Carlton Purple Patch

On Sunday 21st April, after a rest following 10 miles of walking yesterday, I decided to do a mere 3 miles today by walking down to Carlton Marshes, Peto's Marsh, first stop, Turnpike marsh where the first one from the main track I saw the Green- winged Teal at the back. Swimming left by some tussocks. Meanwhile by the closest water's edge, there were 4 summer plumaged Black- tailed Godwits and with them was a fine Spotted Redshank in grey plumage going into summer plumage. Try as I might, I could not see either a Green Sand (earlier not on Cormorant island or Wood Sand) At Turnpike hide, I saw an Egyptian Goose on its nest. Plus 2 Swallows and 3 Sand Martins flying over the Scrape. By North hide, I saw 3 Pochard (2 males and a female) swimming on the water. Up to 4 Marsh Harriers, 3 males and a cream headed female quartered the reeds at the back and it was pleasing to see areas had been cut for Bitterns. As I walked back, I saw the Spotted Redshank and the 4 Black- tailed Godwits but they soon flew north-east I stopped by Turnpike hide and saw Rob H and Rhiannon stroll up, I hadn't relocated any of the birds. But as I scanned I refound the GW Teal again and looing over to Turnpike Scrape, I saw the group of waders, the 4 Black- tailed Godwits and the Spotted Redshank and pointed out to Rob & Rhianna. Rob picked out the fine pair of Garganey (male and female) just in front of them (male and female) and as I scanned further I finally saw the fine Wood Sandpiper feeding in Mare's Tail at the back.

Patch and then Benacre for Summer plumaged Slav Grebe

A look around Corton revealed a calling Chiff- Chaff low down in Corton Churchyard and another Chiff- Chaff at Corton New Sewage works. 2 Blackcap heard too. Nothing at ness Point or the Netposts. A tweet from Carl had me driving straight to Covehithe. I parked and walked down to the Broad, where Carl B and Maurice B were in the hide watching the bird. A fine summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe. It was reasonably close just beyong the hide inlet it was swimming left and diving, I only saw it for around 3 minutes before it disappeared. The light was awful. Meanwhile by the side of the inlet a Male Gadwall seen. On the beach edge, Ringed Plover, 2 amorous Oystercatchers (later seen copulating and a lone Avocet , stood the farside of the beach edge. A male Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds by the back. Richard D came into the hide and soon picked up the Slavonian Grebe, which had amazingly swam right well over to the right and some distance away on the Broad. Paul & Jane F arrived and after a while we walked down to the beach and saw the Slavonian Grebe. It was by the beach edge but still quite distant. Carl mentioned he had seen 3 Wheatears on Kessingland inland dune, so parking at the rather euphemistically called Beach car park which around a quater of a mile from the beach, I walked down to the beach and then half a mile over to the Kessingland inland dune. I saw a male and female Wheatear briefly then again along the southern end. A pair of Stonechats were feeding very low on the ground. It was also very noticable the number of small flocks of Linnets seen on the dunes path and also on the walk back, probably 7 groups of around 15- 20 birds seen (around 110 in total) and 1 male Linnet briefly on the fence as I walked north back along the coastal path. Itis rare to see such a proliferation of Linnets, they are always nice to see. All 3 Wheatears (2 males and a female) seen along the northern end, thwen along the western side, I managed to sneak up on 2 birds before first one and then 2 dog walkers flushed the birds.

Return to the Surf Scoter

On Friday 19th April after work, I drove down to Walberswick village and parked in the free parking bay by the green at 6pm. I walked out first 200 yards south of the beach huts and the 400 yards and the 1600 yards south by Corporation Marshes. At first I copuld only see 1 pair of Common Scoter close in. But I spied a group of around 32 Common Scoters way out in Sole Bay and it included the Surf Scoter. Fortunately, iot included the 1st wintrer Surf Scoter. Too far out to photograph, as I was walking back to around just 400 yards south of the huts 2 groups of Scoters flew in a little closer, they totalled 72 Common Scoter in 2 equal groups. The one on the left included the fine 1st winter Surf Scoter and I managed to get a few shots before the groups merged.

Green- Winged Teal at Peto's, Carlton

On Thursday 18th April, this time after work, I finished at 2.15pm, I walked down the main track to just before the Turnpike Hide, where I joined Mark E. to view a distant (as always) American Green- Winged Teal, slightly larger than the other Teal with distinctive white verticle stripe on its front flanks. It spent a little time hising behind tussocks before walking left and then swimming right where finally it stood and preened. Also seen were Yellow Wagtail. Around 6 Swallows were skimming the water in front of us and a Sedge Warbler could clearly be heard too. The last 3 species all new for the year for me.

Surf Scoter at Walberswick

On Tuesday 16th April, a look around the Denes and the Netposts failed to reveal any W'ears, just c30 Wood Pigeon on the Oval and a sheltering male Pied Wagtail around the caravans. Wednesday 17th April, I drove to Walberswick and was rather taken aback that the car parks didn't sccept cash and you needed to download an app that wouldn't download. Fortunately there was free parking at the green after 6pm. So I parked there and walked out past the beach huts and walked around 200 yards south to join Andrew E watching from the bank and the fine 1st winter Surf Scoter was seen in the middle of the flock with swollen bill and very distinctive white square nape patch, amongst the 30 or so Common Scoter. The sun was shining but as soon as I set up the camera for distant record shots the cloud rolled in and it became very overcast.

Garden Orange Tip

On Saturday 13th April, mid afternoon I saw a fine male Orange Tip in the garden at 3pm, which was welcome relief from a very nasty headache I experienced all weekend.

Purple Heron at Carlton Marshes

On Thursday 11th April, after the poor weather the previous evening, I coolly waited until the fine spring-like evening and directly after work, 5.45pm I was walking down the main track (seing a Grey Heron fly north over the track) from Carlton Marshes and pleased to see Paul & Sara scoping the Heron in the dyke. It was distant and initially obscured by the reeds with just its head poking out, but eventually and over the course of the following hour we had excellent prologed if distant view of the very fine adult Purple Heron , with a fine tassel drooping down from the crown of his head. The Heron was was fishing in the dyke. Jeremy G joined us and we had fine distant views of it before abruptlky at 7.03pm it flew up into the sky initially heading south and towards the Visitors centre, it veered around to the north and then veered westwards eventualy it flew north west and disappeared behind trees on Jenson's island. A male Marsh harrier also seen and walking back by the Vistor's centre, I heard both a Bittern boom and a Grasshopper warbler reeling.

Gunton Whitethroat

On Sunday 7th April, I walKed around Gunton and Gunton ORT, nothing seen but I did hear a Whitethroat was heard very briefly along the southern fence (bordering Hubbards Loke) of the Gunton woodland burial park.

Migrants at Corton

Early on, on Saturday 6th April, I looked around Corton little seen until I got to Corton Churchyard where a male Ring Ouzel flew up at 11am from underneath a bush and disappeared into the hedge. The black plumage, silvery wings and white breast gorget all noted as I saw it in flight sadly I didn't see it again. In the hedge were 2 singing male Blackcaps one showed well but disappeared as I set the camera up. James arrived and no sooner had he arrived than a Red Kite flew over the churchyard, my first seen ever at Corton. We went back to Corton OSW and 2 Sand Martins flew south. A C<b>hiff- Chaff heard and seen too. Later on at Gunton I delivered a new Spotted Orchid colony, with 66 plants at one site and another 4 nearby, I marked them all up with sticks (which took me about an hour to do, but very worthwhile if it saves the plants from being trampled on) and passed a message onto the Gunton Meadows group. 2 Redpoll heard flying over Dip Farm car park heading north (bit not seen) Later on 1 Redpoll heard flyiung over Gunton Wood near the Church (again not seen).

Estonia Birding trip: Final day of good weather in Marsala

On Thursday 4th April, it was sunny and we had to make fiull use of aour last full day in estonia for this trip. We drove the short way from our fabulous accommodation and at first light were in the Haesaa woodlands which looked good for Woodpeckers and it had been recommended by our convivial host. There were birches in a marshy area, both Johnny and Rob had gone on ahead and I saw Rob intently looking at something and photographing, they were 2 superb white- headed Northern Long- tailed Tits being very confiding for Rob in nearby bushes but typically disappeared as i arrived however they took pity on me and showed a little better for me in the bushes acrioss the road opposite and I was able to get a few record shots. Johnny and Rob had a pair of White- backs but I couldn't see them! frustrating, until I saw a superb male White- backed Woodpecker perched on the left side of a dead tree. Slightly bigger than GSW, with whiet area on the back and 3 strands extending over to the flank, with salmon pink undertail coverts leading up to a streaked musty- yellow-white lower underparts, this was a stunning bird, I was about to take a picture albeit at some distance but it promptly flew right! As Rob & Johnny walked on, I picked up an excellent Black Woodpecker that flew in front of them ahead across the road from left to right. I also heard the distinctive call of a Grey- headed Woodpecker but none of us could see it! As we drove to the fields where the Buzzard was we almost hit a very low flying female Goshawk that flew right in front of the car & over the road (right to left) and we saw fly away over the field, nice to see one after missing one at... We saw the Rough- legged buzzard again huning over the field but it soon flew left and disappeared over woodlands. We then tried younger growth birch woods, where I heard the "kee-kee-kee" of a Lesser- spotted woodpecker seen by Johnny (left side of the road) but not by me. I did however hear a nasal trumpet call of a male Northern Bullfinch and the peuu calls and this bird eventually showed very well for me. We also spotted Elk tracks by the muiddy sides of the road and a mysterious Skull seen as well. Meanwhile back around the accomodation following a delicious cooked breakfast by our host, we were able to see around 20 Siskins, , 5 Tree Sparrows and a Song Thrush all posed well for the camera as they came to the feeder perching on the rock, the bushes and the feeder iteself. At a nearby ??? town, a Lake failed to reveal any Slav Grebes (not enough reddy habitat) GC Grebe and Heron seen here, plus a Hooded Crow on a structure. by the estuary, a Brent Goose was seen. Whilst at another ??? town, we saw 7 Smew (4 males and 3 females), up to 30 Goosanders, on the estuary an over flying White- tailed Eagle flying over the distant reeds, 2 close summer- plumaged Black- headed Gulls on the path in front of us on the estuary. Early evening at the town, we had a delicious home cooked Pizza, as we left, I nipped out and took pictures of the northern race Jackdaws, 3 seen. It started raining a little. Finally an evening visit to a very promising area of Pine Forest, revealed a clearing where amazingly we heard the call of a Ural Owl, like a soft "Chimpanzee call" and asoft "whoooo" absolutely wonderful and spine tingling to hear but disappointingly this didn't lead to a sighting of this much wanted enigmatic denizen of the Pine forest. While we waited in hope, 1 and then 2 Hawfinches perched up in the tree and then flew left over the clearing. A Great- spotted woodpecker flew over the road from the Pines. On the track itself, I saw some incredible Lynx tracks looking like massive X2 domestic Cat paw prints. As we drove around at dusk, Johnny saw a Ural Owl fly over the road this was missed by both Rob & myself but we did see 3 Woodcock one on the deck and 2 that flew past the car as dusk took hold.

Estonia Birding trip: 3rd full day: another day of poor weather

On Wednesday 3rd April 2024, again at the Forest lodge accomodation another trip to the outside loo I again heard a Tawny Owl in the small hours. Early morning, a Redwing was heard and seen singing. A goldcrest was seen too. At ***** park, a prime area for Woodpeckers, the weather was again unking as it was snowing the habitat looked perfect for a range of different species of Woodpeckers, with holes seen in various tree trunks. By some trees, a Willow Tit flew out, then a Nuthatch was seen, Great Tit and Blue Tit was also seen. Several other nuthatches were seen, in a clearing I saw a Black Woodpecker flew past. Pursuing that bird we again saw it fly out of a wood and then over the road. Rob spotted 7 Waxwing which flew into the top of a tree. A great spot! At Audru Polder we saw a pair of Garganey that were flushed by a low flying White- tailed Eagle and in the fields a flock of c100 Tundra Bean Geese and also a similar sized 100 flock of White- fronted Geese. At a small town we stopped near va barn, where a female type Black Redstart flew across the road, we saw a Wheatear just beside the road and a few Fieldfare on a grassy lawn before a small footbridge. Also in fields a group of 50 Golden Plover seen too. Wigeon. We finally entered the wonderful famous Matsalu National Park area and we saw Wigeon, Teal and 3 White- fronted Geese at a viewpoint, where we parked the car for our last 2 nights accomodation, a wonderful place akin to. bird observatory complete with tower observation hide and viewing from our bedroom windows overlooking the extensive estuary litrally covered in bird life, sheer bliss. at Haesaa, a village, where our accommodation was, we saw 2 fine Bramblings by the feeders around 30 Siskin (1 sadly just taken by a visiting cat) and we walked from our accomodation to a neighbouring farm and we saw 2 close Grey Partridge fly off. As we drove through, we saw 2 Hawfinch and by a red net garden feeder incredibly, a Middle- spotted Woodpecker feeding, we stopped and had a good look at this bird, just my second ever and managed a few photos from distance. A Great spotted Woodpecker seen too. As we drove around the Haesaa fields not far from our accommodation we saw a fine Rough- legged Buzzard hunting over the fields. As we booked into our accommodation, there were 3 very close White- fronted Geese that was on a grassy marshy area and later on I was able to get to the roped path led up to a large rock, that very conveniently I was able to hid behind as I took a few pictures. We were unsuccessful in our search for Elk/ Moose.

Estonia Birding trip: 2nd full day = poor weather

On Tuesday 2nd April, in the early hours a trip to the Forest toilet (don't ask!) I heard Tawny Owls call, a "kewick" call and a hooting call too. Back at Undva beach, a Great Grey Shrike was seen on top of a small tree again and out to sea we saw an incredible flock of some 100 Scaup on the sea. A White- tailed Eagle flew by and Oystercatcher and Shelduck seen, plus 100 Mute Swans on the sea which was quite a sight! At the back of these Swans, we saw 2 Whooper Swans, there were also 3 Goosanders and 5 Goldeneyes. We saw a flock of 115 Chaffinces on the beach together with 3 Skylark. Back at Saarema Saddam harbour, 8 Long- tailed Ducks were seen, plus 5 Coot and further over by the harbour promentary 3 Steller's Eiders (the 2 males from yesterday and a female), the group of 3 kept closely together feeding all the time near the promentary. The female Steller's Eider again a typical squat all over brown Eider shape with 2 thick white diagonal borders on the mid flanks sandwiched by a dark irridescent blue. Again the tertial feathers were long on the female bird. A group of 30 Siskins flew by and left. On the road back where we had seen the large Tortoiseshell, we took a track going left down to a lake area and we could hear blood curdling screams of 2 pairs of displaying full summer plumaged Red- necked Grebes on the lake, the vivid brick red plumage on the neck and flanks really stood out on these birds. We also heard the calls of Crossbills from the trees. We looked in Kusaaree park, a nice urban park with mature trees where 2 single Hooded Crows seen, I spied a Treecreeper near the top of a tree and a Tufted Duck on a castle moat. Rob and Johnny had walked off but came back to inform me they had seen a pair of Caspians so we drove round to Kusaaree Saddam (harbour) and 1 Caspian Tern seen flying left over the trees in the mid distance. It was now overcast and raining slightly with stong winds so we drove to Saare lighthouise and point stopping off at a Holiday park first where we saw 2 pairs of Ringed Plovers and a female Black redstart. At the lighthouse and beach, it chucked it down with rain so observing from the car we saw 1, 3, 5 and 2 Chaffinches fly in off the sea and settle via vegetation near the car park, where 2 Greenfinch seen too. Out over the bay, I saw 2 White- tailed eagles flying over, plus a reasonably close female Long- tailed Duck on the sea and a White Wagtail on the beach behind me and walking back to the car I hard the rasping call of a Brambling. Driving down some side roads to an abandoned Soviet military installation a young Rook was seen by the side of the road ahead of us. Back at Kusaaree Park, we saw 7 Tufted Ducks (4 males & 3 females) on the moat, plus we had 3 Hawfinches perched high up in trees on the island, together with 2 further Hawfinches seen in the poark later, totalled 5 Hawfinches all told. 4 Gadwall (2 pairs) also seen on the moat. While we walked around the paths, 2 Treecreepers were seen by trees bordering the path. Parking up for our evening meal, I also heard the rasping call of a Brambling. On the journey up to 50 Cranes seen in fields, mostly pairs seen in fields plus a flock of 35 Cranes flying left.

Estonia Birding trip 2- Stellar views of the Steller's!

The first area we tried for Steller's was Undva Palnk, which was a beach area where perced on top a small tree was fine Great Grey Shrike and further along the track near a pool of water, 1 Crane. Mist was rolling in making viewing conditions difficult. So we decided to move onto Saarema Saddam (Saddam means harbour in Estonian) and this was a lovely sheltered area, as we parked up a White Wagtail was seen here. We saw another fine male Long- tailed Duck complete with a long -tail, but again no initial sign of the Steller's. We saw Coot here. Until suddenly 20 minutes later out of the mist 2 absolutely superb male Steller's Eiders flew in and incrediby settled very close in by the rocky beach edge. This was amazing, as Johnny set up his tripod, Rob & I in a circular arc stooped low and using a large rock as cover got closer so the birds were only around 8- 10 metres away, they were feeding along the edge of the sea/ beach edge. They literally dabbled at the water's edge, 1 bird raised itself up on the water. Then they settled down, they spent quite a lot of time dabbling by the waters edge before occasionally swimming out a little way before returning to the waters edge, they seemed oblivious of our presence band we literally drinked in these wonderful birds. Sadly some of the rarest birds we have seen. They had a typical Eider squat bulky shap and a very wondrous artistic paintbox plumage. With grey bill, whitish head with a small greenish splodge patch in front of the eye and greenish small "bobbles" (2) along the sides of the nape. They a small area of black underneath the chin and collar with long black and white tertial feathers extending down the back with black uppertail area. The underparts were a pale orange peach colouration being more vivid on the breast and paler/ whiter near the rear flanks. A black spot was observed on the rear lower flank. (see pics, these are not cropped and reproduced almost as taken! lightened slightly)

Estonia birding trip 1- a trip to the northern Baltic state

On Easter Sunday 31 March, I travelled to Estonia with Rob H and Johnny from Norwich for a much needed holiday my first since the Covid pandemic. We travelled from London Stansted and the airport experience is very much an endurance. After we took off,2 hours 20 minutes later we were landing at Tallin airport in Estonia, the northernmost Baltic state. The airport there was so much better. We walked to the car hire place, just 10 minutes walk away and collected the car. While we were waiting for someone to arrive to greet us, there was a lot of viz mig or visual migration with 2 majestic Cranes flying over, a Hooded Crow flew by. A Jackdaw also flew past. As did Geese first a skein of 15 Barnacle Geese, then White-fronted Geese, 2 then another 2 and finally 8. 4 Tundra Bean Geese then flew by. Not to be outdone, passerines put in a good showing with flybys including 3 Fieldfare, a Greenfinch, 15 Stock Dove and a Sky Lark. We observed saw a large nearby lake nearby, with 3 Goosander (2 males and a female), seen. This was very good and we were still at Tallin! On the journey, we saw several Hooded Crows and several Cranes in the fileds 2, 1, 2 + incredible flocks of 300 and 100. Whilst travelling along the main road, we saw a White Stork on top of its nest on the left side of the road plus a flock of Tundra Bean Geese c30 and a flock of c30 White- fronted Geese, also c30. At our first stop Marimetsa Soo (bog) we were greeted with hazy sunshine and a balmy 14 degrees celsius this was a wooded area and bog area. As we parked up, we saw a northern race Willow Tit fly past the car park. I was following in the wake of Johnny and Rob but I stopped as we got into the woods because I could hear a Woodpecker tapping, it sounded like a GSW and sure enough this was confirmed when I saw it perched tapping away a tree trunk. I then joined johnny and Rob into a more open boggy area and following the footpath along the right side of the field bordered by a dyke with reeds we heard and then saw the white- headed vision of northern race Long- tailed Tit, a fabulous bird but both it and a wheezing Northern race Bullfinch, a male both eluded our cameras sadly. A Tortoiseshell type butterfly had me perplexed. was it Large or Yellow- legged? Intriguing, more on this later. We were back into a wooded area and we could hear Crested Tit and one seen very briefly at the top of a Pine tree. Walking back we another 2 Tortoiseshell species but they wouldn't settle long enough, but we suspected they were Large. c8 Brimstones all seen singularly flew by. A walk back over the wood, a Sparrowhawk flew by. On the journey to the Ferry, we saw a Black Redstart, a female type that flew in front of the car left over the road. We stopped along a wooded roadside road and a much more obliging Tortoiseshell which posed well for the camera finally revealed itself as a much sought after Large Tortoiseshell. A Brimstone was seen here also. We then waited for the ferry to the island we needed to get to to try for the Steller's. As we waited a fine White-tailed Eagle flew over and several 5 Goosanders (3 males & 2 females) seen in the harbour with one very close male seen and photographed. Several Long- tailed Ducks were seen, 1 resplendant male complete with long tail and 3 female Long-tailed Ducks and on the ferry ride over to Saaremma island, we saw a flock of over 300 Long- tailed Ducks in flight which was quite a sight! Also a raft of around 100 Common Scoter and a fine Black- throated Diver which flew left around 100 metres in front of the bow of the ship.