Benacre dip

On Wednesday 3rd December, leaving work early I drove straight down to Covehithe, A Dunnock near Benacre Broad. I had to walk through the weedy field, as cliff erosion meant the well worn path was on the very edge of the cliffs. As I walked to the srea, dog walkers had just gone through, not a good omen. I checked the area both the beach, cliffs and cliff face right up to the pillbox in the sea, no sign of the Twite, one Robin was on territory by weeds in the area where they had been seen. Back at the Broad, loads of 300+ Teal and 200+ Wigeon plus 2 male Pintail and finally an immature female Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds at the back. Disappointing, especially as they had seen 40 minutes before (at 2pm) I had arrived at 2.40pm.

Sparrowhawk and 3 more rosettes

On Tuesday 25th November, at 3.30pm I found a further 3 more Bee Orchid rosettes in the James Paget Burrage Centre garden as I was putting canes in to mark where they were, a female Sparrowhawk flew west directly overhead. Job for tonight will be to make up 3 cages to put in tomorrow! UPDATE job complete!

Hume's at Southwold Churchyard

Early morning on Saturday 22nd November I looked around Corton ORT hoping to find my own Hume's W., no luck or any birds really and when I was greeted by a dog walker with 2 massive Great Danes bounding down towards me off lead, although they were friendly enough (ie: they didn't bark/ bite me or leap onto me), such large dogs automatically instill a great fear in me, so definitely time to leave, especially as Jake G. had just tweeted stating the Hume's was still at Southwold Churchyard; although elusive and mobile. A visit to the genteel resort of Southold is always a pleasure (except when it is completely overcrowded) & after negotiating the usual flood pool at Potter's bridge, South Cove (any deeper and it will be impassable), I parked close to St Edmunds Churchyard. As I walked in, a calling Grey Wagtail flew directly overhead and south and over the church. I then observed a group of birders directly in front of me, just north- east of the church including Jake G, Dick W. & a few others. They were staring intently into a large bush, always a good sign! Incredibly, as I walked up, the Hume's Warbler was seen immediately it was showing reasonably well and was the first bird I laid eyes upon! The Hume's was in the large bush directly in front of us and good binocular views were obtained, it was around 20 foot off the ground and flitting in the bush vegetation, but it was mostly obscured, it was typically a subdued version of YBW, duller plumage with grey crown, it called a few times and I even managed a few record shots. It then flew to a bush closer to us, and the suddenly it was gone, seen for all of 5 minutes. Jake used his magic tape and a tit flock immediately came in together with a bright Yellow- browed Warbler, which was with around with 10 Long-tailed Tits and 3 Goldcrest. They then moved on and a looking at a Sycamore with an ivy covered trunk, (nearer the Church by the NE section), no sign of the Tawny Owl but a Tit flock flew in and what a probably a Whitethroat, sylvia warbler with brown back, grey head. But it was back on as it flew to the tree and just briefly perched but then it flew directly into the ivy. We looked around the Churchyard later on and heard the Hume's call once in bushes just north of Southwold Arts centre but we couldn't relocate it.

Late autumn goodies

On Sunday 17th November, after a tweet saying the Temminck's Stint was still at Minsmere, I drove straight over there in the early afternoon. Entering the hide Andrew E. was there and he had the Temminck's Stint & kindly directly mne onto the bird which was stright out (of the north part of the hide) at the very back of the East scrape. It was on an island right at the back and very distant but it was regualrly eeding, the fine diminutive Temminck's Stint (my first ever in November) walking by the edge of the island. It showed light fawn brown back, white underparts and straw yellow legs. A larger Dunlin and was bullying it and it actually flew closer to the grassy green island to the north of the east scrape right in front of post number 8 and a better view was obtained until 3 Dunlin here forced it to feed around the back of the island. Andrew E. later picked it up on its original island were it fed by the island edge and even once in the water. A male Goldeneye flew in and settled on the water directly in front of the East scrape hide even throwing its head back and giving its distinctive but brief calling display. John B. entered the hide & later on in the afternoon, I was pleased to be the first to pick up an in-flying fine male Goosander which flew in and again settled on the water directly in front of the East Scrape before it swam left and then stood on the edge of an island and started preeing before roostings. Its underparts were a magnificent sunset amber in colouration, quite striking. A little later Andrew called out 3 female Goosander flew in from the south and settled on the polder to the north of the east scrape. Several flocks of 10's of thousands of Starlings , a murmuration of Starlings, wheeled about impressively in the sky. Around 8 Avocet seen and when they flew looked really striking plus Pintail and Wigeon. There were lots of Gulls including c15 LBB Gulls and the odd 4 Great Black- backed Gulls but strangely no Caspians amongst them (especially given there were 33 seen the previous afternoon!).

Saturday birds

On Saturday 15th November, a persistant headache meant I was confined to the garden only in the morning, there were 2 Blue Tits, a Great Tit and a Goldcrest in the garden and a look around Corton area (where I saw Rob H0 revealed 2 calling Redpolls that flew over and west at the Corton Old Rail Track. Another Redpoll heard but this time it was not seen. An Egyptian Goose flew over the field south of Corton OSW and out to sea, a first for this site but there was little else.

Red Kite and Golden Plover

On Thursday 13th November, travelling back from training at Kirkeley Mill I was driving north along the A47 at Millenium Way just about to reach the Corton Long Lane roundabout, at 12.25pm a fine Red Kite flew over. (I later learned that James W. had just tweeted 2 had flown north- west from Gunton, surely this was one of his birds). It soared over Corton Long Lane roundabout then drifted west towards Blundeston. As I was leaving the Paget walking to the back car park, at 5.23pm I heard 7 mournful plaintive 'peuu' calls of a Golden Plover flying east directly overhead but I couldn't see it (it was pitch dark!).

Last gasp Isabelline

On Wednesday 12 November, continuing the incredibly tally of late autumn mega Shrikes in Suffolk, Turkestan Shrike at Dunwich Heath then Brown Shrike at Upper Hollesley Common and now Isabelline Shrike at North Warren. I had a chance to try for the Isabelline Shrike at North Warren, as I left work at 1.15pm with some hours owed to me for extra work. I drove down to North Warren, going via Westleton and Thorpeness to cut some of the continuous roadworks around this area. The Sizewell C plans are really ruining the countryside particularly around Leiston but concerned to see another vdevelopment on the road down to Thorpeness too. My plan worked as I parked up opposite Sluice Cottage at 2.30pm precisely but had to walk about a mile along the crosstrack west and then 500 metres south along the old railway line now a footpath bordered by very large Pine trees, I noted a few Toggers as well as Tim O. who indicated that the excellent 1st winter Isabelline Shrike was perched on top of a bush in front of us, but it flew before I could get the camera set up. Fortunately, it then showed exceptionally well on top of a bush the other side of the path, first breast on and then when it flew to an adjacent bush more side on views. It was only here for around 5 minutes but Tim, myself and a Togger took full advantage. It then flew to a bush by the path down to the Northern Viewing Platform, it could be seen well with bins but not really photographable here as it was obscured by parts of the bush. It then flew to the top of another bush and I watched it here for some 20 minutes, it seemed settled here until 3.15pm as the sun was setting, it flew down deep into bushes presumably going to roost. The last pic in the sequence below shows it in this area (and further away). Later I even heard the hoot of a Tawny Owl from the Pines plus a calling Coal Tit, too. As I walked back 3 Greylag Geese flew north over the path and in a particularly scrubby bit by the path the mournful 'peuu' call hearalded a close flying male Bullfinch flying away but just in front of me, its slate grey back and white rump clearly seen plus a glimpse of its vivid peach-red breast.