Saturday 14 January 2012

Iceland in the Dock

From around 8am, I was looking over Waveney Dock from the car park and after 10 minutes I saw the excellent adult Iceland Gull flying around. Again flying low and appeared to perch of the ground in front of the fish market. I could see Chris D looking from Hamilton road but otherwise there was not a soul about. I tweeted the news out and just after 9am the bird even flew up and perched for some 10 minutes on the fish market roof. As it alighted onto the roof, I received a call from OFB.
After some 30 minutes I was belatedly joined by James B, Tony B, OFB, Paul & Jane and others.
OFB and I looked at Leathes Ham, we had close views of 4 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon and 2 male Pintail, one had a pale buff- brown head.
On Oulton Broad, from Caldecott road, I saw a Shag perched on a post and from the railway bridge, I spied 4 Shags swimming around the ship, a Redshank and Turnstone were on the near shore. I was back at Leathes Ham mid afternoon but just missed the Iceland there and went onto Fritton woods via Bradwell where the Ruddy Shelduck was with c40 Egyptian Geese viewable from the road down to Belton.
From Fritton woods, I saw 2 Short- eared Owls, 1 perched on a post, one on a gatepost, they later quartered the fields/ reeds area. 4 female Marsh Harriers flew around and later on c6000 Pink- footed Geese flew north over the marshes, an impressive sight.
Near Dusk, a Buzzard flew into Fritton woods, definately a Common and not the hoped for RFB, so disappointingly again despite a 2 hour vigil until 5.05pm, I again missed the RFB, 3 Snipe flew out from the woods over the marshes. Birds heard only were Bearded tit and Green Sandpiper.

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