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.