Sunday 1 April 2012

No April fool

Arriving at Kessingland Sewage works, good to see Chris M here, I saw 2 White wagtails feeding on the back sewage beds and a male Reed Bunting on the front beds with around 6 Pied wagtails. A Chiff- Chaff was singing and briefly seen. Next up Sotterley, where both Nuthatch and Treecreeper heard by the entrance. A Buzzard seen soaring over the field too. I wandered over to the lake and initially not a lot could be seen. from the bridge from the east side, I saw first the male and then the female Garganey swim out from the southern side of the lake, disturbed maybe by the walking congregation going down the road just south of the lake. retracing my steps to a view of the lake from the north side, the Garganey were seen a little closer, although still distant the male would swim west the female reluctant to follow then the male would double back and join up with the female again. A little later the male Mandarin swam out from the island and then disappeared again just as Chris M joined. Fortunately the Mandarin reappeared. A look around Ellough yet again, failed to reveal any GP's. ealy evening I visited Leathes Ham, i had hit the "golden hour" the sun shining a golden hue over the lake and its avian inhabitants. By walking just right of the boardwalk I managed to get some lovely shots of 2 pairs of elegant Pintail, a pair of Gadwall too. The female Goosander was still around swimming behind the islands in the middle of the lake and even standing on a wooden perch and flapping her wings. Finally the male Wood Duck swam around the side of the lake just 2 feet from me and too close to photograph!

2 comments:

Paul Woolnough said...

no white wags but a cetti's called as it made its way along the sewage works fence.

Opposite side of track a brief blackcap call. Female seen there

At Sotterley Lake a pair of garganey, drake mandarin swimming across the lake and a nuthatch was calling and seen at the lakeside.

Two buzzards and a sparrowhawk beyond the church. No hawfinch but who would have believed a claim on April 1st anyway?

Peter Ransome said...

Well done on the blackcap or should that be Brown cap!?