Buckenham

On Monday 20th February, I drove to Buckenham RSPB and walked out to the mill, a lot of Wigeon were on the marsh as I walked down and from the mill, I counted at least 47 White- fronted Geese plus about 450 Pink- footed Geese with birds joining the flock flying in from over the river. As I walked back I saw a Ruff on the marsh and around 120 close Wigeon, I managed to get a few pics. Next visit was to Filby Broad but parking at Fleggburgh Village Hall, Walked down the road and then down Ruggs Lane and then down Boat Covert, past the Cottage with the yapping dogs, there was a gate just after and right of it and the path went round a field to the back of Filby Broad. Walking around the wood, there was an area of cut reed and walking out and it was quite muddy! We spied a hybrid Ferruginous Duck , white undertails coverts but the rest wasn't right. 1 fine male Ferruginous Duck and 2 female Ferruginous Ducks plus the female Ring- necked Duck swam out and showed well together good scope views!

Back at Carlton Marshes

On Saturday 18 February, in the early afternoon, again no sign for me of the Waxwings at Hollow Grove Way for me the third time I have tried for them frecently and not seen them, walking down to Peto's the small race Canada Goose seen close to the bund and a group of around c40 Black- tailed Godwits were feeding reasonably close and with them was a pale ringed Ruff. Walking around to the far end no sign for me of the EYW, 2 Ruff were seen.

The Serengeti at Peto's Marsh, Carlton Marshes!

Absolutely superb birding at Carlton marshes, with Peto's Marsh packed full of an unprecedented number of birds this afternnon (Thursday 17 February), walking up the bund large groups of winter- plumaged Black- tailed Godwits were a sight to behold. There wea large flock of over 100 birds walking by the edge of the marsh close to the bund. the Eastern Yellow Wagtail was soon seen on Turnpike Marsh at the back, walking along a spit feeding and walking left and then it flew some way right. The yellow could be seen on its breast clearly. I heard the occasional Water Pipit but couldn't see any until I saw one in flight and then 5 Water Pipit feeding together on the grassy area viewed from the bund as I slowly made my way back. 2 Ruff, 87 Golden Plover, c1200 Lapwing, c450 Blk T Godwit, c250 Snipe, c450 Wigeon, 40+ Pintail, c30 Dunlin, finally a fine female ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting around the eastern part of the Peto's marsh. TBC

Ludham Bridge birds

On Wednesday 15th February, I had the afternoon off work and under some fantastic directions from John H I parked just before Ludham bridge and taking the footpath immediately opposite (ie. over the road from the toilet block) I took the footpath skirting around a field and then I walked up to the riverbank and then walked left for some 15 minutes, looking back over the fields, in the second I could see some 27 Bewick's Swans but I had to walk a little further and then look near a large gate and dyke in a field looking back over towards the entrance track to the car park to St Benet's Abbey. In a distant field I could see a line of c30 Greylag Geese behind a fringe lined reeds. Behind then I counted a fine total of 12 Taiga Bean Geese. They spent most of their time feeding in a line behind the reeds first walking left then walking forwards and joining the Greylags before settling down and then 2 or 3 stood up and started feeding before sitting down again! Their more angular longer bill, orange at the base of the bill, longer necks and larger size readily differentiated them from than Tundras. Looking back at the wild Swans, the Bewick's Swans 27 in total including 3 immatures and at the back of the field, 3 fine adult Whooper Swans and 9 Mute Swans. I walked back and looked at the Swans for a while but the light was going so I made my way back to the car.

A fine day at Cley! Long-billed Dowitcher & LEO

After a dose of food poisoning at the weekend, I was keen to get out to do some birding especially to Cley in North Norfolk to get some pics of the Long- billed Dowitcher which has been showing very well along the Serpentine from the east bank and it would be the best opportunity so far to get pics of a species I have only obtained poor records shots of previously. Especially as I was due to go with ace Norfolk team John H & Tony which is always a good experience & in great company, too. Sadly that was not to be, as I was quite ill on Saturday, not feeling great on Sunday either but fully recovered for Monday, I took leave (I have some days to use up!) for Tuesday 14th February and drove up to Cley in thick fog, but as I arrived at Walsey Hills just after 10am the sun soon dispersed the fog and it became a fine almost spring-like day, with the landscape bathed in a carpet of fine golden sunshine. The omens were good as some ladies at Walsey Hills said they had just left it sleeping on the island. I walked along the east bank and initially and couldn't see any sign of it. I heard some Bearded Tits calling from the reeds and saw around 5 Black- tailed Godwits. Suddenly, all the waders got up from the back of the island and I soon spotted the excellent Long- billed Dowitcher feeding along the close edge of the pool, albeit initially obscured by side grass and vegetation, but patience was soon rewarded as it was soon seen out in the open, but always constantly feeding, so photographically challenging with the sunlight was becoming a little harsh from some angles. It was also a little further away than I would have hoped and heavy cropping still required for the images you see. Next stop was Cley Spey at Glandford just inland from Cley and walking through the shop there was an outside area and a view to bushes around 60 metres away the fantastic Long- eared Owl was sitting right out in the open, initially it was preening, then it looked around then faced right and then looked right. After a while I left and then asked in the shop if I could purchase a spare rainguard for my Zeiss which had fallen off somewhere in the field. Amazingly the guy went off searching in his box of rainguard and came up with Zeiss rainguard which fitted perfectly and they were free of charge. I put £2.50 in the donations box and the went on the search for the WC Sparrow stained glass window at Cley Church. Famously one had occured just down the road and the feeders had been moved to the drive so birders could gather at the roadside top see it iccasionally come to feed. I had to wait an agonising week asi it was discovered late one Sunday afternoon but the following Saturday my patience was reared with reasonable scope views of this magnificent bird. I first Church I went to was the wrong one but gardeners gestured over to the right and another Church, St. Margaret's proved to be the right one. I walked all the way around the outside and couldn't see it so I went inside the Church and a nice lady helped me look for it but reading the literature of the Church it said the Stained glass dpiction was in the great west window above a sill. I wasn't sure which direction was west but I soon spotted in the large window to the left as you go in the main entrance, it was one very small pane in a very large plain window so easy to miss. I took some pics and bought the bargain bone China mug depicting an image of the bird and the writing White- crowned Sparrow, St. Margaret's Church, Cley, all for the bargain price of £10, there are still 2 mugs left!

A look around the Lowestoft patch

First off from Lowestoft Asda, a Peregrine was seen perched right at the top of the east side of the grain silo and later on seen flying around. Driving to Hamilton Road, an initial look revealed little first 2 Cormorants seen then the Shag was seen fairly close in actively fishing. Next stop was Ness Point and the waves were lapping almost up the the compass and first one and then a total of 7 marvellous Purple Sandpipers looking resplendent in the bright light & were feeding just a metre or so away and were busy feeding up. They were feeding on the bladderwrack seaweed after invertebrates. Next stop was Corton wood, little at the pond but walking directly west down a path for 30 metres I heard a Crest lik call abnd revealed a fine Firecrest feeding around the ivy near the main trunk. Later on the Dunnock was singing in the garden which was lovely to hear.

Kingfisher at local pond

I dropped into the local pond, mid afternoon on Saturday 4th February and was delighted to see an immature Kingfisher (barely 200 metres from our house) perched along the bushes and actively fishing, it had an all black bill so would appear to be an immature bird. When I returned 10 minutes later with my camera somewhat inevitably it was hiding in the middle bushes by the reeds so not wanting to scare it, I left I will try again another time.