Lone Waxwing

A sole Waxwing was immediately seen feeding from the top berries of a tree just in The Drive at Reydon this afternoon, seen from 2-2.15pm. There are a lot of berries on these trees so hopefully more will join it. Seeing these birds just before Christmas always gets me in the festive mood but unfortunately a Sparrowhawk flew through and flushed it, it flew to another tree further along the Drive and the Sparrowhawk flew past again and this time to Waxwing flew east. 5 Goldfinch also flew over.

Purple Sandpiper & Med Gulls

On Saturday 28th November, a lone Purple Sandpiper was feeding along the narrow ledge just north of the groyne at the most easterly point. It would occasionally jump onto the flat ground just west of there when the sea whooshed in over the rocks. 14 Turnstone seen on the ledge just south of the eastern most point. A Rock Pipit heard but not seen. At the Link's road car park a nice selection of Gulls seen including a Common Gull, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull and one poor first winter bird which had fishing line protruding from its bill. why oh why don't fishermen collect up all their fishing line and dispose of it securely not leave it discarded on the beach/ sea. At 2ish a group of Black- headed Gulls were mobbing a Grey Heron that circled over the rear of the garden and the waste ground but it flew west.

Little Auk flew south at Ness Point

At around 10am I arrived at Ness Point and it was immediately evident with the very strong gale force NW winds, they were rocking the car from time to time and if the winds were any stronger I would have left, but there was a strong sea passage taking place with groups of Starlings groups of around 30, 40, 30, 100, 100, 120, 130 & 140 were seen either flying north or coming in off, All the other birds were flying north unless otherwise stated. Groups of 5, 5, 3, 10, 15, 5 and 3 Brent Geese flew by mostly close in, with the yellow buoy seen in the distance behind them. Groups of Dunlin were prevalent too including 20, 30, 12, 20, 15, 3, 10 (with 10 Sanderling), 30 and 3 all flying north, 1 Curlew flew north. Ducks included 3 female Goldeneye, 2 Goldeneye and 1 male, 3 male Goldeneye, Teal 1 with 5 Dunlin, Wigeon groups of 20, 30, 5, 3, 10 and 15, Pintail groups of 5, 10, 15, 8, 5, and 3. A group of 50 Common Scoter flying south. 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls flew by going south, Gannets seen all the time around 100 seen majority being adults 85 and 15 immatures or sub adults. All nice to see, but then finally in a brief sunny spell, the bird I really wanted to see, it appeared at 10.47am just ahead of a rain front when the heavens literally opened, it was a wonderful small and dumpy black and white close Little Auk which flew south close in, seen flying by on its distinctive 'whirring' wings, as always a real joy to see.

Buzzard & Siskins

On Tuesday 17th November on the drive to work, a Buzzard was perched on the small "Barn Owl posts" north side on the drive 1/2 way along the A12 Lowestoft to Gorleston. On Wednesday 18th December, 4 Siskin flew south calling over Southside at the James Paget Hospital.

A few birds

On Wednesday 11th November, a Buzzard seen perched on a small post on the field just west of the new bypass at Parkhill. A 2 hour spell out of work this afternoon revealed a couple of birds the Buzzard in its usual tree just east of the A12 just north of Hopton and just 2 Turnstone at Ness Point plus Alex from Look East filming a bit about a white LandRover 4x4 car with several Alsation type dogs not sure what the local news item was about as I was working tip 7pm this evening and missed the Look east bulletin! just north of Hopton plus at the King's Centre Great Yarmouth on the grass just east of there a paddling Herring Gull and 7 Moorhen on the lawn.

Returning Purple Sandpiper

On saturday 7th November, I saw 1 Purple Sandpiper with Turnstones flying with and they settled on the rock just north of Ness Point my 1st returning bird this autumn, several times it popped up onto the rock, it was a lovely adult bird and great to see it back. 3 Greenfinch flew up from the near the sea wall just north of Bird's Eye factory. A rather confiding Rock Pipit was on the floe rocks just beyond the fence along Hamilton Dock before the rain

Starlings on the crane!

On Wednesday 4 November, 200 Starlings were on the large Crane towering over the JPUH Hospital which has been used to build the fantastic new day theatres complex it was a pre- roost gathering they had flown off by 3pm, on Thursday 5 November there were 40 there and Friday 6 November 30.

Short- eared Owl at Hopton

On Wednesday 4th November at 4.40pm, in the fading light I saw a Short- eared Owl fly over the road along the Hopton coast road. It was just by the "Radar Lodge" entrance track as it flew east over the road over the track and disappeared eventually out of sight.

Treecreeper in Corton Woods

Tuesday 3rd November a pre- work trip in Corton woods failed to reveal a Pallas' in the NW corner in Holly, but I did see a fine Treecreeper at the base of a tree. Still a lot of Goldcrest about.

Autumn lull

On Friday 30th October most of the day it was raining, once the rain had finally stopped mid-afternoon, I looked around the Parks, I heard a Firecrest behind the Oval, but try as I might I couldn't see it. I looked around Fallowfields and saw a Muntjac Deer run away from me. On Saturday 31st October, the Lesser 'Legs had been seen again but had already flown by the time I got there. The usual large numbers of Redshank, Golden Plover, Black- tailed Godwit, Dunlin plus 15 Avocet, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 30 odd Grey Plover, 1 adult winter Mediterranean Gull swimming on the water. Nothing at Ness Point on either 31/10 (save for bumping into Rob Win) and a very foggy 1/11.