Poor return on local patch

On Sunday 29th October, a look around Hamilton Dock, Ness Point and Hamilton Dock, the Netposts revealed nothing. At Link's rd car park, I parked up and walked up the Gunton slope, a calling Redpoll flew over just north of Warren House Wood, we heard the Yellow- browed Warbler call 4X but we didn't see it. I missed it by 5 minutes when it had been showing. An adult winter Mediterranean Gull flew north over the sea. Rain was setting in, so I walked back to the car, checking various tit flocks and by the north-eastern most puddle a second winter Mediterranean Gull was bathing and 2 adult winter Mediterranean Gulls seen.

Brent Goose at Lake Lothing

On Saturday 28th October, a look around Corton OSW and the Church failed to reveal the Swift for me, but a male Stonechat in the compound was an unusual sighting. Out to sea, a single Brent Goose sat half way out. Meanwhile flying north were 3 then 5 adult Gannets plus 8 & 12 Brent Geese also flying north. In the afternoon, a tip off from Jane F & a look around Lath Lothing from the railway bridge, just before the concrete jetty, an immature Brent Goose was on the shore line it later walked up and fed before being spooked by a dog walker and swimming just south of the concrete jetty where again it walked the shoreline and gave confiding views.

Train birding

Travelling by train on Thursday 27th October, as I passed Mutford Lock I saw a dark bird on the water just beyond, either a diver or a goose. Approaching Manningtree rail station, the Stour estuary was passed and the train disturbed a fine immature Merlin that flew away, just after the station, again it disturbed a ringtail Hen Harrier that flew away. Whilst walking to the accommodation at Gants Hill, west along eastern Avenue (exit is 5 Eastern Avenue West from the Tube station underpass) I heard to familiar screeching "Kee- kee- kee" and 2 very green Ring necked Parakeets flew east over the busy road. Great train/ journey birding!

Pallid Swift at Corton

A tweet from James B that I picked up 30 minutes later and I was heading up to Corton, parking at St. Bartholomew's Church on the corner. I walked back and joined Andrew E and James B, Andrew said it was flying straight towards me, the excellent Pallid Swift flew towards me with stumpier wings than a normal swift and it showed an isolated dark eye, obvious white throat and mottling on the browney plumage it was a great initial view. Later on it flew above the rail track and just north of there much further away, when it was closer again I failked to get any shots as the light was fading fast. Matthew S and Jeremy G joined us and saw the bird too.

Local patchwork

On Wednesday 25th October, checking again for the Siberian Stonechat at Corton OSW, we went back for the Dusky Warbler still by the first shelter belt north of the Oval, again "takking" regularly and actually seen flying into the bushes and seen from the back looking at its cream undertail coverts and dark mousey brown upperparts. It then flew left towards the base of the slope and was seen well but briefly along the right hand end of the Alexanders as it perched in a hole for all of 30 seconds, but the eyestripe and supercilia seen and mousey-brown drab upperparts and pale buff below. I then had a pleasant few hours showing Toby his Mum and david W around the Lowestoft haunts, around 25 Goldcrest seen, a Chiff- Chaff and some fungi but until we got to Corton Woods little else. just north of the pond, David W played Jake G's mixer tape and immediately the fantastic Firecrest appeared. Showed well in the bushes here for 15 minutes. Then news broke that Andrew had co-refound the Siberian Stonechart, a bird I really wanted to photograph well. TBC

Very local twitching!

On Tuesday 24th October, a message from Rob Wil, as the light was fading I drove to Marine Parade and walked down the steps by the Oval to the first shelter belt. Where the "takking" of the fantastic Dusky Warbler could be heard. James B quickly joined us but the warbler was proving very elusive, Rob & I walked over to the north side and I saw the bird dart dowm to Alexanders on the deck before flying back again. When we walked back James had had some good views from south end. News then broke of a Siberian Stonechat at Corton OSW, we made it just before dusk and saw the fantastic Siberian Stonechat feeding from on top of a bush in the middle of the compound flying up catching insects then returning to its perch. A Robin chased it and we last saw along the northern fence line as darkness descended.

A trip to Kessingland

On Monday 23rd October a trip to Kessingland proved productive with the fine Grey Phalarope seen at the main north beach pool, 3 Snow Buntings flew over and south. The Phalarope flew to the right hand side of the pit and settled by the seward side of the pit. It then flew back and from the left it swam towards us amongst the reeds stucking out of the water. A dog bounding over and it flew south. We walked around the

Spurn trip

On Friday 20th October, Rob H had kindly set up a trip to Spurn with Paul & Sara, unfortunately our trip (journey wise) coincided with the onset of Storm Babet and strong easterly winds coupled with an absolute downpour, the A47 was closed just before Norwich due to flooding and we had a lengthy detour along Norfolk country roads. Coupled with several of the main arterial routes flooded included one at Sleaford so we had to divert along the A1 where even here standing water was situated both sides of the road. We enevntally reached Easington Coastguard Cottages safe and sound (the most important way to be) 8 hours later with some great driving from Rob, mamaging the reservoir of roads through Lincolnshire. sara had made a wonderful vegan Rissoto and then to bed for an early start on the Saturday. On Saturday 21st october, we drove down to Spurn, on the road down we saw a fabulous Hawfinch fly left across the road and dive into a bush, a great start! 2 Swans in the field, were Mute Swans. Overlooking the estuary and looking back over fields and the village of Easington, a CB radio message announced there was a Rough- legged Buzzard hovering and sure enough it was there hovering then soaring and showing the white based and black tip tail in flight. We walked down the Warren, and the ringers had trapped a Twite and showed us in the hand before it was realeased. It was clear migration was happening as flocks of Fieldfares ere flying over and small birds were seen in the bushes, mostly Goldcrests but as we walked down a road and by the junction a fine Firecrest was found by Paul, we all enjoyed seeing it. A lady standing next to us was most put out with Rob's pishing which was helping the bird pop out to inspect us from time to time. Later on we a were again in the right place when the call stated the ringers had caught a Red- flanked Bluetail and would show it to the crowd in 15 minutes time. The group gathered in a circle to see it. As I had my big lens I had to be at least 4.5 metres away and I politely asked the chap in front if he would move left a little, he refused angrily and I moved right and was able to get pics but then I was subjected to the most appalling verbal assault I have had from a fellow "birder" in my 40 years of birding, saying I have shoved him (I didn't touch him!) and if I did it again, he would "have ....... me" and calling me several names which are unrepeatable in a blog such as this and indeed in any form of civilised company. That really took the shine off seeing the bird, unfortunately and shook me up considerably, as you might expect. He then walked off with the "Firecrest lady' and all the others present sympathised with such a rude man. Time to walk the epic 3.5 miles to Spurn Point, past the Warren along the path to the beach along there and then onto a ridge which ran right, past the lighthouse to the Point itself. In the Marram grass pit we saw some Sky larks fly up and bird which superficially resembled a Richard's Pipit, which dropped down the right of an obvious bush, when the birds took to flight a little way later, we saw 1 Sky Lark had half a tail. On Sunday 22nd October, we parked at water car park and looked from the hide seeing lots of Teal, a single Oystercatcher and a fellow singleton Curlew plus a few Wigeon at the back. We walked along a long path and then along a beach to reach Beacon ponds, where at the back we saw the fine black/ white Slavonian Grebe and scanning the Wigeon on an island near the close edge I noticed the fine eclpise male American Wigeon with a flash of green just behind the eye. Going back to the Warren, migration was again in evidence with several redpolls on the move including a couple that dropped into a bush behind us. Walking up a road, a report of a Pallid Harrier saw us looking for it, Rob saw it very brioefly, I didn't. We did intrigingly hear the single trilling call of a Waxwing! Only problem we couldn't locate or hear it again. Finally, joining Rob & Sara at the Wetlands carpark, a fine Barn Owl was seen perched by a post and then flew left and to ontop a bush.TBC

Thrush Magic at Gunton Heath

On Sunday 15th October, a tweet from James W in the afternoon, had me driving over and walking past the cleared area by a newly installed fence I joined James W peering into a Rowan. a young Blackbird and Robin seen but no sign of the Ouzel. However walking along to the clifftop, just past some gorse bushes a bare branched tree briefly hosted the excellent female Ring Ouzel that flew right. The Ring Ouzel was calling a harsh chak and even a brief bubbling call, was then seen against the light feeding near the top on Rowan berries for a couple of minutes before flying south west towards Corton Road. A few small groups of Redwings seen calling and flying over, including a group of 6 Redwing. Meanwhile a Fieldfare flew in off the sea chackling and perched in another Rowan tree in the middle of the heath.

Minsmere magic again

On Saturday 14th October, an initial look on the Lowestoft North Denes first thing I failed to see James B's YBW, but stumpy the adult Mediterrenean Gull with 1 leg seen amongst the BH Gulls in the Link's Road car park. A trip to Minsmere and walking over the bridge by the old car park pond a Water Vole seen briefly swimming in the water. A trek down along the beack just south of the tank traps and in a grassy dune walkway, a crowd of people indicated that the confiding Shore Lark (first on I have ever seen at Minsmere) was still present and it spent most of its time feeding on seeds and was oblivious of the people for well over an hour until a photographer got to close and flush it 300 metres south to justy north of the sluice. A Dunnock seen here too and as I walked to the Dunwich ponds, 3 Meadow Pipits flew inland. Taking a walk to the ponds I encountered several Fly Agarics, around 6 seen. Walking back at the old car park pond, the Water Voles showed rally well, up to 3 seen at one time. 1 even scurried up the supporting strut posts (only problem was I didn't have the correct lenses for these 100-400mm ideam but 180mm macro would have been good too. One Water vole had a bare area just underneath its right eye and this individual spent time feasting on nearby reeds giving good but obscured views.

After work Corton OSW

On Monday 9th October, A quick after work trip around Corton OSW, revealed little save for the fine male Kestrel on the posts running just east of the Sewage works. A look south- east over the sea, revealed a fine adult winter Little Gull flying around (very black underwing) and it settled on the sea with a couple of BH Gulls at 5.30pm.

Corton and Gunton Birds

On Sunday 8th October, I missed the Redstart twice seen at Gunton woodland Burial car park tried morning and evening, it eluded me like many/ all birds this/ last autumn. Nothing out to sea for despite an earlier spectacular movement of Brents & eared owls, totall dead for me. I went to Corton ORT, to try and see Rob H's YBW, parking at Stirrups lane Bridge and walking barely 50 metres south along the ytrack, a group of Long- tailed Tits moved through closely followed by a brief glimpse of the fine Y<b>ellow- browed Warbler that quite simply poked his head out of the sycamore foliage showing a fine cream supercilia and then it suddenly flew west. Hearing of another found by the Gunton Dip farm shelter belt and one neat the Pitch and Putt car park, I didn't see thse but I joined nick and James W at the south car park in the south- east corner, they saw 2 interesting birds fly into the trees and I soon picked these up and identified these as 2 fine Bramblings that showed reasonably well.

Great Green Bush Cricket in garden

On Saturday 7th October, unseasonably mil again, led to me hearing the fantastic "song" of a Great Green Bush Cricket from our patio outside the back door at 9- 9.10pm and hear a few times later as well but frustratingly I couldn't locate the Cricket, but a great garden record and one night wonder as it wasn't heard on consecutive nights.

Catch- up

On 20th September 2 House Martin seen over our Parkhill garden heading east this afternoon at 5pm. On 2nd October, a trip after work to see Richard's Eastermn Black Tabby, not a cat but a fine micro moth and a first for Suffolk. Thanks to Richard for his hospitality, then driving up to John H's at Hemsby for a trio of spectacular moths, a , a and my first Clancy's Rustic.

Autumn is cancelled? (2nd year running)

A terrible run of bad luck recently including missing the 2nd Wryneck at kessingland, the worst miss would have been the Magnolia Warbler in Wales, the Isabelline Wheatear at Southwold (had to work til 7pm that evening as it was the James Paget AGM), the Wilson's Phalarope wasn't at the marsh when I visited ot at Wells either, the Semi-P, Buff- breast & Yellowlegs at Frampton as I had to rush Cosmo our cat to the vets with a medical emergency (12.10am Vets appointment-Saturday) and then had to wait until 10am get his special food on Sunday).

Magical Minsmere

On Saturday September 16th, At the pond, I immediately saw a young Water Vole as I walked down to the East Hide, at the North Bank, 2 Small Coppers seen on the yellow flowers. Along the boardwalk, 2 young Common Lizards seen half way along on the eastern edge of the Boardwalk. 220 Barnacle Geese, 2 Spoonbills asleep along the bund at the back, Black- tailed Godwits, lots of small waders Dunlin also 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 3 Little Stints, a Knot. Walking back along the concret block tank tracks a fine Convolvous Hawk Moth. Back at the pond, the juvenile Water Vole seen again.

Shearing Shearwaters

On September 17th, 2 close + 1 at 9.55am, 1- 10.10am, 1, 2 Sooty Shearwaters all north, I spotted a fine a very close Black- throated Diver flying north at 9.30am 3 Brent Geese north, Arctic Skua flew south, 20 Common Scoter- flew north, also 2 Eiders flew north. On the wind Turbine a Peregrine Falcon flew and perched for a while. earlier a Common sandpiper was at ness Point. A look around the netposts, walking along the path by the scrub and bushes half way along, north-east corner, I saw a fine Pied Flycatcher it flew towards the seawall and then flew north. A Wheatear also seen.