Loading search...
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Can I help you?
A Wild Walk in Southwold, Suffolk (Day Trip)
Tour Code: GBR191A day exploring the varied habitats around Southwold in Suffolk where the seafront, town marshes and River Blyth offer numerous wildfowl, herons and shorebirds
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Can I help you?
Summary
Southwold is often listed as one of the top 10 places to visit in the UK. For the birdwatcher, this popular coastal town offers rich pickings with coastal marshes and river estuary, sandy cliffs and the Denes beach.
Our walk starts at the harbour, looking south into Sole Bay and towards Dunwich, then follows the River Blyth inland along the Blackshore past wooden fishermen’s huts and the Harbour Inn to the old railway line. From the raised banks we obtain views across the town marsh to Southwold where geese, ducks and Snipe feed. Heading further west along the bank of the River Blyth, we will check the estuary and fields for wildfowl and waders. We complete our morning’s circuit across the common and golf course.
In the afternoon, we’ll have a quick check of the denes and harbour mouth (viewing along Southwold seafront towards the pier). Scoter and Fulmar, plus Red-throated Divers and Great Crested Grebes and much more are possible, then we will make the short drive to the Hen Reedbed in Reydon. He we park up and walk along Wolsey Creek, past the reedbed, for a view over the open mudflats of the Blyth Estuary. The car parks are both free. We operate this Day Trip throughout the year, so please click on our 'detailed information' below to discover the seasonal highlights.
- The birdlife of Southwold on the Suffolk coast with local expert Brian Small
- A walk along the River Blyth, seafront and round the town marshes
- Wildfowl and waders
In Spring and early Summer we would expect to find singing Nightingale, Dartford Warbler and Stonechat, plus many warblers – Willow Warbler, Sedge, Reed, Grasshopper in the reedbeds, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser and Common Whitethroat. Hobbies chase Swifts over the reeds. Marsh Harriers hunt the fields and with luck we might find a rarer spring migrant such as Spoonbill, Purple Heron or Crane. Little, Common and Sandwich Terns breed along the coast. Dragonflies, such as Norfolk Hawker and Small Red-eyed Damsefly, plus numerous butterflies, all add extra interest.
Autumn is an exciting time of year and great for migration and you never know what might turn up. As well as mobile flocks of Bearded Reedlings, Whinchats and Wheatears join parties of finches, buntings and pipits moving south along the coast; waders such as Green and Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank and Spotted Redshank are on the marshes and the Blyth Estuary is a regular stopover for Osprey. Yellow-browed and Pallas’s Warbler are almost annual in late September or October.
Winter highlights include 100s of wildfowl, with a regular flock of Common and Velvet Scoter offshore; a Hen Harrier or a Short-eared Owl may be found hunting the marshes; Snow Bunting appear on the beach and Little Egrets are now regular on the pools. White-fronted Geese are sometimes joined by Pink-footed or Tundra Bean Geese. The Blyth Estuary has a regular wintering flock of over 500 Avocet often buzzed by wintering Peregrine Falcon! We have a chance, depending on the weather, of a surprise or two – perhaps a Waxwing or Great Grey Shrike or even Rough-legged Buzzard. In winter there is sometimes a fine murmuration of Starlings gathering at dusk in the Hen reedbed.
Whatever the season, this short birding break promises a superb mix of wintering or migrating birds, breeding coastal residents, and rarer heath and woodland species. Throughout the year there is always something happening and we will keep the itinerary a little flexible to ensure the best use of the weather and recent sightings. The walk will be over easy ground (but sometimes muddy in winter, so bring wellies just in case). Covering up to 8 miles over the course of the day, we take our time to explore the town marshes and seafront, before heading to the Hen Reedbed and its surroundings at the end of the day, thoroughly enjoying all the species we find.
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
