will be sought out to view in ‘real time’ but the course will also utilise the latest online technology to cover some of the more elusive species, ensuring you have as full a picture as possible.
Song birds are normally most active during the first few hours after dawn so pre-breakfast bird walks are an important part of the itinerary. However, the course deliberately doesn’t start any earlier than 0700 as the full cacophony of the dawn chorus at 0400 makes it difficult to learn effectively! The early sessions before breakfast, will be around the grounds of the Hall’s nature reserve or nearby areas. Wandering through the Bawdsey Hall gardens should reveal spring migrants that are either stopping to breed or are passing through to more northerly climes.
Weather permitting and if available, bird ringing demonstrations may be organised which will enable you to get ‘close-up and personal’ with some of the birds. Seeing birds in the
hands of experts is an excellent way of understanding the nuances of bird identification and will reinforce the observations you can make through binoculars.
A range of nocturnal wildlife including Badgers and Owls visit a purposely designed feeding areas most evenings at Bawdsey Hall which can be observed from your bedroom window. With the spectacular wildlife on offer there certainly are all the ingredients of an amazing course. Despite the obvious wildlife distractions, the luxurious rooms provided by Bawdsey Hall should ensure a good night’s sleep ready for a spectacular birding weekend.
COST:
3 nights/4days:
£575 per person