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East of England Havergate Island, Suffolk

GDB

100+ Posts
Havergate Island is located off the coast of Orford Quay, in the River Ore estuary, with the nearest town, Woodbridge, some 11 miles away. Dependant on where you are located, this trip can be anything from half a day to a whole day; the actual time on the Island itself is approx. 3 hours, with a short boat trip each way.

Whilst there are some interesting day trips around the estuary and surrounding coastline, the main attraction is this Island owned and maintained by the RSPB ( https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/havergate-island/ ). It is a haven for many bird species, and of course the sightings will vary according to the time of year: you can expect to see Avocets, Terns, Spoonbills, many ducks and wading birds, the inevitable Gulls, Canadian Geese, Wheatears, Barn Owls and a number of raptors.. Our recent trip included a rare sighting of a Chinese Water Deer. We were told that they, along with Foxes, and a number of other animals actually swim across from the mainland at low tide; quite amazing as the boat trip from Orford Quay is about 20 minutes.

For us, the main reason to visit is the Brown Hares..... it is one of the few places in the South where there is a good chance to view and photograph these beautiful creatures. Spring is of course the best time to go, and the RSPB lay on boat trips the 1st. Saturday in the month, and there are other special event days. You have to book up early as places are limited to 12 people per boat trip. Once you are there, it is a case of North or South; the latter being the best route to view the Hares. It can be a muddy slog for a few hundred yards to a large area of gorse, where hares tend to hunker down. The normal quiet approach and staying still yourself in one place will normally be rewarded with some good sightings, and in early Spring some classic 'boxing matches' which Hares are renowned for. The hare population was nearly wiped out with a freak high tide just a few years back, but it is slowly improving and numbers are now back in double figures. We managed to see 6/7 in total, but they can be quite difficult to photograph and get a clear shot. Most importantly, it is a delight just to see them behaving naturally.

There are very few facilities on the Island, but there is a compost toilet (very clean), and wet weather facilities if the wind and rain really kicks up rough. Many visitors take a packed lunch and hole up in one of the hides, all of which are very wind and weather proof. However, Orford Quay offers a very tempting café on your return, with a good lunch menu at sensible prices. Orford itself is a delightful village with a food and gift shop close to the Quay, selling good locally produced goods. There is a five minute walk back to the car park which costs £4 per day, and it provides the best public toilets you will find anywhere... definitely a 10 chain loo! Directly opposite the car park is an excellent public house offering Adnam's Ales and good pub fayre.

All in all, a very worthwhile trip even for the occasional 'wildlifer'.... definitely worth doing once.
HAVERGATE APRIL 2018 156.jpg
 
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What a wonderful post. I'll mention it to a colleague at work who does volunteer work at Orford Ness. He's very fond of the tranquility there.
 
I was taken to Havergate Island to see the avocets by my two bird watching aunts - must be nearly 60 years ago now. The RSPB had only owned it for a few years and there were still the remains of WW2 installations. All I remember is a dull and damp day and a flat expanse of nothingness.... It is somewhere I've always intended to get back to.

I seem to remember the castle at Orford is pretty good too.

I can't remember when I last saw any hares round here. They used to be very common on the steel works and some of the shunters were experty at killing them with a knock on the head using their shunting poles and taking them home for the pot...
 
Yes, unfortunately nowadays Eleanor the Brown Hare, which incidentally is not a native species, is generally on the decline. This is partly do to there being no protection, apart from places like Havergate Island. Farmers / landowners have to right to kill them on their land including anybody they give permission to.
As you know, the vile practice of hare coursing is illegal, but it is still rampant in many areas, along with the people who think it is fine and dandy to have a pack of hounds tearing a live fox apart...... sorry I nearly went off on a rant.
 

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