David Walsh

I’ve paid several visits to Aldeburgh Marshes this month and the main lagoon is producing more and more waders, today mainly Black-tailed Godwit (360) and Dunlin (120) but also Curlew and Wood Sandpipers. 10 Spoonbills right by the path was a bonus!

Enjoyed walking my first ever complete circuit around Hollesley Marshes early this morning, seeing 57 species, then moved to Boyton where the Black Stork soared for at least 15 minutes, albeit distantly for most of us. Thanks @DeansMatthew for the alert. ebird.org/checklist/S263…

Spent the second half of today with my parents, having got up early and nipped to Aldeburgh for a couple of hours birding. Enjoyed watching four Ruddy Shelducks, an unseasonal Goldeneye then two juvenile Bearded Tits, all alongside another keen young Suffolk birder and his dad.

Thank you everyone .. we’ve lived the dream ❤️

A really inspiring day at @RSPBMinsmere yesterday with two young birders from @SuffolkBirdGrp. Roseate Tern, Little Ringed Plover, Garganey, Stone Curlew (pics) plus Little Tern, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Bittern, Hobby, Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral.

Haven’t left the house today, with the most rain in a 24 hour period I can ever remember. Lots of admin done! One unexpected bonus was the arrival of a Purple Hairstreak during a dry window, a first ever and a real surprise! Phone scoped from a bedroom window.

Enjoyed a day up the coast yesterday and we found 16 species of wader, which prompts me to say that spaces are still available on the next adventure from The Froize at Chillesford on Saturday week - see froize.co.uk/product/guided…

Wood Sandpipers on the South Scrape at Minsmere today, pausing to feed on their southward migration to sub-Saharan Africa... 15th July 2025 @RSPBMinsmere @GrahamFAppleton @SuffolkBirdGrp

Good day out at @RSPBMinsmere yesterday with @DavidWalsh22. Little, Arctic, and hundreds of Sandwich Terns were nice to see! Also White Admirals, SW Fritillaries, Purple Hairstreaks, Waders, Bittern, Bearded Tit, and more! Video shows Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns.

Last Friday I had a super day guiding a @naturetrektours group at Dunwich & Westleton. We found Spoonbills, Avocets, Stone Curlews & Dartford Warblers plus Red-veined Darter. 20 sp butterfly included White-letter Hairstreak, Silver-studded Blue, Grayling & White Admiral.

On Monday I had a long-awaited catch up with friends from Bedford at @RSPBLakenheath. The Glossy Ibis had gone awol but Gary’s Pool held 23 Little & 3 Great Egrets. A family of Cranes flew over Joist Fen. Later we had ace views of Chalkhill Blues on the Devil’s Dyke (Newmarket).

In a hectic week it was good to make time for a catch up with Brian Small at Aldeburgh on Tuesday afternoon. We enjoyed watching the Collared Pratincole catching insects from its otherwise apparently sleepy position! Great too to meet a couple of ‘new’ Suffolk-based young birders

Headed to Brantham this morning for my @BC_Suffolk July Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey, my sixth year. Recorded 201 butterflies of 15 species. Previous highs were 184 of 12. Thanks as always to the landowners for granting me access. Common Blue was a site first for me.

Last Saturday’s @SuffolkBirdGrp walk at @suffolkwildlife Redgrave & Lopham Fen was popular with 26 members attending! The collective knowledge was considerable & we saw a wide variety of wildlife. Purple Hairstreak + Common Emerald Damselflies posed nicely for the photographers.

This Southern Migrant Hawker was a bonus for the @naturetrektours group at @RSPBMinsmere on Monday. Just my second ever on the reserve, and to my knowledge the first in Suffolk this year. @BDSdragonflies

.@RSPBMinsmere was teeming with insects on Monday. My @naturetrektours group recorded 17 species of butterfly and 12 different dragonflies, as well as over 60 species of bird. Silver-washed Fritillaries showed especially well.

It was a good weekend for insects on Patch at Walthamstow Wetlands. Found another Red-veined Darter, this time an adult male! Also had my first ever Scarce Chasers here, Norfolk Hawkers, Common Darters, Marbled Whites, and lots of other nice butterflies!

Spent a couple of evenings back in May with the Red- footed falcons at Carlton Marshes,Suffolk. They deserved a painting

A day at @RSPBLakenheath guiding for @naturetrektours was varied, productive and enjoyable. We had ace views of Grasshopper Warbler, Kingfisher, Crane, Hobby etc, saw 13 sp dragonfly inc Scarce Chaser & Variable Damselfly + several Small Tortoiseshells which seem scarce elsewhere

I did my late @_BTO @BBS_birds visit to Semer y’day, a private site in mid Suffolk on the River Brett. 38 species, 52 across the two visits, about par. It was warm enough for insects to be on the wing incl several White-legged Damselflies; I first discovered them here in 2018.