Dartford at last & Orange Peel fungus

After missing the Dartford Warbler at Gunton Heath, I was determined to have another go. So leaving work at 3pm on Wednesday 30th October 2024 I was at the Heath by 3.30pm, I walked around and saw Nicholas on the Heath and by the cleared area I saw the Orange Peel fungus and got some pics, with the macro lens. There were several areas with spots of the fungus in the cleared area and on the entrance paths too. Finally, at 4pm, in an area directly opposite half way between the Hubbards Loke entrance and the south Dip Farm car park entrance just a few metres east of the cleared area I saw the fine Dartford Warbler fly out from a metre high clump of heather and directly into a large gorse bush, all of a 5 second view and it didn't call at all. As the light was fading I didn't want to disturb what might be its roost spot. So I walked off & also seen were a Green Woodpecker in undulating flight flying south, later on a Greater- spotted Woodpecker flew north and a Jay seen too. Finally, in the fading light a male Kestrel perched on a tree on the heath.

Return to the Whoopers

On Sunday 27th October, I was keen to try for some more pictures of the Whoopers at Benacre and following the extra hour in bed, I made my way there by 8am new time and walked down to the beach. The birds were there so I set up in the south- east corner hoping theyb would come to me they didn't. I looked in the hide, there was a couple in there. Against lots of wildfowl on the Broad with c300 Coot still, c400 Wigeon still, a male Shovelor and 2 male Pintail at the back. A female Marsh harrier flew at the back of the broad. There were lots of activity particularly from a party of 7 'tping' Bearded Tits flying around quite frequently but always flying into the reeds and out of sight. The high pitched call of a Kingfisher heralded the sighting of a Kingfisher perched on a stick in front of the hide scrape at the back and I managed a few pics. Looking at them the lower orangy/red mandible proved it was a female. I then walked back to the beach and slowly crawled up the fallen tree trunk using it as cover, the Swans were now on the Broad beach edge roughly two-thirds north. There were 7 Whooper Swans (3 adults and 4 immatures), the family party plus the adult bird. When people walked along the beach the Swans would slowly swim out onto the Broad and I was able to obtrain some nice shots in perfect light without disturbing them as they returned to the same position the beach edge when the walkers had gone. Later on a look around Corton was virtually birdless save for 2 parties of LT Tits and a look on Gunton Warren opposite for James W's dartford proved fruitless but I did see several examples of Orange Peel Fungus (thanks to Izzie for the ID) on the cleared area opposite Hubbards Loke.

Saturday Surprise

On Saturday 26th October a look around Mutford Lock in the morning failed to reveal the reported 'Arctic Tern', all I saw was a Grey Wagtail. Despite checking Mutford Lock, Oulton Broad and Lake Lothing. A 'Whats App' from Rob H seeing he had seen an immature Peregrine Falcon at Corton Church. So I drove up there, parked up and I looked over to the Church spire at St. Bartholomew's Church at Corton and there it was a superb immature Peregrine Falcon perched on the top of the spire, I moved to under the Sycamore tree to conceal my presence, the bird was facing me and I took a shot. lightened the exposure, and carried on. After a while the bird shifted and then looked back and unfortunately a very noisy motorbike was coming down the road (no silencer?) and the bird immediately flew north- east over the churchyard and out of sight. I had realised an ambition of seeing a Peregrine on the Church tower as I knew the last birds to breed in Suffolk (before recent breeding success) was at Corton Church in 1800. Just after lunchtime at home, a tweet went out saying the "Arctic' was back on the jetty. I drove back following Rob H's car. I parked up nearby and walking to the Lock, lots of Gulls on the Jetty, no Tern on the jetty, I saw Rob H walking up who said he had just seen it on a jetty near the Boulevard, we walked over but sadly it had flown as a boat had docked where it had been. Rob then said he thought it was a Common and not an Arctic Tern, he showed me his excellent pics and it was clear that indeed this bird was a Common Tern and not an Arctic. After a very civilised coffee break, Rob walked back to his car and I walked back to Mutford Lock and peered over to the Jetty only to see the Common Tern sat on Mutford Lock Jetty where it stayed for 15 minutes, initially it was sat on the jetty after 5 minutes it stood up and then 10 minutes later it flew to a verticle structure underneath the railway bridge. It stood facing away from me for 3 minutes before it finally flew over to Lake Lothing north- east and out of sight. A look through the pictures of the Peregrine I could see it had a silver ring on its right leg, a partial read of '4323' and on its left leg a larger pale yellow ring with hand writing on it all I could read here was 'S3'. STOP PRESS: It is likely this bird was ringed in Finland.

Corton look around

On Thursday 24th October, a look around Corton, the Churchyard, the old sewage works and the old rail track, all I saw was a female Chaffinch along the rail track bushes (west side near the road/ bridge).

Benacre Trip 2

On Sunday 20th October, at first light I walked down to Benacre Broad from Covehithe and as I approached the wood from a Broome bush to the right, I heard "chacking" and saw a fine female Ring Ouzel look out and then she flew west, this was just some 30 metres prior ie. south of the woods by benacre Broad hide. I walked down to the Broad and the adult Whooper Swan was initially in the north-east corner but swam to the middle section of the beach side of the Broad, it was with Mute Swans and Canada Geese so no chance of getting any closer so I stayed in the south east corner. At 9.10am, the family party of 6 Whooper Swans (2 adults and 4 immatures) flew in from the south and headed for the north-east part of the Broad and landed near the beach, by some Canada Geese. Rob M. walked along the beach. from the north and the lone adult Whooper Swan swam a little nearer to me and the sun briefly came out. Walking to the hide, I joined Rob M and he said he had 3 Red- crested Pochards amongst the duck, I scoped them and I was very pleased to find an additional male in full plumage, so 4 Red- crested Pochards (2 males & 2 females) in all. A great tally of this southern Mediterranean species (& hopefully not fence hoppers from a nearby wildfowl collection?) Amongst the ducks there were around 300 Coot, c400 Wigeon and 3 male Pintails, with at least 2 Great crested Grebes and a single Little Grebe. Whilst by the close reeds just to the right of the hide, a female Stonechat and then a male Stonechat perched high up on a reeds and flew up and hovered in the air briefly. Also seen were up to 4 'tpinging' Bearded Tits flying across right and into the same patch of reeds. When Female Marsh harriers flew over, the Wigeon would take to flight whilst the Coot flock huddled together, safety in numbers?

Benacre trip 1

On Saturday 19th October, late afternoon I travelled down to Benacre, parking at Covehithe and walking out down the cliff where a family party of 6 Whooper Swans flew south and almost directly over my head, calling "whoop" as they went, a wonderful experience! Looking from the hide, there were lots of ducks and I could see the lone adult Whooper Swan in the south- east corner of the Broad, the light was going by now. As I walked back I realised my trusty favourite M&S blue jumper was missing, I retraced my steps to the hide and side of the beach but no luck but as I was walking past the Church, some kind soul had hung said jumper over the iron gate post so I gratefully retrieved it and reunited with it, fortunately.

Western Conifer Seed Bug in front garden

In the afternoon of Saturday October 19th, at about 4pm in the front garden I saw a large brown bug on the wall of the house just left of the front door. I moved it to a bush and took a few pics. I could not find it in my insect book (published in 1996!), I wondered if it was some kind of Longhorn beetle? Jane F kindly ID'd for me as a Western Conifer Seed Bug, no woder I couldn't find it as it was an American species that was introduced to the UK in 2007.

Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS spotted from the garden

On Wednesday 16th October, I went out as it was getting dark to set the Comet from Millenium Way but couldn't see it. Thanks to our Whats App group I checked again from the garden at 7.15pm and standing on a chair I could clearly see it, Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS with an obvious flared tail stretching up above it, low down in the west. I had especially good views using my binoculars. First time sighted from earth in 80,000 years!! I couldn't get a pic of, (never very good at night time photography) so instead here's a picture of our much loved boy, Comet, our former lovely black and white cat, who we sadly lost all too early on 14th August 2023 last year, we miss him and of course we miss our also much loved, beloved and equally lovely Tabby cat Cosmo too, who we lost suddenly and unexpectedly on 1st February this year, we still miss both of them dreadfully.

Ospreys and Shore Larks!

After a series of dips it was good to see some birds today starting off at Thorpeness Meare where typically as I arrived the Osprey I had come to see had been flushed off its tree by boaters on Meare and it had flown off! But it came around again and I joined Paul & Jane F and others here and hunted over the Meare really low right in front of us, frequently flapping and 'hovering' performing beautifully, the only problem was the light was really hideous and it was near silhouette shots only. I dialled in a plus 1 and a quarter exposure setting rating but could have pushed it to over +2 really. The bird then settled on. large bare branched tree on the island at the back. It was disturbed once again when rowers approached it and it flew out the back. It flew back from hunting/ fishing at the back and perched up again feeding on fish. As we watched I haerd the wonderful distintive call of an Osprey close by (the first time I have heard this call in England!) and looked up and saw a wonderful second Osprey flying in from the right (north) I called it immediately and everyone was pleased to see the 2 Ospreys. They both then flew up and flew round island and the back and were both seen gaining hide and going south? Were they leaving, but it was our queue to leave and I followed Paul & Jane F to Kessingland where we parked up and after a short walk we were on the Kessingland Dunes/ beach opposite the southern most carvan by the caravan park. We could see at least 3 birders/ photographers (including Gavin) and we slowly crawled up and joined them to view the fine quartet of 4 Shore Larks busy feeding. They were reasonably confiding but they became even more so when a local lady made a bee-line for them and fortuitously for me pushed them in my direction where I managed a few shots. Otherwise, they held a respectful distance until again a dog walker heading for the beach pushed one even closer to us where I got a shot of the bird stretching its neck up. Otherwise the protective cordon of birders/ photographers kept the dog walkers away and most had their dogs on leads, great to see such responsible behaviour from both the dog walkers and birders/ photographers waiting for the birds to come to them whichj they did with a little patience. Around 8 Linnet also seen that flew north. Good to see Steve A. too and I even managed a brief chat with him as I drove through the beach village.

Desert Warbler at Winterton

On Sunday 6th October, a WhatsAp message stating there was a Desert Warbler at Winteron had me driving over and parking just north of the village. I walked out seeing Johnny and then a returning Rob H. I walked for around 3/4 mile north and saw a group of people by 2 bushes. The bird, a fine Asian Desert Warbler was initially incredibly elusive and I didn't even see it for the first 30 minutes. It did appear a lovely sandy colour being warmer brown on the tail and yellow eye and straw coloured legs. Glimpses of the bird was seen and then it flew to some bushes just east of there, 2 of the bushes it showed slightly better anbd I managed to get a few shots when it appeared in the gaps. Later on it even flew out flew within a foot of me and David B and perched by the side of the bush just 3 foot away. Meanwhile a juvenile Cuckoo flew right at the back of the dunes. A wonderful bird to see the last one I saw was on Blakeney Point, May 1993, over 31 years ago!

Corton OSW visit after work

On Friday 4th October, after work I looked around Corton, seeing little save for Robin in St. Bartholomew's Churchyard and hearing at least 2 Goldcrests from the eastern hedge. A look around the Corton OSW failed to reveal the OBP sensationally found by Rob H., this morning, I saw a fine Green Woodpecker fly out from the static Caravan Park just north of the OSW and into another one just west of there.

Redwings over the garden

After a weekend of back problems, I had recovered enough on Wednesday 2nd October to hear at least 2 fine Redwings, first returning winter migrants from Scandinavia flying south over our back garden with their evocative 'tseep' calls permeating the atmosphere of the fading light on this autumnal evening.