Butcher bird again at Corton Old sewage works

On Sunday 20th August, in the morning around 11am, I headed back to Corton old sewage works and saw Andrew E, then Roger, Nick C & his wife and Bill turned up. The immature Red- backed Shrike was perched along the eastern edge and hunting on the ground, often catching bees. Later on it flew to the wooden fence bordering the static carvan park and then hunted in the field just east, being perched on the ragwort. A female Whitethroat seen in the corner topo, plus 3 Linnets and Swallow and Sand Martin overhead. I had a good look around the Corton old rail track and apart from a Speckled Wood near the entrance nothing of note seen at all here. Meanwhile from the front garden in the afternoon, 2 mewing Buzzard flying just north of there.

Finally a nice find at Corton OSW

On Saturday 19th August, a look at Asda didn't reveal anything, Corton churchyard was also quiet so I headed over to the Corton Old SW, I walked west, south and east of the Sw and nothing seen, until I walked along the eastern edge and I saw a fantastic immature or juvenile Red- backed Shrike perched on the fence by the impossible close fixed Caravan park just a metre east of the Corton old SW NE corner. The bird then flew into the compound. The bird was elusive and it wasn't until I walked into the Caravan park and I saw it was perched on the old SW northern fence before flying and perching in a bramble by the corner. A load of 12 Starlings joined it and itwe spotted the bird again perched inevitably flew deeper in to the compound. I rang James B and he arrived and walked down the path to the cliff edge, the bird perched halfway along the eastern fence but James was looking out to sea! Nice to also see Swallow and Sand Martin flying over the compound as well as 2 Swift over and 2 Swift flew in from off the sea, too. It was only when Paul & Jane arrived that we saw the bird perched on tall thistles in the middle of the compound, John W and Kevin B joined us and they soon had good views of the bird. Before Paul, Jane & I walked to the northern edge and from the carvan park saw it perched along the eastern fence line and then finally seen on the western side of the corner bramble perched on a thick bramble twig where it caught and devoured a bumble bee before coughing up a pellet! A nice close flying flock of 5 Grey Heron flew south out to sea. Finally, Alison & Chris A turned up but were unfortunate to be there when a female Sparrowhawk flew and dived into the south- east corner of the compound. It soon flew off fortunately without the Shrike in its talons. Our cue to leave, waving goodbye to the A's. At the churchyard carpark, the distinctive 7 note call revealed a fine Whimbrel flying north overhead. Alison & Chris after an hour tweeted they had a Redstart, I didn't see it but I did see the Shrike again by the Bramble half way along the southern end of the compound.

Whinchat & Wheatears by the Netposts

On the evening of Friday 18th August, after tea, mid evening, the sun was going down but I did see 3+ Wheatears by the netposts down the path running parallel to the Netposts and the masses of ragworts also hosted 2 fine Whinchat. Nice to see.

Yellow Wagtail over the Paget

On Tuesday, the distinctive call heralded a fine Yellow Wagtail which flew over the Burrage Centre, at James Paget Hospital and I saw the bird heading north at 10.40am. In the evening 2 Curlew heard flying over the house, the first bird was seen flying south.

Red Kite low over the garden

On Sunday, a fine Red Kite I picked up early and saw it flying south-west and low right over the garden the headed towards Parkhill Hotel grounds, 2nd ever over the garden.

Hobby over the garden

On the evening of the 7th August, whilst I was watering the runner beans in the back garden, a fine Hobby flew south- west over the garden ay 7.51pm heading towards Parkhill Hotel grounds.

We have lost our beautiful boy, Comet

Very sadly, we have lost our beautiful boy, Comet, a 10 year old black and white cat. It has been terribly sad news as we was a much loved member of our family. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with mouth cancer back in May and by August 2 we had to take him to the vets and have him euthanised as the cancer hasd advanced. We were both with him at the end and he was such a beautiful and brave boy. He had a wonderful disposition and temperament. He loved raising on his hind legs and giving you a friendly head butt! We were introduced him first as a kitten, barely a few weeks old initially he was part of a ball of black and white Kittens at the Cats Protection League and we had gone along in August 2013 after we had lost our previous much loved cat, Cleo. We had initially chosen Haley an 8 year old cat, housed separately, who had come from a difficult home but she had started clawing the furniture and when we brought home Cosmo, a little while later, our incerdibly cute Tabby kitten, we had our 2 cats. Unfortunately, Haley kept attacking Cosmo after 3 supervised introductions and we had to take her back. A choice had to be made, no contest, as we chose Cosmo. Fortunately the CPL still had a few kittens left from the original 2 litters and Comet was quickly chosen by us. When we brought him back, despite being no bigger than a watchstrap, he was full of energy, and we wanted an astronomical related name for him, so Comet fitted the bill perfectly! Cosmo came over and started licking him and he licked Cosmo back, the brothers remembered each other and were very pleased to be reunited. In the early days, they would sleep together as kittens and would often sleep on the bed together or bookend the conservatory sitting chair together. He was a lovely marked black and white cat, with white mittens on his front legs and white boots on his back legs with a lovely black patch on his right back leg. He also had 3 distinctive eye brow whiskers too. He had a wonderfully long 15 inch tail and we often affectionately called him Comet long tail, where he would curl his long tail around his legs and back again! He was a very loving cat, especially with Jenny and I, but always hid up when visitors or workmen called. He used to love jumping up and headbutting you and would always sleep on the bed, making his nest first before flopping on your hand. He caught very few birds fortunately but once did did bring through the cat flap a young Magpie which was bHe felt the cold and on one particularly freezing night outsight he snuggled up all night under the duvet with me, like a papoose cat! He loved going out in the garden and marking his territory and would always run back quickly back into the house. He was a very cautious cat, never ever any trouble, Comet was a highly intelligent Cat and we set him some puzzles, with various cat toys, where the prize was devouring a special biscuit food treat and he always solved those conundrums very quickly and even showed Cosmo how to do it, when poor old Cossie was trying to figure it out! RIP Comet, our beautiful, lovely boy, he is much missed by us all.