The Last days?

On Friday & Saturday the Redwings were still in the garden with 3 & 2 seen on respective days.

Often they could be seen rooting around the leaf litter at the back of the garden, hopefully finding the dried meal worms I had put out for them.

On several occasions up to 2 Redwing would brave the gauntlet of 6 bossy Blackbirds and hop onto the lawn to feed off the Apples I had put especially.

Thrushes still here

There are still 3 Redwing left in the garden today, 2 were feeding on the apples very early morning today often chased off by the more aggressive Blackbirds, where the diminutive Redwings were outnumbered 6 to 2 (later 6 to 3) today!

A quick look in Hamilton Dock, early morning failed to reveal any rare Grebes, the only Grebe I saw was a Great Crested Grebe swimming to the middle of the channel.

Scandinavian Visitors

The Redwing tally in the garden was back up to 5 birds, I witnessed the wonderful sight of all 5 Redwing on the lawn feeding on the apples I had just put out. Earlier at 7.50am I had to dash out quickly and spray one of next door's cats with my high projectile water gun, it soon ran off. Apples are a great way to attract winter Thrushes into your garden, chat to your friendly greengrocers and they may give you their cast-offs or buy cheap value apples at a supermarket. I bought a pack of 7 value apples for 68p at a local supermarket, that's less than 10p each! If you're really lucky you might just attract a Fieldfare or a if your very, very lucky you may even see a flock of them. You can also strategically position the apples to maximize your chances of getting a good photographic shot!

Having the morning off work, I logged yet another new bird in the garden when a magnificent Fieldfare was seen at 10.15am by one of the apples, it was very timid and didn't stay long and I fired off just 2 photographic shots before it flew over the fence towards the Fallowfields area.

Other birds in the garden this morning included the Green Woodpecker, which rather precariously perched on the top twigs of the central tree. 3 House Sparrows (rarely seen in this garden), an adult male, 1st winter male and a female fed regularly on one of the fatball feeders. A Song Thrush also perched on a bush just outside the garden. 3 Chaffinches, all males fed on the seed I put out as did 5 Wood Pigeon & 1 Dunnock. A Collared Dove also briefly alighted into the garden. I make no apologies for posting yet more pictures of Redwings. They are my favourite common bird (Tawny Owl aside) and I have struggled to get any decent pictures of this species in the past, as they are usually ultra timid and shy and fly off before you can get anywhere near them.

3 left!

Still 3 Redwing in the garden today, early morning one was feeding on the apples (fresh supplies have been put out!) and 1 was perched in the tree. Jenny saw 3 during the day. As the snow has virtually disappeared, I'll expect they'll be on their way very soon.

Still 5 Redwings

There are still 5 Redwings in the garden today. During the early morning, 3 were either regular flying over to the Holly bush or feeding on the apples on the lawn.

At lunchtime Jen told me there were all 5 of these dainty Thrushes feeding on the discarded apples. My strategy has worked (of putting out apples on the lawn in the hope of attracting some winter Thrushes, although we haven't been able to entice a Fieldfare into the garden yet, although they have been regular over-flyers during the recent cold spell) and I hope they stay until at least we get some better light, so I can photograph them in less murky conditions. Already I can truthfully say they have been one of my personal avian highlights of the year so far, super birds, and as the Brucie might say, my favourite!

Peregrine Surprise

In the garden this morning up to 2 Redwing were still present, they have a fast dainty hop when they run around the back of the garden, 1 would often chase another and 1 Redwing was also seen drinking water from the bird bath..

Late afternoon 4 Redwing were still in the garden and it was heartening to see one feeding from one of the apples I'd put out on the snow covered lawn. Again 1-3 Redwing would regularly fly over to the holly and feast on the berries. 10 Long-tailed Tit, a Wren, Greenfinch, 2 Blue Tit and 3 Great Tit were again feeding on supplies put out.

Meanwhile, mid morning on the hunt for a Peregrine found by Andrew E, who kindly text me, I was overlooking the River Waveney, at Asda staying in the car (a blizzard was raging outside!) I scoped an excellent immature male peregrine Falcon sitting on top of the upper grill of a series of the bottom four of grills on the left hand side. My first sighting of one in Lowestoft.

It had a dark brown cap & back & streaked belly with broad dark moustache, blue grey bill with dark tip and yellow feet.

It simply sat back on looking around nonchalently at the kamikaze Feral Pigeons flying all around it.

Braving the cold I got out & saw Roger C wisely scoping the Falcon from the comfort of his car & went over and picked out the Black- throated Diver on the River Waveney (showing it to Pete M also present) looking out far west, 3 Great Crested Grebes were also seen.

At Oulton Broad, the water was entirely frozen over, the gulls- Black- headed, Common & 1 Herring Gull stood in a few small groups. Overlooking the Mutford Lock railway Bridge from the Bridge I spied an immature Shag perched on its wooden foundations.

Overlooking from the Railway bridge over Lake Lothing looking east I could again see the Black- throated Diver which was living up to its name admirably. The 3 Great Crested Grebe were also still in evidence. A Common Seal was seen in the water grappling with a large flat fish a foot log, 9 inches wide with a a triangular point to its muzzle tip. The back was shark- grey and the underside was white. Does anybody know what species this is?

The Seal grappled with this fish for some twenty minutes or so. Elsewhere a total of 10 little Grebe and 5 singleton Lapwing were seen around the shore. 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Redshank seen also, but sadly no hard weather fowl whatsoever.

UPDATE: 11/1/10 The fish caught by the seal has been identified as a Flounder, many thanks to Colin J for his expert advice.

Two left!

Early morning the 2 faithful Redwings are back in the garden frequently flying close to the house to feed off the berries on the Holly bush. They are shy and the slightest noise sees them flying to the trees at the back of the garden.

Will post some extra pics later as I'm now off out looking for hard weather fowl around Lowestoft!