Peregrine Surprise

In the garden this morning up to 2 Redwing were still present, they have a fast dainty hop when they run around the back of the garden, 1 would often chase another and 1 Redwing was also seen drinking water from the bird bath..

Late afternoon 4 Redwing were still in the garden and it was heartening to see one feeding from one of the apples I'd put out on the snow covered lawn. Again 1-3 Redwing would regularly fly over to the holly and feast on the berries. 10 Long-tailed Tit, a Wren, Greenfinch, 2 Blue Tit and 3 Great Tit were again feeding on supplies put out.

Meanwhile, mid morning on the hunt for a Peregrine found by Andrew E, who kindly text me, I was overlooking the River Waveney, at Asda staying in the car (a blizzard was raging outside!) I scoped an excellent immature male peregrine Falcon sitting on top of the upper grill of a series of the bottom four of grills on the left hand side. My first sighting of one in Lowestoft.

It had a dark brown cap & back & streaked belly with broad dark moustache, blue grey bill with dark tip and yellow feet.

It simply sat back on looking around nonchalently at the kamikaze Feral Pigeons flying all around it.

Braving the cold I got out & saw Roger C wisely scoping the Falcon from the comfort of his car & went over and picked out the Black- throated Diver on the River Waveney (showing it to Pete M also present) looking out far west, 3 Great Crested Grebes were also seen.

At Oulton Broad, the water was entirely frozen over, the gulls- Black- headed, Common & 1 Herring Gull stood in a few small groups. Overlooking the Mutford Lock railway Bridge from the Bridge I spied an immature Shag perched on its wooden foundations.

Overlooking from the Railway bridge over Lake Lothing looking east I could again see the Black- throated Diver which was living up to its name admirably. The 3 Great Crested Grebe were also still in evidence. A Common Seal was seen in the water grappling with a large flat fish a foot log, 9 inches wide with a a triangular point to its muzzle tip. The back was shark- grey and the underside was white. Does anybody know what species this is?

The Seal grappled with this fish for some twenty minutes or so. Elsewhere a total of 10 little Grebe and 5 singleton Lapwing were seen around the shore. 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Redshank seen also, but sadly no hard weather fowl whatsoever.

UPDATE: 11/1/10 The fish caught by the seal has been identified as a Flounder, many thanks to Colin J for his expert advice.