Gunton goodies

On Monday 20th September my choice of after work birding from 5.25pm, (while I still can this autumn) shifted from Carlton Marshes to Gunton ORT, on a glorious golden sunny evening, light was perfect for photography and I walked up to the southern end of the Gunton ORT and immediately the excellent Spotted Flycatcher flew into the southern most Oak and showed well for half a minutes before flying off, later I went back and saw the bird sat in sunlit bush posing beautifully before I could focus on the bird, a dog ran up to me and started barking like it had rabies or something and the poor startled bird flew off, I was not happy. I walked down the edge of the Gunton burial ground and saw a glorious male Redstart in only slightly subdued plumage from his summer finery, it perched on top of a bush before flying down, walking down carefully I joined James W, we saw it briefly again before walking back south along the edge of the Gunton ORT & the burail ground and we had glimpses of the Spotted Flycatcher hunting within a large Oak. Finally a Green Woodpecker was heard. I rang the Building company responsible for trashing our back fences and I will be ringing them again tomorrow if I don't get an immediate response, this is very poor practice when you build a homes you don't expect to have your fences trashed and I want the hole in the fence made good immediately (ie. 4 new fence panels a like for like replacement) is the least I will accept or I will be taking this further!

Speckled Bush Cricket in garden & back fences trashed!

AS the light was starting to a go, in our garden I was clearing up cutting back the Buddlea and the 'Cricket" bush, I always shake the vegetation before putting it in the bin so any creatures fall off. Jenny noticed a cricket on the outside conservatory window ledge outside the back door and I let it walk onto a runner bean leaf before after taking a few pictures, I put it back on leaves by the 'Cricket bush.' First sighting this year so glad to still have some wildlife in the garden after the massive loss of habitat due toi the very unecessarily overcrowded 4 bedroom houses crammed in like sardines just over the back fence, which has also been damaged by workmen, I will be complaining to Badger on Monday!

Dipping triangle strikes again but Pec saves the day

On Sunday 19th September, I was back at Sandy Lane, Hulver, nothing seen but a tweet from Phil D at CM had me driving straight there and joining the crowd looking from the Octagon, ie looking over the Old Scrape, Chris D kindly directed me to a very secretive Pectoral Sandpiper, a long overdue first for Lowestoft & Carlton Marshes. It was on the grassy edge of the mud, later a flying Marsh harrier spooked and it flew over to the west side of the old Scrape where it was seen out on the mud and then it walked to the grassy edge and occasionally it could be seen stretching up and looking about, it slowly walked left and seen head on the sharp pectoral band could be seen. Walking back, first one Speckled Wood alighting on the path, a discarded tissue then nearby flowers proved an irresistable photographic subject, another 2nd Speckled Wood appeared and they wheeled up in flight together before eventiually disappearing. Later on checking at Corton woods no sign of hoped for Brown Argus, but a Green Woodpecker was heard.

Sotterley, Hulver & Stoven dipping triangle

On Saturday 18th September, at Sandy Lane, Hulver, the SatNav did its job and I was able to locate (I wouldn't have found it otherwise as vegetation was blocking a very coutry and gravelly road but a lovely place. Trouble was I didn't see any definite sign of Turtle Doves, one bird flying into the sun was a possible. I did see a Red Admiral butterfly and a Speckled Wood. The great Sotterley, Hulver & stoven dipping trianle strikes again whether it is Turtle Doves (missed at Green Farm, Sotterley earlier this year, Hawfinches missed at Sotterley and Stoven earlier this year too).

Osprey feeding

On Friday 17th September, I had the afternoon off and I eventually drove down to the always rewarding Hen Reedbeds, the visited started off well with 4 Grass Snakes seen under the CI, 2 adults & 2 youngsters. The walk down to the hide was uneventful the very low tide was noted but looking back along the far west corner (north side) of the estuary the excellent Osprey was perched on its usual post just in front of the 5 gabled house. The Osprey had a fish in its left talons and was constantly feeding off it. I saw many c50 Curlew, c40 Redshank & c30 Shelduck. There were 2 close Curlew but they had gone when I crawled up the bank and were replaced by 2 resonably close Black- tailed Godwit, one in heavy moult into its winter plumage. Finally walking back, by the bushes a male Southern Hawker patrolled the path constantly & the same 2 adult Grass Snakes were seen and a Green Woodpecker was heard.

Riverside meanderings

On Sunday morning 12 September, a fine female Peregrine was sat on the east side of the grain silo. No (vehicular) access to the riverside area opposite the Council offices, 2 butterflies flew strongly west probably newly arrived migrants, not specifically ID'd but a Peacock butterfly flew east over Millenium way, little else seen. At home at 12.30pm, 22 Rooks drifted over and slowly flew north the highest tally from the house. They were accompanied by around 5 Jackdaws.

The Ness Point Little Stint

On Saturday, 11 September, a tweet from Andrew E and then from James W, I drove down to Ness Point and saw Andrew E and I first saw the fine Little Stint on the finger/ jetty with an Oystercatcher, the waves were sweeping over and it foced the bird to fly to the rocks just in front of the compass. A first here for may years. The bird was continually active, but it was surprising how often the railings got in the way, about 95% of the time. Nevertheless, I was able to get a pleasing number of pictures of this confiding but restless bird. The bird was continually feeding and we were soon joined by OFB and later Rob Hol. Later on in the garden, a tweet from Rob Hol saying a Peregrine was heading NE from his heading towards Parkhill. I looked out of the back bedroom window and looking SE, I spied the excellent Peregrine, a first sighting from the garden, at 1.56pm flying SE, a garden mega, hawking around after Dragonflies and it dashed off in an easterly direction towards Millenium Way/ Aldi superstore. Later, at 2.45pm, on a Buzzard drifted south past the garden, a male Common Darter was on one of the Bean poles and at 6.50pm, flock of 22 House Martins flew west directly over the garden. Finally, the regular Red Admiral butterfly that has been in the garden for several weeks went to roost half way up the east side of the Copper Beech tree.

Early morning at Ness Point & the Netposts

On Sunday 5th September, I was keen to get some shots of the Black Redstarts at Ness Point, so during the first golden hour of sunlight I parked by the SLP yard and walked to the Ness Point wind turbine yard, a Black Redstart was perched on top of the barbed wire fence before dropping down to feed in the yard itself before flying over to the bus depot area where it continued to feed. Difficult to get pics (certainly not the results I was hoping for!) as the bird was quite actively feeding and the fence was blocking photography too (I need more steps!) A look around the tamarisk bushes was as usual very unproductive for me, so scanning the Point and the sea with equal results I then drove to the Netposts. Before I drove off, a young juvenile Herring Gull that had sat asleep by the side of the road in the gutter by the pavement woke up and started calling for its mother, which I assumed was the adult perched along the roof top. The bird then flew up to the roof top. At the Netposts, it was immediately apparent that further land was fenced off but by the original fenced area by the seawall, a fine male Wheatear was seen that eventually flew over to a new fence blocking land just east of the Netposts, also just back along the fence from this Wheatear was a fine Whinchat. As I walked around the male Wheatear was then seen on the Netposts.

Drift migrants around Lowestoft & Kessingland

On Saturday 5th September, early on in dull weather I went down to the North Denes and instantly saw David B in the middle photographing 1 of 2 Whinchats. They were reasonably confiding and near the large bush, I had left my camera behind as the light was awful but David managed to get his usual excellent shots. A Wheatear was seen along the path ahead and then flew over and perched on the Alexander plants. I soon met up with Derek M & his wife. Later on, a tweet from Jane & Paul F I headed over to Gunton Burial ground and we saw a fine Redstart which regularly flew to the fence, 3 Robins seen and then Jane called out a Pied Fly and a fine Pied Flycatcher was seen first on the fence and then it flew to the nearby oak tree regularly flycatching. Good scope views but a little too far away for the camera). Later on Jane F very kindly called me to say the 4 Little Stints (seen earlier) were still along the edge of Kessingland North Beach Pool, I headed straight for the pool and was dismayed to see a dog walker had just walked along the edge of the pool, a summer- plumaged Dunlin flew south along the pool but didn't stop and 20 minutes later, 4 dog walkers (with 4 separate dogs) were around the pool throwing balls into the water, so I checked the beach and saw 6 Ringed Plovers fly up from beach, not wisjing to disturb them I retraced my steps back to the pool and the dog walkers had just left, I decided to wait 10 minutes behind a large clump of Marram grass just 30 metres from the edge of the pool and almost immediately was amazed to see the 4 diminutive Little Stint (1 ad, 3 imms) fly in along the edge. Initially they landed along the south eastern end, but they ran and fed directly in front of me (ie. 30 metres away with me hidden behind the Marram grass) before eventually returning back to the ir original spot. Another dog walker walking the edge flushed them south again. After they left a very nervous adult summer plumaged Dunlin briefly alighted at the pool before flying south again. The 4 Little Stints then returned before a family walking a dog coming back off the beach flushed the Little Stints south again at which point, I left. I drove straight to the North Denes, the light was much better and well lit for 2 Whinchat who were eventally picked up in the same spot I had seen them earlier in the day and posed nicely by the Alexander as I was walking back to the car, 2 confiding Wheatears were perched on a bush right by the path so doubled back in order not to disturb and managed to obtain some shots in the fading sunlight.

Brief late summer trip to Wales

On Tuesday 31 August a trip to Wales primarily to see family including the usual (but always very welcome Red Kite sightings!) Along the M25 just before the Rickmansworth flyover, 2 Red Kites seen, plus a further 3 Red Kites seen along the M4 near where they filmed the external scenes to "The Office" passing through Slough on the M4. A Buzzard was seen near Swindon. On Wednesday 1st September, early evening a Red Kite flew low over Mum's house several times. On Thursday 2nd September, whilst waiting for the boat at New Quay, 3 boats all together and a few Gulls I saw 2 Bottlenose Dolphins break with surface of the sea and the back and fins seen briefly as they swam along, adult mother and her calf. The boat trip itself, although well organised and pleasing there were only 10 of us on board (whereas the other trips were completely full up 60+ people) was unfortunately unsuccessful wildlife spotting-wise with no Dolphins seen, which was very disappointing, the only birds of note seen included 3 Chough seen flying over the cliffs and a flying and cxalling Rock Pipit over the rocks, plus 2 Black- headed Gulls on the sea . Once back, viewing from the harbour again, I spied another boat going out briefly stopped on the sea and I saw a Guillemot on the water. Directly afterwards a late afternoon trip to Cymisfael stream revealed 1 Grey wagtail on ther stream heading west and another second Grey Wagtail on the stream by the road. By the bridge, a hirundine movement east included 18 Swallows, 3 Sand Martins and 2 House Martins, a Goldcrest was heard and Chiff- Chaff heard too whilst walking back to the stream as I was getting I heard the metallic "clink" of a Dipper and looking south I saw the Dipper perched in its usual spot.