Mystery Larvae

On Friday 27th March, an essential trip to fill up with food supplies at Tesco and then the Petrol station heard several Chiff- Chaffs calling. Good to see Rene in the store (albeit at 3 metres distance) and chance meetings with both Paul & Jane and Phi again at least 3 metres distance). From the garden today, a male Sparrowhawk flew over several times, whilst up to 3 Linnets perched and one was singing on Fallowfields. A Stock Dove was on the TV aerial briefly. A caterpillar/ larvae found on a dwarf Hibiscus leaf turned out to be a Small Yellow Underwing Moth, my thanks to Richard L for the ID, I have just ordered his new book. We do get a lot of the adult moths flying around the garden usually later on in the year. Both the Peacock butterfly (seen very briefly) and the Dark- edged Bee Fly (a little more obliging) were seen again.

Trio of Redwings

On Thurday 26th March, I spied a few birds in a tree about 5 doors down west of the house there were 7 Starlings and 3 Redwings, at 10.10am they all flew east, the Redwings calling flew south- east over the house airspace! Later on both the Bee fly and the Peacock butterfly were back also 3 Linnets flew north. (Library picture)

Lockdown birding/ wildlife watching

On Wednesday 25th March, looking around the garden an obliging Dark-edged Beefly was seen and photographed the sunny spot near the kitchen window was a favoured area. Hearing 'mewing' no it wasn't Cosmo the Cat! but 1 of 4 amazing Common Buzzards drifting slowly south directly over the garden at 10am. Cosmo found a Peacock butterfly that flew over top the back of the garden. Extra frog spawn was in the pond and a mating pair of Frogs were seen in the fish pond too. A Wood Pigeon was seen on the back garden fence and I heard Great- spotted Woodpecker and a Chiff- Chaff singing. PM Update: the Peacock butterfly was more obliging just after 2pm when I was able to get pics of it resting in the central round flower bed. Examples of both insects posted below.

Last birdwatch before lockdown

On Monday 23rd March, on a very sunny day but with a very cold brisk east wind, I walked to to the sewage beds at Kessingland sewage works, 5 Chiff- Chaff were seen or heard singing from this area. Whilst on the beds itself, a male Pied Wagtail was seen and then a fine male first year White Wagtail that was initially camera shy, but eventually briefly came closer. In the closer bed, the "Alba" wagtail was seen under the rotating arms spraying the water about briefly (see rougher atmospheric shot = the header picture). It then flew to the back and then seen flying over to the adjacent bed perching and walking on the far wall and the top of the sewage arm. Also seen were 2 fine male Reed Buntings fed on the beds too. Walking down to the common area, a Comma flew up from the path and 2 Chiff- Chaff seen. A mewing Buzzard flew over and a Peacock butterfly also seen. Walking down to the fishing lake, a further 5 Chiff- Chaffs seen, bringing a total number of Chiff- Chaff seen 10+. I drove over to Covehithe and walked down to the Broad, where by the far end 2 female Goldeneye seen at the back plus 3 Tufted Ducks, 1 male and 2 females and Great crested Grebe. At Benacre Broad, no sign of the GND but 2 Avocet seen busy feeding at the back, the western end of the Broad. More erosion had taken place with the hide now closed due to the coronavirus and the sea only 15 metres away.

Tawny Owl in the house?

At 2am, Thursday 19th March, I was woken up by an extremely loud hooting of a Tawny Owl, it sounded like it was in the house! Quickly checking there wasn't one, I looked outside and I saw one flying north to the houses opposite. A second Tawny Owl was calling from there too. I can only assume the bird was perched on our TV aerial.

A Chinese themed 24 hours

Last night after staring at empty shelves in the local supermarket, the shelves were bare of bread, milk, any fresh meat, pasta, toilet rolls, any cleaning products, paracetamol, ibuprofen (don't take ibuprofen if you think you have the Coronavirus), frozen chips and frozen vegetables. I did manage to buy a pack of Chinese Chicken pot noodle soup, a delicacy I haven't tasted for a long while and I reminisced about my visit to China aboard the Wildwings June 1999 trip with Ricky & Andrew E as companions. We were on a train for the long journey from Beijing to Beidehei. Some staff handily came along the aisle and handed out a plastic cup of Chinese pot noodle, someone else came round with boiling water and the resultant concoction was absolute delicious and very tasty. I remember the wondrous look of surprise on all our faces when we tried it. The soup today reminded me of those halcyon days and the extreme sense of anticipation and wonder of the avian delights we were about to encounter at Beidehei, we were not to be disappointed! Oh, how I wish I had the camera set up I have today, to record those fine encounters with the local indigenous and migratory wildlife, but I digress. A trip to Carlton Marshes from 3.30pm today, Wednesday 18 March, revealed a singing Chiff- Chaff, my first of the year. I parked at the end of the Lane by the railway line, although I didn't see it. There was a grey leaden sky and little was on show save for a distant Buzzard perched on a wooden gate and a very curious but wonderfully pale golden coloured Chinese Water Deer (hence the title of this blogpost) that just stood and looked at me in the field beside the footpath. A male Marsh Harrier quartered the fields. I walked slowly along the path and managed a few shots before it slowly walked away. These Deer are becoming very common along the marshes and I must have see around 20 individuals. 3 Barn Owl seen, 1 seen hunting really close briefly and 1 slightly further away plus a distant bird hunting the reed/ field edge. But again no sign of the mega elusive SEOs which seem to be eluding me whether I go (7th attempt in recent weeks for this species). A crackling Fieldfare had one perch up high in the poplars and 3 Stonechat (2 females and 1 male) seen too.

First Butterfly of the year

On Tuesday 17th March, at about 3pm, walking over to the Education & Training Centre at James Paget Hospital, a Small Tortoiseshell flew up (resting either on the path ahead of me or on the nearby grass and flew south, my first butterfly of the year and really nice to see. A perfect tonic for all that is going at present in the UK/ world.

Rook at no.3

On Tuesday March 17th from around 6.50am, A Rook was perched on the TV aerial of the house over the road and its distinctive rasping voice was heard!

Merlin & Water Rail= perfect tonic

On Monday 16th March from from 5.20- 6.15pm, I drove out to Fritton woods and walked to the Mound. Around half way out, a dark brown Merlin flew low over the ground and perched on a gate post where it was seen hunting.A dark, compact Falcon, with flicking wing action, it flew down and pursued some prey in the grass before returning to its post. Great to see as I haven't seen one for several years. This was also the case with a squealing Water Rail, that cried from the nearby reeds I walked down to the reed edge and a tiny watery channel had the said bird running across from left to right, again another bird not seen in the last couple of years. A close Barn Owl hunted over the reeds by the river and another more distant Barn Owl hunted around the River Yare area. A Bittern was also heard booming. Meanwhile over to my extreme right a male Marsh Harrier quartered the fields too. Still no sign of the elusive SEO, but a great trip out nonetheless.

Waxwings still at Wangford

On Saturday 14th March, on a non- birding day for me, going on a visit to Southwold with Jenny, I managed to call in and glimpse the quartet of Waxwings in the bushes bordering the playing field at Wangford at 2.25pm and 4pm.

No Owl fest for me at Carlton Marshes

In seemingly almost perfect conditions, on Wednesday 11th Marsh 4.30- 6pm, it was disappointing to note that I saw no Owls hunting at Carlton Marshes, where it was my 4th attempt to see SEO's. Nice to see Gavin who reported he hadn't seen any Owls either today (although he'd seen several including SEO on the previous days). 2 Kestrel, including an immature fluffed up bird, female Marsh Harrier sitting on a bush, 7 Linnet by a bush by the path, a female Green Woodpecker that flew and perched on a vertical trunk near Spratt's Water (extreme southern end, viewed from public footpath) and 5 Fieldfares 'chakking' and flying over the stable fields were the highlights of an otherwise disappointing excursion (there have been several of these at CM recently ie. the last 3 occasions). I shall have to rethink my plans on seeing SEO's.

(Nearly) always reliable Wangford Waxwings

On Wednesday 11th March, I drove down to Wangford in the hope of seeing Waxwings. My journey was eventful as I drove south along the A12 along the Benacre strait, a Woodcock joined me flying south at 2.55pm alongside the road and then the field to the west, lovely to see and my first of the year. Parking up opposite the playing field I walked to the north- west corner and instantly saw the 4 fine Waxwings sitting in the tops of trees partly obscured by branches. They spent a lot of time sitting here. They were joined by 3 Goldfinch at times. waxwings can be difficult birds to twitch, but my success rate with them art sangfroid is quite high so I was keen to give it a go. During the hour of observation 3-4pm, they only made 3 trips over to the berry bush opposite the Vetenary surgery, where they disappeared from view. Nice to see but not very photogenic. They were trilling quite frequently and as usual with this species the trilling became more frantic and louder before a trip over the road to the berry bush. Driving back 2 Hares were in the usual field. POSTSCRIPT: Having checked my photos one of the birds,a 1st winter male, has white/blue/red rings this is one that was ringed at Aberdeen in Scotland on 1st December 2019, thanks to Brian S for this information.

Half a Kettle of Buzzards circling over A47

On Tuesday March 10th at 5.25pm, I noticed 2 Buzzards circling over the A47 (the former A12) at Lowestoft by Corton Long Lane turn off, whilst driving home from work. I don't think 2 Buzzards can be described as a kettle, so on this occasion half a kettle will have to suffice! Anyway nice to see (unless you are a Partridge, Alan beware!!!)