Super Moon

Last night Wednesday 31st Janaury, was a super Moon, and a blue moon being the second full moon in the month of January and its orbit meant it was closer to Earth than normal. The Moon appeared 10% bigger than usual (it always appear bigger nearer the horizon and looked positively huge when I returned home from work yesterday. Here's my photographic effort (using TV mode on 5.6 aperture and 100 ISO rating).

Rough- legged Buzzard comes in to roost

On Monday 29th January, hoping to see the RLB, I was able to leave work at 3.50pm TOIL for working extra hours and by 4.10pm I was parking at the road at the end of Fritton woods. Ten minutes later, I was joining Dick on the mound overlooking Haddiscoe Marshes, but not before I had already seen a wonderful Short- eared Owl flying over the Pines bordering the clearing near the mound. Dick pointed out the superb Rough- legged Buzzard perched on a distant gate post. It initially showed a greyish head, as it scratched its tail later the white base and black tip seen. Then when it moved position it showed the darker lower breast patch. 2 Short- eared Owls were seen flying around it and must have been in addition to the bird I had seen walking up. Eventually, one of the Short- eared Owls started mobbing the Rough- legged Buzzard and it stood side on facing left before getting up and flying towards us and then flew into Fritton woods in the corner tree where it briefly perched before swooping down. A Barn Owl was also seen flying too. Suddenly a Green Sandpiper got up and flew right, it looked a very back and white bird in the fading light.

The Ibis and the Redpoll

On Sunday 28th January my first stop was early on at Dunwich hoping to see the Glauc on the beach, alas it was not there, early on (second time I have dipped it). I drove onto Eastbridge and was pleased to see the Glossy Ibis was in the usual flooded field flashes and even better it flew even closer and was feeding at perfect range for my set up, to improve matters further, the early morning sun has just come out bathing the scene in a lovely golden glow and it lit the bird up nicely and it showed well as it fed. It was great to see the Dereham boys here too. Not having a lot of time, after 20 minutes and the sun had waned somewhat I drove down to Hazlewood Marshes near Aldeburgh and initially saw Matt D and gerlad had arrived. In the now ploughed field opposite the entrance track. The flock of some 20 Redpolls fed in the field and the Coues' Arctic Redpoll showed well if distantly from here. Several times they flew into the bushes but the Arctic Redpoll was always obscured although a Mealy Redpoll was seen here too. After 2 hours the flock finally flew into the bushes and the Coues' Arctic Redpoll showed really well feet away in a small bush just left of the main bushes and posed perfectly for the camera!

Hawfinches at Wrentham cemetery

On Saturday 27th January, An early morning trip to Wrentham cemetery, initially I walked around and saw nothing. Then I heard Paul & Jane F and Jane pointing out a distant Hawfinch to Paul. Sure enough there were 2 Hawfinches, then 3 in the tall trees at the back. Then all 3 flew off to the right. Later 4 Hawfinches flew in and then 3 disappeared and 1 Hawfinch flew over the cemetery and perched in a tree the other side of the road. Later on they flew back to the tall trees at the back and by using the Yew trees I sneaked up and got some mid distant shots. Later on 1 Hawfinch flew to a bush (which meant there were 5 Hawfinches in total) near us albeit in poor light as the early morning sun had by now long since faded. In the afternoon in there rain I decided to do the RSPB Garden Birdwatch as soon as I saw 2 fabulous Bullfinch, a male and female on the Cherry tree, 3 Goldfinch were also seen here and 2 Jackdaw on the fatal feeders were the stars of this afternoon 1 hour garden birdwatch but some common species absent! (Greenfinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin!)

Great Suffolk birding

On Sunday 21st January, Walking over to the Dell, I could hear a Nuthatch calling and 1 flew back from the large tree towards the trees by the road. As I approached the pool by the Dell, a Woodcock suddenly got up and also flew towards the road. Walking over towards the Church, around 18 Fieldfare seen in the field to the left. Paul & Jane F were in the Churchyard along the westside looking east. Initially no Hawfinches were seen but Paul picked up 3 Hawfinches partially obscured in a distant tree. Then we saw some fly to the top of a Yew tree, 2 seen here well briefly. Then 6 flew and perched in a tree in the south- east corner of the churchyard, as we were watching them a further 12 Hawfinches flew over and north, totalling a magnificent 18 Hawfinches. 2 Nuthatch were at the Dell & c30 Fieldfare in bushes skirting the arable field. Joining Paul & Jane at Easton Bavents we walked up a track and 3 Tree Sparrow, 30 Yellowhammer seen flying from a set aside field and seen sat up in bushes bordering the field. I then drove to Lymballs Lane near Westleton, 10 Bewick's Swan (inc 3 immatures) were seen in a field right of the road just past a large barn. From Eastridge just past the bridge, in the rain, overlooking flashes to the left of the road the Glossy Ibis was seen feeding. A Long- tailed Duck with a group of c20 Common Scoter on sea viewable from NE corner Dunwich car park. Finally in Hamilton Dock, a fine adult male Eider at Lowestoft rounds off a good birding day in Suffolk, pity about the weather!

Trio of Bullfinches in the garden

On Saturday 20th January, 3 Bullfinch in the garden just at 1.20pm heralded by the female (2 males, 1 female) feeding on Cherry tree buds, with the 2 males feeding in the Cherry tree.

Common Sandpiper finally seen at Mutford Lock, Oulton Broad

On Sunday 14th January, still nursing a very sore mouth, I had to ration my time out so time only to venture out late morning to Mutford Lock, good to see Neville L here and initially we saw not a lot, but the fine Common Sandpiper flew in to the bank by the bridge walking our end and showed reasonably close. Little Grebe also seen plus a Grey Wagtail heard flying over. At Leathes Ham 8 Pintail (4 males, 4 females), Gadwall and Shovelor seen around 10 of each. 2 Goldcrests in the bushes.

Corton woods birds & garden Bullfinch

Parking opposite the Hut in Corton, saw Craig, his wife and his 2 Border Collies walking down the path and was once again able to say "Get down Shep!" which I've always wanted to do ever since watching Joan Noakes and his dog Shep on Blue Peter! In Corton woods, Craig showed me the usual Holly bushes for Firecrest. The first 2 of 3 were heard a little south of here but the third, a fine male Firecrest was just east of these bushes flying out of a lone bramble bush by a fallen dead tree, the fine male Firecrest showed for 30 seconds in the low branches of a tree before flying back into Holly. 3 Treecreeper seen in total including 1 half way down in trees near the road. 2 Redwing seen flying into a tree/ bush in the extreme north-east end of the wood, one Redwing seen perched just left of the main trunk. Its head and cream supercilia clearly visible. 10 Goldcrest seen in total. 2 Goldfinch by Alders bordering the northern fence line. No sign for me of Nuthatch but 1st winter Mediterranean Gull seen on Corton playing field. Female Bullfinch in garden at 1.05pm by the left tree then she flew down into vegetation around the back border. (1st sighting in garden for 2 years!). After waiting 2 years for a Bullfinch in the garden the female visited again 30mins later at 1.35pm, 2 v.confiding Goldcrests in low cut bush Nelson Court, Lowestoft late a'noon

Missed Waxwing

On Saturday 13th January, having had a bit of lie in following extensive dental surgery the afternoon before, involving a new filling, insertion of new implant several stitches around the gumline. I had an excuse for getting out a little late. Very sadly, there was no sign of the Waxwing 9.30- 10.50am at Stevens Street, Lowestoft despite seeing Jon E and Phil a little later. Missed by minutes.

Iceland Gull on Kessingland Levels

On Sunday January 7th, parking by the pathway I walked up to Kessingland Levels and it was good to see Dick and Maurice, what wasn't so good was the bird hadn't been seen, but as soon Dick said that, the fine a juvenile Iceland Gull flew back onto Kessingland Levels 1.30pm. Biscuit coloured with pale wing and two tone pink and black bill and quite a bit smaller than a Great- black- backed Gull it stood beside, it was a classic Iceland. It then flew off at 2pm! (Thanks Paul & Jane for info) 2 Peregrines later seen on the Grain silo again Asda, Lowestoft.

Around Lowestoft Way

On Saturday January 6th at Oulton Broad, the fine Great Northern Diver was on Lake Lothing from Railway Bridge looking east, it spent a lot of time diving. Good to see James W who cycled up. At Oulton Broad, a birder had seen a RTDiver on the far end of Oulton Broad, by the far west end the Red- throated Diver , which I watched with James W, after James had left, a Grey Wagtail flew over the esplanade and north & a Kingfisher flashed by, whilst c200 Greylag Geese were on the water, High Tide so no Common Sand at Mutford Lock By Lake Lothing Riverside the Great Northern Diver was seen looking west and a close imm Shag, and sure enough before the camera was set up a boat had gone past and flushed the Shag which flew east & 2 Peregrines initially perched on a ledge together and then one flew up and around and perched lower down.

Great start to 2018: GND, Arctic Redpoll & Viking Gull

Having finally bade farewell to 2017, the first birds seen in 2018 were Blue Tit & Chaffinch in the garden. next birds were the excellent Great Northern Diver again seen from the railway bridge looking east over Lake Lothing again distant and only seen on 2 brief resurfaces this time. Seeing Ali, OFB and then Chris M they pointed me in the direction of a female Common Scoter that spent most of her time in the sunny bits of Lake Lothing looking across towards a red/ black boat. Teal, Wigeon could be seen distantly on Leathes Ham but no Pintail seen surprisingly. I then drove down to Hazlewood Marshes and it seemed like the other birders from East Anglia had the same idea so I couldn't park in the car park or the verge nearby so I had a half mile walk back up the footpath track from hallowed Marshes, it had the advantage that I saw a flock of around 25 Redpolls fly in and the silvery white and white rumped Coues' Arctic Redpoll clearly seen in flight. They settled in the usual bush by the track. It was then that, really annoyingly, a tractor driver started his tractor up and for the next hour, yes 1 hour spent the whole time driving up and down by the bushes constantly flushing these birds ( I counted 21 passes, yes twenty- one!) and he seemed to target the areas just where we were looking. Whether he was legitimately clearing the path, I don't know, but it was really annoying for all of us, 1 hour of valuable time was wasted thanks to this "work?" As soon as he finally put the tractor away, the birds, usually a flock of 25 or so Redpoll, flew into bushes and the fine Coues' Arctic Redpoll was seen along the right hand end under an under-hanging branch, I managed a few shots of the bird. They then flew but 10 minutes later they settles in bushes around 30 yards further along the track and again the Coues' was seen reasonably well. It was accompanied by Lessers including a fine Pink male but on their last fly over to the bushes, a Mealy Redpoll seen with them too. 2 Great- spotted Woodpecker seen in a distant tree and Curlew heard too. Good to see Chris L and also saw John R here too, Rob Wils was here briefly but perhaps wisely left after the tractor man started his chinanigans although he had initially left to move his car. Time was getting, thanks to the lost hour, I drove to North warren parked by the sluice cottage (sadly no Sibe Chiff- Chaff) and walked over to the beach were around 25 Snow Bunting was seen on the weedy and grassy ridge just south of where I was. They suddenly flew north and I watched them feeding around 100 yards away. meanwhile on the sea were a flock of 240 Common Scoter (60% were female) no Velvets seen amongst them. Turning my attention to North Warren Marshes around 200 Barnacle Geese seen plus along the northern end by some gates at least 3 White- fronted geese clearly seen. The lure of White- winged Gulls (both potentially Iceland and Glaucous) from the North of the county had me driving up to Southwold Harbour, and as I got out at the very crowded Harbour, I could clearly seen a very pale Gull perched on the groins. The car park was almost choke-a-bloc but I managed to find a space and quickly get out and take picture of the bird. Size wise it was half way between Iceland & Glaucous Gull, looking around Herring Gull sized. Curiously, the head wasn't delicate enough for Iceland, looked more herring-like to me and it had an all dark fairly robust heavy bill and it clearly wasn't either an Iceland or pure Glaucous Gull, but appeared to be maybe a hybrid. Anyway, I concentrated on getting pictures of this instructive bird, albeit in poor overcast light, it then suddenly flew out to sea, 2.55pm. 5 minutes later somebody came with bread and it flew to a perch just feet (around 15 feet, Ferguson views indeed, the aforementioned of course were enjoying views of a pure Iceland, no less a little further north though!) from the mid jetty and I had outstanding views of the hybrid, Viking Gull. Only my second sighting of this hybrid so rarer for me than an Iceland (I still would have liked to have seen the Iceland as well.) At around 3.10pm it suddenly flew west (someone else was throwing bread down nearer the Harbour Inn!). Finally a look at Ness Point revealed 2 Turnstone and 1 lone Purple Sandpiper on the very tip of the finger completed a very satisfying New Years day birding.

Great Northern Diver again

On Sunday 31st December, watching from the Railway Bridge over looking it was good to see the Great Northern Diver on Lake Lothing rather distantly looking eastwards, the bird frequently dived and appropriately really good to see Andrew E too!