Fan- tailed Warblers at Walberswick & an incredible quartet of Whoopers very low over the house!!!

On Sunday 18th January, not being able to use the Walberswick Pay & Display car park as there is no reception on my phone. I parked along the road to Westwood Lodge at Hoist Covert, hearing Wood Lark singing, I couldn't see it though. A walk through the woods and I could hear, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Bullfinch and Long- tailed Tits. All escaped my vision, save for the family party of 12 Long-tailed Tits flying through. and walked to Hoist Covert then took the footpath east where the woods opened out to the marsh. As soon as I was walking along the boardwalk, I heard a load of Bearded Tits either side of the path, at least 8 seen closeby but heavily obscured by the reeds. I took the path east and into a wooded mound, then past a pill box and then east again over a boardwalk by teeds, I saw a chap who had just seen the FTWs just over the river just 10 minutes ago. 50 minutes past and no sign so I decided to walk towards the beach ridge and stopping on the ridge just 100 metres north of the Buckthorn bush. There were 5 other birders present further down on the ridge which I thought was a mistake as heightwould be the key. This proved to be the case as I soon picked up an excellent Fan- tailed Warbler or Zitting Cisticola perched high up on a reed at mid distance just this side of the river, in between 3 posts. It was perched up for several minutes, and showed lovely dark streaks quite thick on its mantle, streaked head and fanned tail with white tail terminal bar, quite a striking bird, I was able to get most of the other birders onto it before it dropped down again. Another birder spotted a second bird. not so well marked with closed tail. A wader calling "chew-it" flew by and right/north proved to be an excellent winter plumaged Spotted Redshank that vigorously fed over the far side of the pool just north of us. A Little Egret flew over the marsh just south of us. As I walked back I saw a fine Avocet on the pool. On the way home, I parked at Wrentham cemetary, and I saw a female Goldcrest in one of the near bushes. As I parked my car on the drive, at 16.08 hours, I heard an odd 'Kree kloo kloo" calls and saw a group of 4 superb Whooper Swans, absolutely huge birds very vocal with a triangular wedge of yellow on the bills, long necks flying in a tight formation, incredibly low just over the roof of out house and they flew right overhead and flew in a north- east direction towards the coast, absolutely incredible and a superb new garden record, wonderful!

Fieldfares on the Oval

On Saturday 17th January from first light I drove to th Oval and walked across and could see no Fiedlfares on the Oval although there were 2 cock Pheasants and Oystercatcher and 1 Herring and 8 Black- Headed Gulls. I walked over to the seawall from Swimming Pool road and as I peered over the seawall, 2 Purple Sandpipers flew a little way north. I walked up and saw another birder sitting on the sewall photographing 2 birds sat on the rocks. I managed a few pics. Rob H. walked up and he said the Fieldfares were back on the Oval, I looked on the Denes and saw a female Stonechat, perched on top of the weeds near the fenced off area. Walking over to the Oval, I saw 8 Fieldfares in the north west corner plus a Redwing and a Song Thrush and a Jay. They flew up to trees along the northern edge and then along the western edge. 20 Greenfinches flew up and into the Pines plus a male and female Chaffinch too When they flew down their number had increased to an increased tally of 13 Fieldfares, which was wonderful to see. No chance of getting any pics, the header pic is a Library photo. I walked back to the sewall and saw David B and his wife, they had seen * Purple Sands, I looked up and the seaward side I saw an incresed tally of 5 Purple Sandpipers.

Journey to Norwich

On Sunday I was visiting family in Norwich and on the way I saw a fine Fieldfare feeding on a berry bush by the roadside. Driving back along the B Hales road, I saw a Red Kite flying over the road exactly where the Early Purple Orchids were. A look around Somerleyton failed to reval any Cattle Egrets but at Somerleyton Church, a covey of 19 Red- legged Partridges seen and 4 free ranging Goats near the Church car park.

East Norfolk birding

On Saturday 10th January, I travelled to Filby, driving past 'Filby Heath' I saw a Red Kite quartering the fields at Filby Broad I parked up and walked across to the Boardwalk. A boat rowing out had disturbed the Smew, so no sign initially. Very little initially seen talking to Dave and Christine H., saying we hadn't seen much a chap siad he had seen the Scaup. sure enough, a female Scaup swam out from the reeds seen by the western edge of the Broad, and swimming out wih her was the excellent female Ring- necked Duck, a second Scaup seen with the female later which looked like an immature male. The same chap spotted the excellent redhead Smew right at the back swimming around the reeds in the south- west corner of the Broad. I bumped into John H. and caught up with news, before leaving and driving up to Ludham airfield and just west of Market road, by the Gas Cannister dump/ Norfolk recycling I scanned from the car and saw a flock of 14 wild Swans, on the left were 6 fine Bewick's Swans and on the right the larger 8 Whooper Swans. I then stopped at Rollesby broad, were a male Goldeneye seen. On Ormesby broad, another male Goldeneye seen and 2 females plus 5 Pochard including 2 males. A large group of c50 Tufted Ducks seen too. still ice on the perimetre of the Broad. I checked the Bird Guides app and Russian White- fronted Geese and 2 Bean Geese only just seen 3 miles away just west of Repps. I drove there and saw a large flock of Pink- footed Geese only problem was I was looking almost directly into the sun, structurally I saw 2 birds that looked like Tundra Beans. A chap stopped and said he was the farmer and the Geese were on his land eating the crops he would drive onto the land in 20. inutes time. So I moved the car round to the west and had a great more distant view and scanning what must have been at least 400+ Pink- footed Geese, included 2 obvious Tundra Bean Geese complete with orange legs and and orange at the base of their bills. Another 70 or so Pink- feet flew in and then suddenly the whole flock got up and flew north, the same farmer I had spoken to earlier was as good as his word and he was driving down in his Land Rover, at least he had given me 20 minutes to see them. I then drove down to Fleggburgh and just before the road to Acle, I parked opposite Roselea cottages and looking west distantly over the marshes near the Mill, I spotted an excellent flock of 21 Cranes, 3 initially flew up and they then walked north along. Back in the garden Jenny put some food out we had a Herring Gull, 5 Black- headed Gulls and an adult Common Gull flew down and briefly settled to retrieve food.

News about the Brileider in care

The Spectacled Eider that had been seen this winter and last off the island of Texel, Holland. / Netherlands was taken into care after being found exhausted and seriously underweight sat on the rocks. The latest news from Ecomare is encouraging as the bird had been feeding independently and gained weight (now weighting over 1kg, after gaining 200 grams, but is still not out of intensive care. Lets hope this wonderful bird continues its recovery and is able to be realised back into the wild once it has fully recovered.

Ice Pools at Kessingland North beach

On Sunday 4th January, I ventured gingerly to Kessingland amid the snow clad landscape, checking the heathlands copse, a Wren was seen here. I then saw Rob H & I walked carefully down the steps. The pools had increased in size and depth and Rob H and I had difficulty traversing the pools as most of them were over a foot and a half in depth. A female Sparrowhawk harried the birds and circled around a few times. We also saw 2 singleton Jack Snipe fly up from the pools edge and a Snipe, in flight too. Finally, we found an area of shallow water we could safely cross and we met Nick & his wife who were scoping the super Shore Larks, 3 initially seen by the edge of the big pool but when we moved further south, we counted all 4 birds. Again in the area just out from the concrete graffittied bunker. After feeding for sometime they flew to the ridge near the sea. Rob H then left and I saw Jon B. and scoping the far south beach area I saw 40+ Snow Buntings in flight by the beach and in the dunes front of the village by the pub area. By the JS marshy area, a Song Thrush and 2 Blackbirds seen. When I arrived back home at 2pm, I saw a super singleton Lapwing flying low over the front garden and heading north west obviously a hard weather migrant.

Snow bound!

On Saturday 3rd January, snow blizzards all day meant we were snowbound in the house.

East Norfolk birding

On Friday 2nd January, a late start 10.30am might have proved disastrous as the only Kite I saw at Ludham Bridge Marshes was the Red Kite when I was driving up. I saw a Grey Heron and a female Marsh Harrier but that was all. After 2 hours still no sign of the BWK that had apparently flown off west out of roost at 9.30am. I saw Jon B. and he walked further down, but a lady walking back said the BWK had been seen hunting from St. Benet's Abbey so I walked back quickly jumped into the car and drove to St. Benet's, I was very lucky as there was 1 space remaining in the car park and I walked up to the Mill, some birders were watching it distantly as I walked up but as soon as I got there it disappeared. But fortunately, the bird was spotted again seen very distantly to the south low near a distant church flying low and right. It then wheeled up and started hovering, it was the excellent Black- winged Kite, seen at 1.05pm. It then flew on slim pakle grey wings and started hovering before it semi- circled up and left further up in the sky. As I had left Jon B. as Ludham Bridge Marshes I tried to contact him but failed dismally. Phil D. walked up from the river and said, amongst the Geese behind us, 15 Greylags, a fine Russian White- fronted Goose was sticking its neck up showing its white facial shield. Driving back along the road, good to see Jon driving to the Abbey car park ( I hope he saw the BWK at 2.40pm) 2 Cattle Egrets flew into the field left and c60 Lapwings and c80 Golden Plover flew over the field to the right before settling down. Next stop Filby broad, where walking past the bridge, I saw a close Great White Egret briefly in the reeds and Steve G. who siad the birds were now along the south end of the Broad. I joined Stve and Dot by the Boardwalk and directly opposite along the south edge of the Broad amongst Pochard, a nice group of around 50 seen included the fine male Ferruginous Duck. Rob Wil and James W. appeared and Rob picked out the excellent female Ring- necked Duck that was amongst this group (having just woken up and over to the left a female Eider seen too. Meanwhile I spotted around 6 Goldeneye, 4 male and 2 females, a close pair was just over to the left. Over to the right, a Great- crested Grebe seen. Meanwhile at Ormesby Little broad, around 45 Coot seen over to the left, 2 Great- crested Grebes, a male Goldeneye and 3 male Tufted Duck seen, walking back a Greater- spotted Woodpecker seen near the top of trees having flown from one tree to another.

Minsmere Bound

New Year meant a trip down to Minsmere as I was keen to see the Temminck's again. and to add to my Christmas break feast of avian goodies! I bumped into David B. and his wife (nice to see them both as I haven';t seen them for a while) in the car park who siad it could be seen distantly from North Hide plus Redpoll in with Siskins on the walk to West hide. I made my way to North Hide and at the pond I met Andrew E. Good to see him too. The sun was shining directly at us and it was clear we wouldn't see the bird this way so we walked to the West hide and no sooner had we entered a packed hide, the a chap announced the Temminck's was on the nearest island and so it proved! The fine Temminck's Stint was constantly walking around feeding and as soon as I got onto it walked around the back of the island out of sight! It then flew to an island further away where there were a bonus 2 Water Pipits. The bird then flew back onto an island close to the left hand side of the hide and I took a few pics of it here before it flew once more. A fine Water Pipit flew in reasonably close too. Andrew E. soon left and not long after I saw 4 Goosander straight out in front of island 191, a roosting Redhead and 3 male Goosander swimming right in front of the East hide. Looking around the scrape, Mallard, Teal, a Wigeon and some Pintail too. Walking back by the Alders I spotted a group of c10 Siskin feeding and about a foot down from the top on the left of the main trunk, a fine Redpoll fed too. Back at the Centre, the feeders were full of Blue and Great Tits feeding, joined by up to 2 Coal Tits, shyer than their brethern a wait of 15 minutes and I saw a fine Marsh Tit briefly feed on the more popular left hand feeder briefly. I drove back to Westleton Health car park, emptied my water bottle in the puddle. I walked east to the Archer's archery area and no sooner had I done so than 2 fine Crossbills calling "chip chip" flew over the track and settled just west in trees but I couldn't pick them out again. At Henham quarry over the grassy fields, I saw 6 Curlew and 1 Common Gull. A look around Mutford and Ellough (and College Road failed to reveal any Partidges (fields had a long grassy type crop) other 2 Red- legged Partridge running around in the Industrial Estate and a few flocks of c20, 30, 30 Lapwings around Mutford, plus a male Pheasant by the side of the road. When I arrived home a delightful family of 10 Long-tailed Tits flew in feeding on insects in the front garden bushes literally inches from me, wonderful!

Review of the Year 2025

2025 has been a really good year for scarce birds, particularly in Suffolk! January: The 4th January was my start to the birding year after appalling weather on the first. Henham weighed in with the now rapidly increasing continental coloniser, a Cattle Egret. Compare that with the rapidly decerasing Grey Partridge, a covey of 7 of these delights were seen at Ellough on the same day. Thorpeness Bound on the fifth revealed an American Ring- necked Duck, 2 'Rossicus' Bean Geese in cliff top fields and a Hoodie in fields in the Snape area.