Farewell to Summer visitors

Does not seem possible last week saw me on the Suffolk coast and experiencing the last of the Summer with blue skies and 20c, it made the early morning walks along the beach that much more better for seeing flocks of linnets and migrating wheatears.

Looking south from Beanacre to Southwold

The first morning I encountered the migrating Wheatears was as I walked from Kessingland to Benacre with Sammy my border collie as we walked around the back of the small lake or Broad as it is known along the footpath amongst the bracken and ling you eventually have the option to get back on the beach which I usually do to head back to Kessingland, this morning as we approached the beach two Wheatear took off from the beach and flew South but for a few metres before one of them suddenly stopped and suddenly started to hover, I had never seen them do this before and was amazed when the second one also joined it and started to hover as well, both were next to each other hovering for a minute or so before flying off south along the beach.

I kicked myself for not having my camera ready to catch the hovering Wheatears, but ensured every time I walked along the beach from that morning to have my camera ready.

Although I never did encounter any more hovering Wheatear, I did see them everyday, from one or two every morning to up to three in the afternoon, some Male and Females and Juvenile obviously all on their migration South.

Wheatear

Every morning I saw lots of Swallows and House martins gathering on the telegraph wires on the campsite I was staying, a couple of morning there was panic amongst these birds as a Sparrowhawk would come in from the East with the rising Sun behind it, I saw this happen at about the same time every morning, usually an unsuccessful raid by the Sparrowhawk who always ended this flight by seeking cover in the same tree. One morning I saw a Hobby heading inland from the beach obviously using the same tactic of the rising Sun behind it to surprise prey. These were just two of the dangers the Swallows and House martins are sure to encounter on their migration but hopefully they will survive to return next year.

It was with a heavy heart I had to return home from my few days back home on the Suffolk coast, and all the more tinged with sadness as on that last morning there were no Swallows or Martins on the wires, it was as if we had all managed to enjoy those last rays of Summer and said farewell to our Summer visitors until next Spring, but now as Autumn settles in we can look forward to saying Hello to our Winter visitors as the arrive to enjoy out more ‘Mild’ Winter.

So it only leaves me to share with you a few images of the last Rays of Summer on the Suffolk coast.