Green- flowered Helleborine in the Great Grimpen Mire!

On Friday 28th August, Gavin D had posted a single pic on the Twitter site posting a plant he had discovered somewhere on Castle Marshes, which to me superficially resembled a Broad- leaved Helleborine. Gavin suspected it was a Green flowered Helleborine but wasn't sure as it was listed as extinct in Suffolk. He was right, I was wrong. Paul & Jane F were clearly of the opinion that it was a GFH too. When Gavin posted some superbly photographed macro pictures of the plant when he returned for a second look, I could clearly see that sensationally it WAS a Green- flowered Helleborine. So I then DM'd Gavin, congratulated him on his superb find, apologised for my mis-identification and asking if he could give me directions. Gavin went one better and very kindly offered to take us (both the Fergusons & I to the plant). So at 3pm, on Monday 31st August, we followed Gavin out from the car park and we got to the precise spot and we could clearly see the plant, a superb Green- flowered Helleborine, which was some 17cm tall and growing off the trunk of a tree. It showed the closed flowerheads, the apple green leaves, the bulbous flower heads all classic ID features of the plant. One small flower was out. The only problem was it was in the middle of a really boggy area, which I've labelled the Great Grimpen Mire (from one of my favourites: Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles) and when I tried to walk out, I sunk into the mud almost up to the top of my Wellington boots, it was quite a comedic scene to see me get stuck like this, recalling scenes when I had got stuck in a dyke at Fisher Row way back in the 1980's and Ricky was there to haul me out! SPOILER ALERT! Not wanting to suffer the same fate as Stapleton in the aforementioned "Hound" I was treading very carefully and certain angled shots I couldn't achieve! Despite the muddy mire, I was able to get some shots but not from all angles or even one of the flower which would have been nice. If Ricky had been here to share this experience, he would have loved it. He is much missed. He would have been laughing and calling it "a classic!" Thanks for all the help the Fergusons and Gavin gave me, it was a very awkward place to photograph, especially not having any firm leverage underfoot. I was able to get some shots of this wonderful plant, but not from all angles and I missed getting a pic of the flower, which was a shame. A Buzzard was seen flying into the wood on the way back. Especial thanks to Gavin for so generously coming out to show us the plant, especially on his Wedding Anniversary, clearly going above and beyond the call of duty. Especial thanks for the help from Paul & Jane F. A fantastic experience, a wonderful rare plant and as Ricky would have said a "real classic!"

No sign of Plover or any seabirds

On Sunday 30th August in a desperatly disappointing morning/ early afternoon, there was no sign whatsoever of the confiding Golden Plover, news had been very late getting out on this one and I had looked erroneously around the tea rooms of Kessinglands North Beach for this one earlier in its stay until only late yesterday evening news got out very belatedly, that it was at Easton Bavents. Always keen to photograph confiding birds, trouble is the last on was the GBT. I have never seen so many people or cars descending onto Southward so I can't blame it for making an early exit. No sea birds were seen. Afterwards, a 40 minute seawatch at Baker's Score, Corton revealed an Oystercatcher going not, a close north flying Kestrel, 2 juvenile Carrion Crows and 5 juvenile Herring Gull and that was it, very poor. Still waiting for my first Fulmar (away from Skomer) in 4 years!

Yet another disappointing seawatch

On Saturday 29th August, from around 11.30am I was seawtaching off Corton Cliffs at baker score and apart from 20 Common Scoter flying North I didn't see a single bird! A squally rain shower meant I gave up after 10 minutes.

Dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs & yet more dogs oh, & a very brief Red- backed Shrike!

On Friday 28th August, directly after work, 5.40pm, I was walking along North Beach checking the Gulls for Andrew's Caspian no luck, but a text from James W he'd just refund the RB Shrike at Gunton Warren, it was a very elusive bird (hardly surprising when at least 3 dogs went into the scrubby area where it was hiding during the 90 minute observation). This place always has a lot of dog walkers but the sheer volume of dogs here was ridicuolous, there would have been less dogs at Crufts! There were big dogs, small dogs, the average number people seemed to have were 5!!! Despite the dogs, a reasonably showy Wheatear was perched on gorse and later on I obtained a few pics in the fading light. As Andrew arrived he could see the Shrike, James W and I walked down & James W picked it up and I saw a bird fly right off a dangling bramble branch. Not enough for me to ID it but undoubtedly the bird. However as Andrew, James W and I (& we were joined by Julie) a dog off lead went straight through the area dispersing 3 birds, a Linnet, Greenfinch and I saw the superb Red- backed Shrike fly back on with rufous back and square ended tail, it sat briefly out for around ten seconds, then the dog came back and flushed it left and I didn't see the bird again.

Wheatear at the Paget & garden goodies

Big thanks to Rob H for 2 tip off's first one today at 11.30 when he saw a migrant Wheatear (my first of the autumn) at the mounds we call Tele- Tubby land just south of the Education & Training centre, it just so happened I needed to go over there for work business and walking down I saw the confiding Wheatear barely 40 feet away on the edge of the mound at 11.55am. Looking out from the garden at 7am, following Rob H's first tip off of seeing a Hobby fly over Fallowfields, I heard the unmistakable call of a Common Sandpiper, a new garden record and lockdown species 63, closely flooded by a low flying Hobby which flew low and south- east over the garden just minutes later, lockdown species 64!

Printing notes and cock Pheasant's last stand?

On Sunday 23rd August, for most of the morning I was printing out the last 5 years of my blog observations (note to self: should do this every 6 weeks or so now and do not leave it so long!) just in case I lost the blog. I had to delete both the header and sub-header pictures so I could save on ink being used. Unfortunately, I can't seem to reinstate the sub- header (on the legacy blogger) and a look on Google failed to reveal any tips. At 6.30pm, a cock Pheasant was calling its barking call from fallow fields building site and I spied him on the mud just beyond the "U" shaped road, along the western edge. I wonder what has happened to his family? I am confident this was the same bullish and very virile cock Pheasant that was with 2 females earlier in the year, just beyond the fence. Did he sire a family and what has happened to them? Wonderful to see him, will this be the last time? (Library picture taken of probably the same bird in the spring before the site was developed).

Blogging over and out?!

A rather disappointing trip to Carlton Marshes this evening failed to reveal Garganey (yet again),Wood Sand or Spotted Red (although walkways I believe are limited to main path going west and south path to new hide, you can't visit Share Marsh) 16 Green Sandpipers overflying over me calling was impressive and a Greenshank flew over Peto's Marsh. A female Brown Hawker seen on the talk back was also notable. Appropriately, this maybe the last post I do on this blog as Blogger in their "wisdom" have reverted to a new format (bitterly disappointing after 11 years and 5 moths- started 11 March 2009) which I can't use and I opted to stay on the legacy edition that runs out on the 23 August so back to pen and paper, perhaps?

Sowerby's Beaked Whale

Rob Wil tweeted about a Beaked Whale dead on Lowestoft North beach. Working out it must be by Link's road car park given it was lying on a beach in front of a concrete wall, I drove down and seeing people in high viz jackets, I joined them. It was directly down from the NE corner of Link's road car park and was greeted by the very sad sight of a dead young Sowerby's Beaked Whale around 25 foot long, its head end was beaked. So sad to see such a magnificent creature as this stranded as a corpse along the tideline. The body had a few marks on it, but the chap there from the Institute of Zoology/ Marine Wildlife rescue confirmed my ID of a Sowerby's Beaked Whale and said it was a youngster probably got into difficulties with the shallow water. he said it had been seen alive on Caister-On-Sea beach last night and refloated and probably died from lack of food or ingesting a plastic bag (their usual diet is deep water jelly fish. He said there would be an autopsy on the beach sometime this afternoon. A much happier sighting was a young Grey Seal fishing and swimming north just out to sea and 18 BH Gulls in the car park. POSTSCRIPT: A post mortem on the beach was undertaken in the afternoon (I didn't attend) and confirmed it was a young female with an empty stomach so sadly died of starvation (not many deep sea jellyfish in this part of the North sea, sadly. In all likelihood this was one of a pair that got into difficulties off Caister-On-Sea (as previously mentioned) and were successfully refloated the evening before, very sadly the life expectancy of the other Whale doesn't look at all good). Lets hope it beats the odds and swims out into a deeper sea/ ocean where it can feed well.

Very lean pickings over the past week or so

Over the past week or so I have been down to Carlton Marshes and only seen 4 Green Sandpipers flying north west over my head (no sign of Garganey or Wood sands), North Beach on 3 occasions (no sign of Little Gull), Lowestoft Dip farm for Spotted Fly by Tee 7, unfortunately this wasn't numbered soo I had to guess where this was looking at appropriate habitat in any case I didn't see it, Southwold 20th August evening (no sign of RB Shrike in 80 minute vigil, although 3 Lesser Whitethroats appeared and cleared off before I could get pics of them) and in the garden on the evening of Friday 21 August, a fine Southern Hawker flew around in the high winds and settled in the flowering Chery tree

Shrike, Wood & Greenish Warbler!

On Sunday 16th August, on another murky day & after doing the local patch yesterday I was keen to twitch to see the RB Shrike at Southwold, by 8.30am I walking 100 yards south past the water tower and joined the 5 or so people looking for the Shrike, it wasn't about but after 15 minutes, I was beckoned over to an area exactly 50 yards to the north of the water tower and bordering the golf course, the excellent immature Red- backed Shrike was seen perched in a bush, it soon flew to another one and then flew east a little way into another bush. It then disappeared and it was only when Brian S appeared half an hour later that he picked it up in this same area, we got some reasonable distant view until and an orange-topped birder walked far too close and flushed it to the Willow Herbs, where standing near the green, Brian S said we might get some views, standing there was quite hazardous as 3 golf balls landed barely feet away from me! I thought golfers were supposed to shout "fore" when someone was in their line of fire??! The bird did show here albeit quite obscured, but when I walked around to the road, I got my closest views the bird was perched on an arched bramble twig, where sadly within seconds, it soon flew off. It then flew off to the Pitstop cafe, where I saw it preached up in silhouette behind the cafe and in the Dell, I saw a Coal Tit perched on a bush. I as about to leave but seeing Paul & Jane F, I knew the bird start to be more confine and when Nick Andrews tweeted it was near the golf club entrance such enough we had prolong if slighlty distant views of it sitting in a couple of bushes, I think I'll call it half- Ferguson views! Back home another tweet from James W and I drove to the car park by the old Dip farm Pitch and Putt and join them in the wooded northern end of the track James W, Andrew E and James B had just seen the bird 3 minutes ago. After half an hour, James W and we had great view of the bird with olive green upper part lemon yellow breast and silky white underparts a really stunning bird. Paul & jane F soon joined us and the bird appeared again in the trees to the west of the track again fairly high up showing reasonably well. Rob Will and OFB arrived as soon as they did we heard a bird calling a high pitched "tssee" 8X it was a Greenish warbler call!!! Calling from the wooded copse just east of the North bushes Gunton ORT. Try as I might I didn't see the bird, although Rob Will did see it x2 However, we did see a Pied Flycatcher at the end of the rail track plus a family of Blackcaps, adult male and 2 female types/ immatures. The Wood Warbler again showed a third time this time we were joined by Ali R and others.

Early autumn migrants

On Saturday 15th August with north- east winds and a misty start, I started just after 6am at Ness Point, plenty of Kittiwakes flying past at least c300 seen, a Grey Seal was poking its head out of the water and pointing its head vertically up. A group of 6 Gannets flew north (5 ads and 1 immature) and a further 2 adult Gannets flew north and that was it. After 40 minutes I looked round the local area, North Denes, Corton OSW and saw precisely nothing! A look around Corton Station road playing field, 2 juvenile Collared Doves were seen in a bush. A tweet from James W and I walked around Gunton ORT and heard a Ring- necked Parakeet calling over the Gunton woods area, walking back in an Oak 2 Pied Flycatchers seen, 1 was a particularly vocal and areasonably showy bird as I was setting up to take its pic, a dog walker appeared from nowhere (actually Dip farm and a path cut in from there just by the Oak and flushed it, so frustrating! A walk on the evening on the North Denes and I saw c40 Greenfinch near Links Road car park bushes and by the dead Alexanders just north of the Oval, 2 Whinchats were seen plus by the Shrike bramble, a family of Stonchats, adult male, female and a juvenile bird. Whilst out to see on the groynes, 1 in particular had 22 Kittiwake (all adults) and 12 Sandwich Terns (10 adults and 2 immatures).

Silver Y in the Lounge and North Denes

On the evening of Thursday 13th August, a Silver Y flew into the lounge and heading for the lights I managed to catch it and rallies it unharmed outside. On Friday 14th August I headed to the North Denes in the evening and saw I partial ad summer plumage Mediterranean Gull and 2 Common Gulls. A couple of Common Terns and Several close flying Sandwich Terns flew north a group of 4, 3 and 1 very close bird. Nice to see Phil J and his wife. By the Shrike a bush a "churr" eventually revealed a female Whitethroat. The whole area round by the net posts was fenced off and the North Denes park was definitely a work in progress. I make no comment on my thoughts about this, but I just hope they replace the historic fish drying racks which are degrading rapidly and several destroyed for the diggers to rampage through.

Back for photos of the Gull- billed Tern

Leaving off early at 2pm meant I could take a leisurely drive down the A12 to Alton Water again, I had put it off until this evening as I wanted to avoid being in a scrum of birders taking pics in a limited space through railings especially during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. When I arrived the only problem was, there were loads of boats in the water (I had just missed the Terns being on the railings dam end (it had been sighted on there at 4.50pm), so I walked over the eastern end and walked up to the promontory where a barred fence meant I could peer through at the railings. A couple joined me and by 6pm I was spotted the excellent moulting adult Gull- billed Tern flying in from the right behind the "tower" on the end of the promentory. One time it flew in the extreme left end of the reservoir and I couldn't get pics in time. But later when it flew around the end of the promontory, using my 100-400 lens I managed to get a few acceptable flight shots. Chris S soon joined us, at which point the couple left and I was able to show Chris the bird, it was really useful to have a top birder keep an eye on the bird, but he didn't need to as soon camme into land along the far railings facing left and spending most of its time preening, then having a quick doze. Unfortunately by 7.40pm, I really had to leave as it was a 1/2 mile walk back to the car and we had to get out before 8pm when the locked the gates. A great evening. As I arrived home, an adult Frog tried to leap in via the front door! c50 Common terns seen, c300 Greylag Geese, Cormorant, c10 BH Gulls and 3 Pied Wagtails.

Jean G, a lovely lady, RIP

On Monday 11th August, it was very sad news indeed to hear of Jean G's passing, she was a lovely lady and spent most of her time birding with her husband Ken, in times gone by. Jean was really nice and always so welcoming. When I was out birding, mostly with Ricky in the 1980's and 1990's, we would always hear a cheery "Hello Peter, Hello Ricky" from Jean that first heralded her presence. It always an added bonus to see Jean and Ken out in the field. She was very conscientious hard working and organised a lot of the SOG trips and we would often see her around Benacre and Minsmere. She welcomed all into the fold of Suffolk birding, she was so enthusiastic and she had the rare gift of instilling that enthusiasm for the love of birds and nature in all that she met. In short, she was a great ambassador for Suffolk ornithology. She helped many newcomers in to birding and wildlife watching, an all too rare talent but Jean had this in spades. When leading SOG trips or anytime we saw her in the field, she was always tried to make sure everyone saw the bird and usually they did with Jean's kindness and caring guidance. She was very well liked, indeed loved, by all Suffolk birders and it is a very sad loss for all of us very fortunate to have known her, but for those about to become interested in birds and wildlife, they will be deprived of the benefit of Jean's kindness, guidance, wisdom and welcoming all into the fold. It is sad that I hadn't seen her for several years, My heartfelt sympathy extends to all her friends and family, RIP Jean, you will be sadly missed by us all.

Pied Flycatcher at Gunton St. Peter's Churchyard & catch up

This very hot weather makes me extremely lethargic but James W had found a lovely Pied Fly along Gunton Church Lane by St. Peter's Churchyard, at around 6pm I arrived and it was in the south- west corner tree, a fine Pied Flycatcher, zipping around like mad before it flew across to bushes bordering Gunton Church Lane where I lost it. Thanks James. On Monday 11 August, very late I heard a noise in the conservatory and had to catch a full grown adult Frog in the conservatory which I caught and safely released in the back garden.

Gull- billed Tern at Alton Water by the skin of our teeth

On Tuesday 4th August, hearing that the GBT had returned to Alton Water, I took James B (wearing face masks and the windows open) in the car down to Alton Water but we took the diversionary route of the A143 almost to Diss and then A140. Some expert navigating by James B got us their at 7.20pm and parking by the main car park by the cafe, we ran up to another birder looking who thought he had it. James B soon picked it up and we saw the magnificent moulting adult Gull- billed Tern (a personal first for Suffolk) it flying mostly around the left hand edge of the reservoir but at one point it flew towards us but by the time I got to the waters edge, I'd lost it. We did pick it up in flight several times before it settled on the railings, rather appropriately under a "Thank you NHS" sign perched on the railing just below the "H". definitely a wonderful thank you to have especially as I work for the NHS! It was distant and we didn't have time to walk around as sadly they closed the gates at 8pm, but I will be back at some point hopefully to obtain some shots! Lots of Common Terns, c.30 seen too.

At last a trip to Wales!

I have not been able to get over to Wales to see family, because last Christmas I was suffering terribly with toothache and had to visit the emergency Dentist 4X over the Christmas period, including Christmas Eve to get treatment. In February, Storm Dennis, put paid to another planned trip and then the Coronavirus pandemic put a halt to any further plans. On Thursday 31st July, a trip to Dinas revealed a fine female Redstart around the boardwalk, several Robins seen but no sign of any Pied Flys, too late. Walked back and some birdwatchers said had I seen the Willow Tits that come to the feeders? Excited I sat down to have my lunch, and a young Blue Tit, then an adult Blue Tit visited, and very excitingly a Nuthatch which gave superlative views and I took full advantage with the camera, then a bird flew down, but it was a Marsh Tit (definitely not Willow) and they said there it is! I smiled and carried on with my photography. A Dunnock, male and female Chaffinch and the Nuthatch visited again and again. Whilst overhead 2 moulting Red Kites flew overhead. Thursday evening a walk down Cymisfael stream revealed a fantastic Dipper on the stream, one on the stream going north bathing and 1 seen between the bridges. On Friday, another walk down Cymisfael stream revealed the Dipper again and a Kingfisher flying down stream flying south. A Green Sandpiper was heard but not seen, a Raven seen flying overhead. Several Goldfinches, a Nuthatch and a Song Thrush. On Saturday, on the journey back I had to divert via Oxford off the M4 and several Red Kites seen including 7 flying together.

Young garden birds & Red Kite over A12

On 29 July, getting up early I saw a host of young birds in the garden, always welcome but especially now the garden is a green oasis with the nearest greenery now 700 metres away, due to the building site beyond and neighbours who have covered their gardens into a children's play factory and a Koi fish farm. The young birds included 2 juvenile Blackbirds hunting on the lawn plus both parents, a young Dunnock, a young Great Tit and a Robin. A fine Red Kite flew over A12 as I was driving south nr sign for Wickham Market.

At last a good July Day!

On 26 July Benacre Broad, taking Jenny with me we had a very pleasant stroll down to Benacre Broad where a welcome group of 6 Spoonbills & an ad winter Little Gull, (seen with Gulls) were seen at the back western end of Benacre Broad + 30 Common Tern & Curlew seen and heard flying south at 11.25am. 26 Going onto Covehithe, walking to Grange Farm, the juvenile Cuckoo seen on wires at 1.15pm but was very wary, on Covehithe Broad distant groups of Bar & Black-tailed Godwits (at least 3 of each), plus Wall Brown seen near Covehithe Church cottage. At Corton Woods on a hot sunny evening was finally seen the former mega- elusive Silver- washed Fritillary, sunny SW corner of Corton woods, by the bench by the south- western path and the clearing at 5.30pm, good to see Rob & Erin and the family and James C too, who kindly beckoned me over when he saw 2 White- letter Hairstreaks in the NE corner bramble of meadow. Both butterflies were Lowestoft ticks.