RNP at Covehithe Broad/ puddle!

A tweet mid morning on Sunday 31st August of an RNP at Covehithe Broad had me eventually driving down and I parked up behind a long line of cars and I saw Paul & Jane F walking down to me, they had seen the bird distantly out to sea but we received another message to say it had flown back so we walked down to the Broad, which was fenced off. The bird, a fine immature/ 1st winter Red- necked Phalarope was eventually seen in the far south-east corner of the remain of water along the northern edge of the Broad and we had to look back south along the water to see it occasionally swim out from the corner where it resolutely remained albeit sheltering from the keen southerly wind. Just occasionally it would further out briefly and it was seen behind some purple flowers in the foreground at one point. I then flew over our heads, together with a Snipe that then flew inland the Phalarope carried on out to sea settling on the sea, we couldn't pick it up but it did fly back onto the Broad where it did swim out to a wooden stump and I managed just 2 half decent shots. Walking back to the car, a fine Hobby flew over the road and north.

Little at Corton but Caspian found in Link's Road car park

On Saturday 30th August, I looked around Corton seeing 2 Sand Martins flying over Corton cliffs, 5 Sandwich Terns on the groynes below but couldn't find the Caspian Gull seen by Stephen H but I did bump into Stephen at Corton Churchyard where it was good to catch up. As Stephen left a Lesser Whitethroat flew in to the north hedgerow. A tweet about a YLG in Link's Road car park had me hot footing it down there, I couldn't see the YLG but I saw another striking gull but it looked like an immature/ 1st winter Caspian Gull to me, I took a few pics in the fading light but a car drove past and flushed which was very annoying I as I would have liked to get more pics. Pouring through Olsen's Gulls later confirmed my initial ID.

Shrike at Easton Bavents

On Thursday 28th August Brian S. had found a RBS at Easton Bavents so straight after work, I drove there with ominous gun metal clouds assembling for a potentially stormy period over Lowestoft, but as I parked up at North Road, the sun dispersed all the clouds and I walked to the Bavents looking west from the sheep pens but couldn't initially see the Shrike but the sun was extremely bright shining directly from the direction I was looking into, so I trversed to the North side of the Bavents and took the path running west past a turnstyle and an area where I had previously seen an RBF, I rang Jane F. as she had seen the bird but I couldn't find the daed Elder, but as I spoke to Jane, I suddenly spotted what was almost certainly the bird perched in a bush directly looking south towards Southwold and it was a dead Elder! Scoping the bird it was a fine immature/ 1st winter Red- backed Shrike and it spend most of its time perched up just making 3 sorties during the period of observation, on one of it's sorties I walked back to the start of the Bavents and soon picked the bird up again in the bush. Too far away to photo for me. Later I tried Quay Lane/ Reydon Marshes for Whinchats but probably didn't look in the right areas as I didn't see any.

Barred Warbler finally poses (briefly) for the camera

On Wednesday 27th August, after my customary mid afternoon finish from work, I had to visit Viking Optical at Halesworth to retrieve my tripod. After that I drove to kessingland. It was sunny and I was hopeful for a successful trip to Kessingland Sluice Dunes, but as I walked from the 'Beach' car park after I walked the 1/4 mile to the beack it had clouded over and by the time I reached the Kessingland Sluice bushes dunes, the usual area the skies were leaden, it was quite windy too. I was on my own, which can bode well for photography. I saw a male Stonechat who was perched up by the usual Barred bramble bush. Jane F kindly updated me on exactly where she had seen it barely an hour earlier, so I walked 50 metres north along the back path and immediately I saw a pale bird on the elderberry bush gorging on the berries. It was the fantastic 1st calendar year Barred Warbler and I managed around 12 pics before it hopped back into the bush it must have show for all of 90 seconds! A Canada Goose then flew overhead and south. The skies were looking very dark and a possible rainstorm, so I headed back. As I walked along the dunes I saw 42 Pied Wagtails (half adults, half juveniles) all feeding on the dunes and 41 Linnets suddenly flew south too, overhead. Finally as I pulling on the drive back home, 7 fine House Martin flew low overhead around 60 foot up and flying west.

Elusive Barred

On Monday 25th August in the garden I was finally able to ID the Emerald as a Common Emerald Damselfly a first for the garden but typically it had disappeared when I retrived my camera. Mid afternoon, I headed to Kessingland fortunately I bumped into Maurice B and Ali R and then. Paul & Jane F & they showed me where to go, using the back path behind brambles and elder bushes and by the scrub just south of the sluice. There was no sign for 20 minutes but as soon as Matthew D. arrived the barred Warbler flew out of the bush and dived into a smaller bramble bush just south, it then flew into an apple tree before flying back into the large bramble and that was as good as it got. A large pale grety warbler with pale white below and pale grey above. The thickset body was obvious it was a Barred. especially as we saw the slimmer and darker backed Lesser Whitethroat which also flew out. A Blue Tit and Goldfinch also seen. I then drove to walberswick in the hope of seeing the elusive Ruddy Shjelduck. As I arrived just after 6 I parked by the green wand walked south, I saw a close Wheatear on th beach

Garden wildlife

On Sunday 24th August, in the garden in the afternoon, a Painted Lady flew up from just outside the back door and away. A fine male Southern Hawker briefly flew around before flying east. Finally a suspected Common Emerald Damselfly, a garden first, if the ID was nailed was briefly on a bush. On all these occasions I retrieved my camera but all had gone. A Speckled Bush Cricket showed well in the lilac bush though. On Monday 25th August in the morning, the Common Emerald Damselfly was confirmed in the first flowerbed but typically it was gone by the time I retrived the camera.

Minus one Wheatear at the Net Posts

On Saturday 23rd August in the late afternoon, I decided to visit the Lowestoft North Denes Net posts to look for Andrew's 5 Wheatears, when I arrived the sun was out and I saw at least 4 Wheatears mainly sticking to the middle area of the southern most fenced Net posts area, one appeared to be a juvenile bird which occsionally gave better views nearer the fences but I was continually thwarted by dog walkers walking past (of course they are perfecty entitled to do this) and flushing them before I could photograph them, when 3 flew to the northern fenced area, 2 were perched on the eastern fence and it was particularly galling when a dog walker with 2 dogs walked almost right up to them before they flew inevitably just ahead of me. I tried again to photo them but 2 separate teenagers obviously smoking cannabis walked past and disturbed them. The sun then clouded over and there were very dark grey leaden skies (why does this happen so often when I go out?) At least 2 birds flew north- east towards the childrens p[lay area. I then saw Rob H cycling along the seawall towards Ness Point I headed in that direction and saw Rob H but no further birds. When I walked back to the Net Posts in the northern section at least 2 birds were in the middle but a female Sparrowhawk flew in from the west like an exocet missile and landed where the Wheatears were, seconds later it flew carrying a bird (almost certainly an unfortunate Wheatear and flew into the bushes by Bird's Eye. I checked the area thoroughly and saw only one Wheatear crouching low on the ground (confirmingb that one had been taken).

Last ever gig for the Buster James Band?

For the past 45 years I have enjoyed the music of the fabulous and legendary Buster James Band, a local band with several of the musicians residing in Lowestoft. The original rock band from Lowestoft, preceding the other equally excellent local band, the Darkness. A band (BJB) that surely would have made it nationally and internationally if they had gone full time into the music business. But now sadly Roger James, the charismatic frontman and vocalist is retiring from the live music scene after over 55 years of service. Rog has been ably supported by a number of excellent musicians over the years including Mark Holmes on guitar, Dick Young on keyboards and rhythm guitar, Paul Hale on Drums and Del Fletcher on bass. My late brother Paul and late great friend Ricky were great fans of the band too. I remember vividly one of the first gigs I saw the Buster James Band was on the Lowestoft South Pier Pavilion for the Caroline Road show in 1980 and the band played a blinder that night so much so my brother Paul went on the side of the stage and I joined him to dance to the fantastic cover of ZZ top's Tush ending the show. Another memory was seeing them at the Lowestoft College where in addition they had Buzz Hunt on then Lead Guitar with Mark joining him on guitar too. As I knew this was their last year of touring I have attended each gig they have performed including the Gorleston Clifftop Gala in July 2024, the Legends of rock at Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth, the Cambridge Rock festival, the Lodge at Corton and finally Lavenham where they appeared with Dr feelgood on the bill too. All the gigs were superb, but my favourite was Corton where they played an absolute blinder in front of their last gig ever to a hometown crowd with 6 of my friends present, all seeing them for the first time, all agreed they put on an excellent show.

Trip to Kessingland Beach

Mid afternoon on Sunday 17th August, I walked past Heathlands, walking down the path I briefly saw a fine male Southern Hawker fly past me and back again patrolling the lane, unfortunately he didn't settle. As I carefully made my way down the steps which I didn't realise had 2 missing steps near the bottom which I lost my balance and almost fell. So glad, I was only carryings bins around my neck and the Nikon camera was on the camera bag on my back. Walking top the North Pool which was fenced off, I saw a charming 'nursery' of around 60 Little Terns perched on the beach shoreline around 40 metres north of me. 1 or 2 adult Little Terns were flying in with little fish to feed the young and I kept well back so that they weren't disturbed. Although a walker disturbed them as he walked north along the beach they all streamed past me over the sea before settling again in much the same position. 2 immature Dunlins flew in and briefly settled on the beach, whilst walking back I saw a young Little Tern ahead of me, that flew and joined the nursery. Looking on the North Pool, I initially saw 2 Avocet and a bonus Greenshank feeding on the seaward side of the pool. Walking back past the roped off area, a Wheatear (my first of the autumn) flew up onto the post marking the edge of the roped off area, it aloowed a reasonably close approach and I managed a few pics with my Nikon camera. Walking back up the steps, I scanned from the bench and added a further 3 Avocets, totalling 5 in all, the Greenshank was still feeding by the primeter of the pool this time the west end and a few metres right of it was a Ringed Plover too. Not far from the bench I found a Fuji-film camera lens cap. All in all, a very pleasant trip out.

A second look at the Greenish Warbler at Ness Point

On Sunday 17th August by 8.30am, I was driving down to Ness Point, passing Rob H as he cycled away along the esplanade. At Ness Point, I finally saw the excellent immature Greenish Warbler in a small bush just behind the funnel and it flitted around the bush and I just missed getting pics and it flew behind the funnel but minutes later I had a second chance as it flew back to the bush and I managed to reel off around 40 shots of the bird, albeit through the fence and glada few came out. It then flew back to the bouy Tamarisks where it was again flitting around by the Tamarisk bushes before it flew way south into the former gas turbine yard, where it was seen flitting around th base of a Buddlea bush lining the fence to the Wind Turbine yard. On the ground by a Buddlea bush just west of the fence was a female type Black Redstart and another Black Redstart nearby on the fence too.

Greenish Warbler at Ness Point

On Saturday 16th August, Andrew E found a Greensih W at Ness Point at 1.32pm and I picked up the text almost an hour ago late. By the time I arrived at Ness Point, I parked up and walked through the gate at Ness point car park. All the usual crowd were there Paul & Jane F, James B, Andrew E, Rob Wil etc but the bird had gone missing. After half an hour it was seen by the Tamarisks, the excellent Immature Greenish Warbler near Birds Eye and on the ground by a small bush before it flew through the Tamarisks and was then seen the south side nwhere it was near a bush but then flew down to some vegetation down a fenced alleyway. It then flew beyond the fence where i was standing barely 20 foot away, it was seen on some vegetation and I got a close pic through the fence as it hoipped down to the ground, it then switched to an area a few feet away behind a double fence, I just enjoyed really close views but no chance of photographing it as it flitting around the ground here for 2 minutes. It then flew north and spent most of the time by Tamarisks and the ground near a yellow/ black buoy lieing on its side. Typically it was flit around the Tamarisks often by the bare branch stems and then bvisits to the ground by the buoy base or just 40 foot west of there by a clump of yellow flowers.

North Beach blues again

On Friday the 15th August, I parked up at Links road car park, the groynes had no Terns on them and just 2 Common Terns flying around. 2 Stock Dove flew onto the beach and walked around the tideline. Nothing further along or at Ness Point other than loan of immature herring Gulls and the occasional adult flying in to feed them.

No Ternfest for me

On Wednesday 13th August, I checked the North Beach, there were around 30 Common terns flying around (none one the groynes), they had just flown off the groynes and flew off.

Back at the Stork again!

On Sunday 10th August, again I got up really early and drove back down to Boyton again for the Stork, the bird was feeding in stubble in the ditch and showing well.

North Beach Blues

On Tuesday 5th August, I walked along the North Beach, they were only 2 Common Terns the far end of 1 groyne and around 30 Common Terns flying further out, no Arctics seen.

Bedstraw Hawkmoth at Hemsby

On Monday 4th August, John H rang me to say he had trapped a Bedstraw Hawkmoth the previous night and I was welcome to photo it before he released it the following night. I drove over and the Moth was calm whilst perched to the eggbox but putting it on a more natural setting a log caused its wings to flap quiclkly causing motion blur and it flew off!

Mega FTW at Walberswick

On Saturday 3rd August, a mega alert for a Zitting Cisticola or Fan-tailed Warbler found by Walberwick at the Corporation Marshes, around 800 yards south of the Harbour in Buckthorn clump had me within 30 minutes picking up James Wright and we were heading down to the App pay car park at Walberwick beach, only problem was I had the app but there was no signal to pay. Fortunately a very kind birder from Saxmundham who I have met before but sadly don't know his name, paid for me with the app on his phone and I paid him £4 cash. This is a real major problem for me as I effectively can't use this car park. We walked along the beach, where typically Paul & Jane were just ahead of us and James B, Andrew E and Robery Wil plus David W were all their in group huddled at the top of the coastal walk path over looking the reedbed, some dykes and the large buckthorn patch. After about 20 minutes I could hear the distinctive zip-zip-zip of the Fan-tailed Warbler but I couldn't locate it flying high in the sky, my eyesight isn't as good as it was and I struggle to see tiny dots in the sky. However James W had picked it up and brilliantly described which part of the sky it was, in this case blue sky and I picked up this fantastic bird. Everyu 10- 20 minutes it repeated this pattern first flying 300 yards south and then back 300 yards north. One time it even perched on the extreme northern end of the Buckthorn patch and I scoped it and noted the streaky back with short tail, which was also seen as being short and fanned in flight. Hence it's old name. Walking back a fine juvenile Dunling huddled on the pebbly beach and I was able to get a few shots of that.

Southwold bug

On August at Southwold, College friends from 40 years ago were visiting from Australia and I took them to the Pier at Southwold and we were having an icecream on one of the benches near the pier when I saw a Long-winged Conehead

on the bench.

Back to the Stork

Very early on Wednesday morning, the 31st July, I went back for the Stork arriving there around 6pm, it took me until 6.40pm to reach the 3 people there and immediately I saw the fine immature Black Stork in a field beyond the dyke. It was sunny. The bird had been closer in the dyke but it was walking around in the field feeding. After about twenty minutes it flew away but towards the dyke further along. So I walked to the gate between the dykes denoting the start of the public footpath back to the farm. Amazingly the bir was barely twenty feet awat from by the dyke edge just the other side of the gate. I abandoned the Canon lens temporarily and armed with my much more portable Nikon 500mm lens I took pictures of the bird showing just the head and shoulders! The sun came out and briefly lit the bird nicely before it slowly walked back along the nearside of the dyke but away from us feeding as it walked. It then walked down to the far end of the dyke we had some great views albeit the sun had been enveloped by cloud.

Elusive Black stork

On Monday 28th July in the evening I travelled down to Banters Barn Boyton RSPB and parked up at 7.20pm and I saw Rene B and he told me the bird was in the dyke but there was a mile and a half walk to reack it, as I took the path to the seawall path turning right I later saw Matthew D who said it was still there but it was by the seaward side of the scrub and couldn't currently been seen from the seawall path. I joined 3 people but it was currently hidden by a bush along the near side. It spent the entire time here and when a chap walked down the public footpath by the gate and the trespassed onto the farmer's field he spotted and was taking pictures of the bird bathed in the golden glow of the evening light (I presume) this was incredibly frustrating as I wasn't going to trespass but later on as he left, at 9.08pm I saw the immature Black Stork fly down the dyke.

Brown hawker and 7 Migrant Hawkers in the garden

On On Sunday 27th July, I amazingly saw a Brown Hawker and 7 Migrant Hawkers flying around the garden around midday.

Southern Hawker & Ant Lion on the heath

On Saturday 26th July, a female type Southern Hawker flew down and sheltered under leaves of the garden bay tree bush at 12.25pm following a rain squall, as the weather cleared up I ventured out with my lens but it quickly flew off down the passgeway so no picture again. Following this I went around Nick B's at Gunton, he had rung me on Friday to say he had rescued an adult Ant Lion off the Heath after cutting bracken, the only problem was I was at Latitude at the time. Fortunately, he kept it overnight and in the early afternoon I called around to see Nick B and drove him back to the Heath where he released the adult Ant Lion, I managed a few pics as it was nicely settled on bracken.