Lowestoft Denes

A brief seawatch this afternoon at Ness Point was just that all sea and no birds! My usual type of seawatch I'm afraid.
I saw Robert Win in the distance, but sadly he quickly disappeared.
One Red Admiral seen by the Apple tree in Arnold's walk
On the groynes, 2 Common Tern and 2 Sandwich Tern perched on one groyne.
Walking along the seawall, 2 Wheatears flew onto western edge and then onto the Denes, one flew way over but one stood on a parallel path near the sea wall and I was able to creep closer and obtain a couple of good photos. A Red Admiral was seen on the bramble just north of the Oval.
I then saw Nick B on the North Beach and although we were unsuccessful in seeing sea slugs (although Nick had seen one earlier) we did see an adult winter- plumaged Mediterranean Gull flew south.

The North Norfolk trip "Titch" & Cley

Gratefully accepting a kind offer by John H for a lift up to North Norfolk, our first stop was Titchwell RSPB, my first visit this century! The car park at 10am was virtually full up and we managed to park on the overflow carpark. By 10.20am we were overlooking the stretch of reedbed near the visitor centre, we had just missed the Little Bittern which had showed just 5 minutes earlier. While we waited a shout went up and looking out south to some far bare trees all in a line, the excellent Cattle Egret complete with yellow bill was perched behind a branch at the very top! After 5 minutes it flew west and down and out of sight. We were joined by regular correspondent Paul W and he did really well to call a distant Red Kite, a real surprise that was flying low over the reedbed and being mobbed by a male Marsh Harrier. The Kite was typically really long- winged (with no wing tags) and its forked tail was swivelled constantly in flight. 2 Little Egret were also seen out on the marsh.
Suddenly, a shiver of excitement by those around Phil H, led to a brief but excellent sighting of the immature Little Bittern at 11.05am. Perched on the top bank behind the path, we had been overlooking the dyke leading away from us, we looked down the dyke to the end where the reeds of either side leant over and touched at the top. The immature Little Bittern suddenly appeared from nowhere clambering up the stem of a reed on the right which leant over to the left where it stepped across and suddenly out of sight!We stayed for a little longer hoping for a repeat performance but it wasn't to be so we took it as our cue to leave and wandering into the first hide we saw 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 25 Dunlin. Entering the new space-age hide, John saw the Buff- breasted sandpiper by 3 posts but it promptly disappeared behind a large Sueda bush. A few minutes later the excellent Buff-breasted Sandpiper reappeared by the posts before walking right amongst the grass. Near the hide by the dyke to the right a winter- plumaged Spotted Redshank. Another Spotted redshank was seen on the grass.At Cley from Daukes hide, we saw loads of Ruff c30and Black- tailed Godwits c40very close to the hide on the mud. A Little Egret flying in managed to scare off all the close waders who flew to the back of the marsh. The Little Egret was soon joined by another. Further back I saw 7 Curlew Sandpipers and 1 Dunlin. At the side and back were 2 separate Green Sandpipers. 1 Common Sandpiper was on the other scrape. a dozen, 12 Golden Plover were seen on the back of the scrape and one flew much closer, also a couple of Ruff and 2 Curlew Sandpipers came closer too.
Also on that scrape were 8 Spoonbills all asleep!

Cantley magic

On this hot and sultry evening after working at Martham Library, I decided to pop into Cantley Sugar Beet Factory (a welcome return to a fabulous wader spot) after work. I had to walk from the village, but followed the path by the river snaking around the perimeter of the factory site, (seeing 2 Grey Wagtail near the factory pool area.
Several 6 Swallows seen around the edge of the factory and finally onto the sludge lagoons. As I walked I could see several dragonflies including 3 Emperors and 1 Brown Hawker. Almost immediately, I could see several really close Ruff, plus an intriguing brown-capped smaller wader with its back to me, slightly larger than a Dunlin with short decurved bill and looked like a small Ruff, which it proved to be the excellent Pectoral Sandpiper. The bird seemed fairly settled, and I crept a little closer without disturbing any of the birds, but later it flew along my side of the lagoon when disturbed by a bird photographer in the distance. The bird then showed a clear brown division between its breast and underparts. The Pectoral Sandpiper then flew off with all the other waders flew off completely when Rob Wils and his wife came alongside me.
The flock had consisted of 4 Curlew Sandpipers, around 8 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 3 Greenshank, Green and Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover.
The flock would fly around but would eventually return to the same spot and I managed to get a few pictures of the Curlew Sandpipers although I didn't see the Pec again. later on the flock headed for the sunlite areas of the pool ie. the eastern most areas.
Walking back I must have seen around 40 Pied Wagtails flying around the river bank and an obliging Grey Heron twice posed on the rails in the fading light.

Stormy Covehithe

Sunday 4th September, 5 Common Scoter seen on the sea off Ness Point, 8 Common Tern and 1 Arctic tern flew south.
On Monday 5th September, a walk down to Covehithe Broad in the evening during very changeable weather including several downpours and a strong south-west wind. waders seen on the broad included 16 Black- tailed Godwit, 5 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 smart Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Egret and 2 Water rails by the edge of the reeds.
Several Terns, Common seen flying past plus Sandwich Terns flying north.

Little Gulls at Sizewell

Visiting Sizewell beach, Jenny & I saw 8 House Martins seen over the road just before the village of Sizewell, (right next door to Sizewell A & B Nuclear Power station) this afternoon, on this very sunny late summer's day, we were privileged to see several Little Gulls flying south.

We first saw an adult Little Gull sitting on the water just south of the closest water outlet rig

It then flew south. 

Walking north along the dunes, I then spotted 3 Little Gull (2 immatures and 1 adult)  flying south close in near the shore line.

I also checked out the slope bordering Sizewell B, albeit from the main path just in case there were any migrants, there weren't!

My suspicious attire (sweat shirt and shorts complete with binoculars and telescope on a fully extended tripod) attracted the attention of the local Police constabulary as a 4X4 Police vehicle drove north along the dunes towards me, slowing down as they drew alongside, I ignored it scanning out to sea and they slowly drove on and turned round at the end of the dunes (where it turns into beach) and sped off back! I can only assume the CCTV cameras on the perimeter of the Station had seen me and alerted them, although surely they must be used to birders around Sizewell by now!!

Back on the sea near the southern most water outlet rig, 1 adult and 1 immature Little Gull sat on the sea and then got up and eventually flew.

By the base of some Ragwort I photographed an interesting moth, I'll report back when I have checked the photo's against my Moth field guide.

Later on 3 further Little Gulls (this time 1 immature and 2 adults) flew south just along the tideline. I just missed photographing them when another Little Gull adult flew south.

I then witnessed several Little Gulls, 3 adults flying right over our heads and over the dunes flying south.

Later an adult and immature Little Gull flew over the dunes south. A further 2 adults flew south.

Finally another adult flew south right over our heads south and over the fishing boats moored up on the shingly beach, then it turned direction by flying north a few hundred yards and over our heads before it flew south again and eventually out of sight.

So 18 Little Gulls (14 adults and 4 immatures) were seen in total in the space of an hour and three- quarter vigil.

By the track opposite and just south of Blythburgh water tower, an incredible tally of 62 Red- legged Partridge were seen, around 14 on the track including 3 youngsters. A group of 8 RLP's were sand bathing at the side of the field whilst the rest were in the middle of the field. 5 Pheasant seen also.

Goldfinches!

18 Goldfinch flew in a north- easterly direction over the garden whilst a Linnet flew south-easterly at 5.15pm today.

20,000 views

Thanks to everyone, I have now had 20,000 clicks onto the blog!

Thank you.

In the garden today, in the early evening, 1 adult Common Frog held court from a Lily leaf in the wildlife pond and whilst I was photographing it, 2 Chiff- Chaff called whilst feeding from the Copper Beech and nearby bushes too.