BINS Summer delights ..........................................................Roy Marsh

Photo: Richard Saunders

Shot taken at Hokkaido. Camera: Canon EOS10D hand-held, autofocus, 500mm f4 @ 1/3200sec, ISO200

ID Tips: A White-tailed Eagle is huge – size alone rules out other species apart from the largest eagles and vultures (unlikely in Suffolk!). Adults with a white tail cannot be confused.

Juveniles and other immatures, which are most likely to be seen in southern England, can cause problems, especially when seen at a distance with nothing to compare them with – but, once a more familiar species such as Buzzard comes into view, then the bulk becomes immediately apparent – the White-tailed Eagle is virtually twice the size of a Common Buzzard. Illustrations: Szabolcs Kokay

You are looking at three classic habitats: the Brecks, Sandlings heathland and a coastal reedbed – all quintessentially Suffolk.

Hollesley Heath

Hen Reedbeds

Here, if Nature had been allowed to take its course, we would be looking at a landscape of forests and glades. Instead extensive grazing and occasional scrub clearance maintains Suffolk’ s Sandlings heathland.

Again, sadly, what we see today is just a remnant of the extensive heathland that used to be here – over 80% has been lost since the turn of the twentieth century, with Suffolk now containing between 5-6% of the UK’ s total. Fortunately numerous authorities are working to restore this heathland habitat across the Sandlings.

Several of Suffolk’ s reedbeds date back less than one hundred years and those at Walberswick and Minsmere are actually man-made. They are the outcome of flooding coastal grazing meadows in the early 1940’ s to forestall the expected seaborne invasion by Axis forces. Spring and stream water created freshwater lagoons that the reeds could colonise.

Suffolk contains about 10% of the UK’ s reedbeds. Of the county ’ s coastal sites (Westwood/Walberswick @190ha, Minsmere @ 155ha and Easton Valley @ 140+ha) are presently the first and second largest reedbeds in England, while Easton is Suffolk’ s third largest.