45 Waxwings

Having had a tip off from Alan B that Waxwings were in the Clover Way/ Gunton area last Thursday, I finally had a look Saturday morning and he was as good as his word because at 10.50am, I located 41 Waxwings all perched high up near the base of a telegraph post along Clover Way directly opposite the junction to Squire's Walk. These wonderful birds were trilling away merrily and flew down in small groups to berry bushes including one house on the corner with berries and perched just feet away from me, pity the light was so poor.

Another small group of about 9 Waxwings flew west along Clover Way across the road and fed in a berry bush, 2 houses west of the junction.

They all flew back again and a further 4 birds joined them totalling 45 Waxwings in all. Finally I saw James W walking over (after I texted him; he lives nearby) and I showed him where the birds were.

Bullfinches, Yes but Eyed- Hawk Moth??

Really nice to see the pair of Bullfinches again in the garden on and off between 8.30 and 8.45am.

Flying up to the tree at the back of the garden and feeding on the buds before flying down to the bushes at the back, they only flew off towards Parkhill Hotel grounds at 8.45am.

At Gorleston Library one of our users very kindly brought in a Moth he wasn't sure what it was, but one glance was enough for me to identify it as an Eyed- Hawk Moth. A reasonably common Moth but one I hadn't seen before. He had found it freshly dead by his shed in his back garden in Gorleston, but what on earth was a Hawk Moth doing alive this time of the year? I can only assume it must have escaped from a breeder/ collection of Hawk Moths and the escapee sadly met its untimely end.

Bullfinches Again & Save Our Forests

I was delighted to see the pair of Bullfinches again in the same tree at the back of the garden from 8.38- 8.40am today. This time the female was at the front of the tree. But by the time I had retrieved my camera they were at the back and obscured by foliage. They hopped down to the bushes beyond where they disappeared.

The "Coalition" Government plans to sell off our Woodlands and Forest to private bidders/ companies, ie. all those forest formerly managed by the Forestry Commission.

If you haven't already joined the 38 degrees petition to "Save our Forests from Privatisation" 

I implore you all to do this asap (before Thursday) 

The web address is:

www.38degrees.org.uk

as they'll be dire consequences if they are privatised. 

For example, 

Waveney Forest which already in private hands has a planning application (again!) for a big quarry and the Forest/ habitat disappearing and becoming a great big pit/ quarry instead.

This would affect the wildlife in the woods plus the wildlife seen on the surrounding Haddiscoe/Chedgrave marshes too. Potentially this could mean no more Rough- legged Buzzards, no more Short- eared Owls, no more Hen Harriers and so on.

None of this would have happened if it was still in public ownership.

And just imagine the nightmare if the following were privatised...

Dunwich Forest becoming a vast caravan holiday park! No public access, no wildlife.

No public access at all to Rendlesham Forest which is purely managed for tree felling activities!

 If you disagree with any of these horrendous possibilities, that could happen if these forests go into private ownership, sign up today and stop it. I have also sent a letter to the local Waveney MP Peter Aldous, lets hope he listens to his constituents.

This ludicrous proposal by the "Coalition" Government must be stopped.

Bullfinch Surprise

It was really very nice to see a pair of Bullfinches on the back tree of the garden, the male was at the front of the tree and the female at the back at 8.30am and they were feeding on the buds of the tree. After 5 minutes they flew off but not before I had fired off a few shots with the camera. After another 5 minutes they were back at 8.40am both Bullfinches now at the back of the tree and they stayed another five minutes before next door's children scared them off as they screamed as they were herded into the car that was taking them (the children) to school. 

It was a pity they didn't show during my 1 hour observation yesterday for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch where I counted a paltry total of 2 Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Wood Pigeon and 1 Collared Dove. Last year I counted in addition the 2 Bullfinch, 5 Redwing and 1 Snipe that briefly settled (of 3 overflying Snipe).

More misses

An early morning look at Sotterley failed to produce any Hawfinches, no surprises there.

A look at Lound revealed little and from St. Olaves bridge, I saw 78 Pink- footed Geese on Haddiscoe marshes but no Ross' which had flown off. A look from Herringfleet Hills only revealed 1 Egyptian Goose plus 50 and 30 Siskin flying south just over the Alders. A calling Treecreeper spiralled up a nearby tree and a nice consolation bonus was first 1 and then another Woodcock flying around the fields.

Grave Concern over Egyptian Museum treasures

I have been very concerned over the security of the Egyptian treasures housed in Egypt particularly the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and some of the Museums and temple and Tomb sites at Luxor. The current riots against the Mubarek regime have targeted government buildings opposite the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Museum was even broken into by thieves through a skylight and even some items were disgracefully looted and damaged including a statue of Tutankhamun (broken in two) and two 2,000 year old Mummies destroyed. Looters will be aware of the very high sums these items would fetch on the black market antiquities trade market. Given the ages quoted in the news, these Mummies destroyed must be Greco- Roman mummies and I sincerely hope not older mummies from New Kingdom era Ancient Egypt.

The treasures in this Museum are priceless and are world heritage archaeological items and many are in my opinion the best things that mankind has ever produced ie. the Golden mask of Tutankhamun is the most beautiful and iconic work of art ever produced.

More MUST be done to preserve these priceless world treasures. A review of security is urgently needed now.

UPDATE 30/1 I have now been able to get a few more details about the looting of the Cairo Museum. Several priceless artefacts from the Tutankhamun collection have been damaged including the statuette of Tutankamun standing on a Panther (a wonderful piece about a foot high) and another statuette of Tutankhamun as a harpooner standing on a bier (another wonderful piece also around a foot high). Authorities say these can be restored.

2 other pieces both around a foot tall of Tutankhamun (from the same museum display case) holding staff have also been damaged.

They are now stating 2 Pharaonic  mummies have been destroyed with only their heads still intact, they haven't named the mummies as yet, I fervently hope these weren't Royal Mummies from the New Kingdom. Looking at the footage the open gilded cartonnage top is strewn on the floor of what appears to be the covering of Tjuya's mummy from the New Kingdom, I hope it isn't her Mummy and that of her husband Yuya which has been looted and virtually destroyed apart from their heads. The Mummies of Yuya and Tjuya are (or were?) 2 of the finest preserved mummies from New Kingdom Egypt, they were the parents of Queen Tiye who was the Great Royal wife of Amenhotep 3. They were Tutankhamun's great- grand parents.

I also hope the exquisitely beautiful and unique gilded cartonnage mask of Tjuya wasn't damaged (it's very eye catching) or looted as this was placed directly opposite the mummy too.

Of equal concern is the systematic looting of artefacts from museums around the country including museums at Luxor, Abusir, Saqqara no further information is forthcoming.

Usual lack of success at Sotterley

No posts for a while as I have been working a lot (trying to stay in a job!) and when I have been out I have just not been seeing any birds of note over the past few weeks.

Last Thursday lunchtime (time was very limited) I tried from the bung at Fritton woods for the Ross' but the only Geese I saw were 16 Greylag fly past.

A look at Sotterley at just after midday failed as usual, (this site has always been very disappointing as I have only ever seen 1 Hawfinch here ever and no LSW's either) as I failed to see any Hawfinches there at all, despite searching for 2 hours

Nuthatch heard and 1 Treecreeper and Redwing seen.

The final ignomany was a message sent round on BINS stating 2 Hawfinch seen at the Church at midday!!