Lapland Buntings save the day (and the month?)

With prevailing south- westerly winds throughout the month, a lack of birds all month, especially in Suffolk (Norfolk is honorably excepted) and missing out on the seabird bonanza (as usual) mid month, lack of birds seen on any of my local patches, this September must be one of the worst.. no, the worst on record for me and the complete lack of scarce birds seen all month. Today was my last chance to change all that and initially the signs were promising when at 9.30am I headed hotfoot to the back of the southern end of Lowestoft Oval following a BINS message, that Rob & Andrew had found an Icky Warbler there. I would have received the message an hour earlier, if I hadn't left my personal phone in the car (and text messages out of earshot) both Andrew and Rob had very kindly sent me messages, but this oversight cost me the bird and all I saw there was 1 male Blackcap. A Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker were seen flying around the trees here. A nice Pied Flycatcher was seen at the top of Sparrows Nest plus a Treecreeper seen, plus a Jay and around 40 Long- tailed Tits.
Good to see Don & Gwen, OFB, Neville L, Rob Wil & Win, Ricky F, Chris M and Paul & Jane, sadly I missed chatting to the LBC chairman who popped in briefly.

Another BINS message stating that a Lapland Bunting had been seen on Kessingland beach between the Rider Haggard Lane steps and Heathland caravan park, somewhere on the beach meant in all probability an extensive search for one small bird but I was up for the challenge!
From half past 4, I combed the beach and initially all I saw were 40 Linnet and a Wheatear which flew in.
I was zig-zagging across every inch of the beach and checking every area, no mean feat when the entire area is 1/2 mile long by a 1/4 mile wide! I was about to head back when I decided to follow the Linnet flock, when I reached the area near the seaward side of the beach, by a lifejacket (yellow) holder and stones piled around its base. This area must have been 100 yards north of the steps (down from Green Lane/ Rider Haggard Lane) and 3/4 of the way across the beach towards the sea.
From the lifejacket holder walk 50 yards in a north- west direction following the narrowing finger of sandy dune with the odd bits of marram grass which is sandwiched by short green/ brown turf (formerly the puddle area in the winter) and near the tip of the finger before the sandy dune peters out, locate a bright green or blue rope (can't remember the colour!) and look east from here to 2 clumps of marram grass. I was walking along here, the Linnets were just east of here and I heard the very distinctive dry rattling call "prrrtt" of a Lapland and looking around, I saw an excellent Lapland Bunting feeding underneath clumps of Marram grass, I crept along and got a few shots in the fading light. Even better there was a second Lapland Bunting feeding out a little in the open, I crept further around but this second bird was less confiding and when the Linnets behind them took to flight the 2 Lapland Buntings flew 10 yards nearer the sea, one then seen feeding here and then one flew west 30 yards. the birds adopted their usual "shy" hunched shape as they fed between the blades of Marram grass.
Later on at 6.15pm checking the original area, there was still 1 Lapland Bunting feeding between 2 clumps of Marram grass.
I watched it for 10 minutes before the fading light made me retrace my steps up the cliff.

Dragonflies at Waveney Forest

This morning I drove down to Waveney Forest, I had to pull in at a layby on the left hand side for a postman's van, as I pulled up I noticed a large dragonfly patrolling the woodland edge, it was a superb male Southern Hawker. Jumping out of the car I managed to obtain a few shots before it flew back a few yards and settled again, a great start!
From the car park, I walked down the northern most track following the pylons and it was immediately apparent there were loads of Common Darter, probably around 300 seen during the whole walk! There was a heavy dew on the vegetation and the flowering heather was completely covered in loads of spiders webs. A male Marsh Harrier flew over. Either side of the path, a variety of funghi seen including 5 Fly Agaric and a particularly fine and large Wood Mushroom (Agaricus silvicola) Thanks to Michael B for the ID. Three quarters of the way down I saw a Common or Viviparous Lizard which quickly scuttled off. By some sun drenched heather, 2 Small Coppers and a showy Comma butterfly were seen. Also seen flying through was yet another Southern Hawker dragonfly, this time a female, which briefly perched on some Silver birch, it flew again and I tracked it down again and managed a few further shots were obtained (see 2nd header picture).
A barking nearby Deer was probably either a Red or Fallow Deer, a large Deer was seen walking away through the wood. By the end covert, a mewing Buzzard was heard too. Several Siskins were heard too.

A Hobby welcome

It was very nice to see a lovely Hobby fly over The Pastures as I drove home tonight at 5.30pm it then followed me as I drove into The Close, I quickly stopped the car and with binoculars in hand I watched it as it flew into the direction of the sun where I lost it as it flew in a south- westerly direction.
The juvenile Lesser Black- backed Gull is still around on nearby rooftops frequently calling a plaintive wheezing call for its nearby parent.

Turtle Dove & Hobby lighten the gloom

On a distinctly gloomy afternoon, I was absolutely delighted to see my first Turtle Dove in Suffolk this year and this was then followed a minute later by a Hobby flying north, just east of Corton Old Rail track this evening. I had wandered across the track from the woody copse and decided to look in the field just east of there, when I saw the distinctive "clipped" flight of a Turtle Dove, it showed distinctive white outer tail feathers, brown mottled back and dark wing tips as it flew away in a north- east direction. No sooner had I enjoyed seeeing this bird when an excellent Hobby appeared in my vision from the right very close and just above hedge height and flew directly north just above the height of the bushes and flew over Stirrups Lane and north. The Hobby had lovely dark grey upperparts white throat and dark moustachial stripe. I also saw the red- brown trousers clearly as it flew left past me and eventually out of sight.
Also seen during the walk were up to 5 Chiff- Chaff and 3 male Migrant Hawkers.
It was also nice to see Danny P, Rene & James B birding along the track.
Earlier on in the garden I was pleased to see a Hornet buzzing around our compost bin at 2pm after going out to have a look when Jenny said she had seen a large Hornet thing buzzing around the bin. A House Martin flew over the garden today too.

Morning seawatch off Ness Point

It was nice to see so many friends seawatching off Ness point this morning. Sadly, the hoped- for Shearwater passage didn't materialise, the only candidate was a probable Sooty Shearwater shearing the waves spotted by Andrew E right on the horizon way out flying north at 9.10am.
Up to 50 Gannets seen most flying south today. Also groups of Teal, 15, 18, 8 flew south and 5 Wigeon also flew south. Whilst flying north were 3 singleton Red- throated Divers. Chris M picked one out flying towards us and we were treated to views of a fine summer- plumaged Red- throated Diver on the sea in full breeding plumage complete with grey head and neck and brick- red throat swimming south and constantly diving too on the sea, just a third of the way out.
groups of 4, 8, 15, 3 Dunlin flew south and an Oystercatcher fed at the end of the finger.
A Chiff- Chaff flew in off the sea and dived calling into the tamarisk bushes bordering birds eye. A look around Gunton Warren this afternoon failed to reveal any migrants although 3 Small Copper butterflies seen.
The young Lesser Black- backed Gull was on next door's roof (east) again today, it kept calling its thin wheezing plaintiff call again!

Evening seawatch off Ness Point

Things seemed to quieten down after I arrived at Ness point this evening at 5.15pm, typical! Around 40 Gannets seen in total flying north this evening mostly in groups of 2 to 4 with 2/3 being adults. An Oystercatcher fed on the nearby rocks by the compass point.
Flocks of Commic Terns flew south , 2 groups of 15 and 1 of 5 plus 3 Little terns also going south.
2 Arctic Skuas flew steadily south.
A largish "bird" was seen shearing over the water heading north it may have been a large Shearwater but it was seen on the very edge of the horizon it was too far away to tell.
A group of 15 Teal flew south finally.

A costly bag of chips!

This evening after work at 6.10pm, I joined a determined looking James B at Baker's Score, Corton Cliffs, he had just heard from Andrew E who had just seen a Fea's Petrel/ Soft- plumaged Petrel species flying north off Ness Point just 10 minutes ago and coming our way!
Sadly we didn't see it, it had probably flown past 5 minutes ago when James had been queuing for chips at the well- renowned Hopton fish and chip bar!! James was suitably gutted! Having missed a Sooty Tern by 10 minutes in July, I was resigned to missing it and brushed off the disappointment. Close in 3 Teal flew south and then settled close in on the sea.
I was pleased to see 3 Arctic Skuas, all singletons one flying south just over the sea and then it flew high up in the sky before, another flew north and then another south.
A group of Terns, several 4 Common Tern and at least 1 Little Tern flew south. we were then joined by Robert Hol and we saw 4 Gannets (3 immatures and 1 adult) flying low over the sea and south flying past a ship that appeared to be sucking sand, a sand dredger? An adult Mediterranean Gull flew north, whilst 3 Sky Lark called as they flew in over our heads off the sea.
Finally in the fading light a flock of 30 Common Scoter flew eventually north before settling on the sea.