Green- winged Teal at Herringfleet Marshes

On wednesday 27th February, hearing of a GWTeal on Herringfleet Marshes, it was just a little too late to reach the site as I would have got there at 5.45pm after having to retrieve my optical gear from home first the light would have been going rapidly by then. Fortunately, I had a day's A/L and postponed my planned Brecks trip, a Lowestoft Lizardland tick was available. So I parked at the Herringfleet Hills car park (newly re-opened) and walked down through the woods to look over the marshes. I saw Kevin B and we scanned the scrape and literally the first bird I saw as I set up the scope was the fine male Green- winged Teal at 10am. He was with 2 other Teal mostly asleep on small spit of an island. He was seen looking though an unfinished fence/ gate (no right hand post!) Slightly bigger and bulkier than the other Teal with a white vertical stripe seen down the side of the breast. Treecreeper heard in the woods but not seen. I then drove around to the Somerleyton Duke's Head but took the small track to the boat quay and parked there and walked north along the river path, initially no sign whatsoever of Water Pipits but the last bit of marsh before Smock's Mill, one Water Pipit flew up and settled for a while on a nearby gate, only to fly off when the camera had just been set up! Then at least 6+ Water Pipits seen. Behind a distant group of BH Gulls, a fine Ruff was seen feeding along the grassy edge. Seeing Steve S at the Mill, Steve eventually picked up the Green- winged Teal at 12.15pm around 150 metres NE of Smock's Mill, Walking back I checked the Gulls and 1 adult winter Mediterranean Gull seen on Somerleyton marshes too.

Stock Doves on Fallowfields

On Sunday February 24th, 2 Stock Dove were seen feeding on the recently cleared Fallowfields at 7.30am, will they be the last good birds I'll see on there before it is built on?

Great day at Minsmere

On Friday 22nd February, it was surprisingly good at Minsmere today, but conditions difficult early & late with fog then looking into v.low bright sunshine. It was initially foggy at Minsmere, but by 10am the fog was beginning to clear and from the West hide looking north east from the hide, I saw the excellent female Smew who was busy preening sat on a spit on the other side, when she had finished preening she dipped her head down and couldn't be seen again, the sawbill was mostly hidden though. 12 Black- tailed Godwits were also seen from the West hide. From the South hide, a group of 30 Avocets huddled together in the middle of the Scrape. Also 8 Mediterranean Gulls were very much in evidence here, all winter adults. Hearing of Dartford Warblers on the beach near the sluice, I walked around but despite the increasing volume of families walking along the beach, a male Stonechat was first seen perched high and then a pair of Dartford Warblers showed exceptionally well. Seen anywhere between east hide and the sluice, the male was particularly showy, and would frequently pop up in front of me as I walked along the footpath, he was especially obliging when he was singing from the top of the gorse and they didn't seem fazed by people at all. Along the beach edge, 3 female Reed Bunting seen too. Entering East hide, I saw John Grant and the fog rolled in again, however it briefly lifted for some 2o minutes revealing a 1st winter Caspian Gull, another Caspian Gull and a Yellow- legged Herring Gull seen too. A great trip!

Back at the Razorbill

On Sunday 17th February, I went back to Asda in the morning, this time with bright sunshine and sure enough the fabulous Razorbill (does the relative lack of white loral line and relatively short bill especially noticeable at some angle indicate this is a first winter bird?) was again on Lake Lothing this time just off Asda at Lowestoft. It showed really well and at point blank range swimming right next to the balustrade bank. So at times I was looking straight down at it. It swam out and showed well where it frequently dived. As usual I ran into place when it dived to avoid any disturbance, although it was very confiding at time being seen at point blank range) A passing boat pushed it again towards the balustrade. It would dive every few minutes and would spend several minutes under water before resurfacing. I noticed it would crouch very low over the water just prior to diving. It some times several minutes under water before resurfacing usually just a few metres away. Marvellous to spend over an hour with this lovely bird.

Confiding Razorbill & Kumlien's twitch

On Saturday 16th February, after far too long since I was last birding (mainly due to the awful weather last weekend Sat=gale force winds, Sun=rain all day) I was out late morning and by 11am I was at Asda looking for the Razorbill, I located it on Lake Lothing but the Razorbill was much further west, where I could see our esteemed chairman was getting stunning views and taking pics with his phone! I quickly drove round there and had a quick chat with Derek B and he showed me his inevitably excellent phone shots. I walked over the waste ground at Riverside by the eastern end, I looked where it had been and of course it wasn't anywhere to be seen! After 10 minutes, I eventually spied it swimming just east of where I was and it eventually swam back (although it was never seen right in front of me, with views Derek had enjoyed earlier). It frequently dived and this was the time to get into position and hunker down. It then swam towards the near bank and I managed to get a few shots before it disappeared again. Contacting Maurice B, he said he was going for the Kumlien's at Lackford at 1pm, so I drove back home, showered and OFB very kindly picked me up. Within a couple of hours, we were drawing into the Lankford Lakes car park, my first ever visit here. A Marsh Tit showed well and flew to the vegetation beyond the car park. From the reserve centre an impressive array of feeders revealed Goldfinches, Siskins and eventually 2 fine Redpolls feeding from a feeder to the left. Moorhens fed around the base too, the view looked over a fine pool. Walking around to the Sailing Lake, there were feeders at the back here too and a constant supply of Redpolls (1), Siskins (5), Reed Buntings (4) regularly fed there. On the Lake we arrived at 2.30pm and saw a male Goldeneye which came really close at one time (alas no camera), 3 Pochard (2 males & 1 female) and 2 Pintail (male and female) at the back. We also saw a Yellow- legged Herring Gull at the back amongst the Gulls. At 4pm, the excellent Kumlien's Gull snuck in at 4pm it was seen amongst the Gulls just left of buoy number 4, a 3rd calendar year bird, very similar to Iceland Gull with two-tone bill, a little grey on the mantle and 3 slight grey chevrons on the primaries. Overall it stood out with a very pale buff- white countenance. Also really good to see old friends like Richard from Bungay, Barry W, Paul & Jane F and Chris L. A big thank you to OFB and especially Maurice B for driving us over there and back again.

Polar opposites

On Saturday 2nd February, a Buzzard seen perched on a pole by the side of the road as I drove from Blundeston to Lound at 11.20am. On Sunday 3rd February, arriving at Lake Lothing looking from the railway bridge, initially I couldn't see a lot so I made my way down to the concrete jetty, joining Paul & Jane. Jane pointed out the Razorbill, rapidly swimming away and every time I picked it up it dived, all I saw was a black and white Auk, so couldn't count it (no doubt about the ID, but I have to be able ID it myself). Further away was a chocolate brown upper parts coloured Guillemot, back in the northern corner so making our way back, that also started to swim strongly south. Oystercatcher & Redshank and about 10 Little Grebes also seen. Visiting Carlton Marshes I met Andrew E who said the EWFG weren't on the Scrape so another dip. A Chinese Water Deer near the visitors centre (field by the scrape by the centre) showed well and I spent some time photographing it. A bevy of barking dogs (I estimated at least 6 really frightened the Deer that collapsed onto the ground, rolling on its back and crouching very low. (see accompanying pictures below). Shopping at Asda during the late afternoon, a Guillemot was seen looking east spending most of its time in the shadow of the CEFAS Endeavour. Looking west, at last, I finally saw the Razorbill, the blunt tipped bill a giveaway. Seen on 3 separate occasions but constantly diving. Also by the same boat, the second Guillemot seen briefly too. Finally a fine Harbour Seal was seen surfacing several times and swimming right. All the were spooked by a boat going through.