South Wales

On a strictly family trip to South Wales recently, I saw a calling Nuthatch was in a tree opposite LL Lodge front door as I arrived and up to 2 Nuthatch seen around here all week. I did manage 2 visits down to Cymisfael stream and fields and saw the Dipper by the bridge which I was able to photograph as I sneaked up close to it. A Stonechat was also seen on a distant tree. A Nuthatch in a tree flew into a bush.
The second visit to Cymisfael stream after some heavy rain, revealed a torrent of water rushing along the stream and I wasn't surprised not to see any Dipper this time but the walk revealed 3 Fieldfare and around 10 Redwing too. Plus 5 spiralling Buzzards over the fields here and 2 Ravens too. A Red kite was seen circling over the fields by the Llanddarog turn off.
On a visit to Cefngoleu I was able to show my nephew a distant Red Kite, calling Nuthatch which was seen in a close tree and a very confiding Red Admiral seen on the patio in the back garden, which even flew onto Alfie's shoulder and leg!
Finally, on the return journey, 3 Red Kites flew over the east bound Reading services by the M4.

Redpoll over

A Redpoll flew due south directly over the house and garden at 12.10pm today, the bird's characteristic di-syllabic call was heard from the front garden drive but sadly it was not seen as it, I assumed, flew into the glaring light of the strong sun. New garden record.

More Bonxies!

A look around Gunton SWT revealed 1 calling female Bullfinch which flew across into a big hedge. A Redwing were heard here too.
At Ness Point I saw the usual ringed Herring Gulls and 2 immatures. Seeing Danny P we walked north and onto the seawall and looked down on the rocky ruins of the old sewall and saw 1 feeding Purple Sandpiper. and a Rock Pipit. Back at the point, by the stack of wooden planks just south of the wind turbine, a female Black Redstart was seen. Whilst out to sea, up to 6 Bonxies seen flying around they were lingering but flying going mostly south but occasionally north too. 1 was only half way out and showed well as it flew south. The Bonxies would fly low over the sea then wheel up suddenly over the horizon showing off the broad brown wings and white flashes too but it was noticeable that most (but not all) of the Bonxies showed a lot more white on the underwing than the upperwing, immatures?
2 Gannet flew south and 2 groups of Brent Geese, 4 and 11 also flew south. Later on saw Andrew E and Rob Wil fresh from leading a party around the Lowestoft local patch and it was good to meet the Urban Birder, David Lindo and I was able to state what a fine blog/website he had and I shook hands with him too, great bloke!

Bonxies!

Kessingland sewage works failed to reveal the Dusky warbler that had been ringed late morning there. A Pied wagtail with a particularly white face was all that was seen there. It was good to see Robert Win, Robert Wil, OFB, Paul & Jane, Roy & Ruth H. There was quite a strong southerly wind blowing.
So elected to go to Ness Point. Birds were moving and a Guillemot was seen fling north. A Red- throated Diver south and an adult Mediterranean Gull flew close in south. However the stars of the show were the 1, then 2 Bonxies or Great Skuas flying first north and then south. One on the horizon and one a little closer showing broad brown plumage and wings and white flash on the wings. I then spotted a trio of Bonxies flying south on the horizon. 3 Chaffinches also flew in off.
Walking later along Gunton beach, a flock of first 9 and then 11 Brent Geese flew south very close in and low over the water.

Vagrant Emperor at the Library!

On Wednesday 19th October, I saw and heard a male Black Redstart singing briefly from the roof of the Doctor's building by Gorleston Library car park, it flew east over towards Pier Plain and out of sight.
Another discovery that day, my colleague and friend Peter C was looking at pictures to include in a report on activities run at Great Yarmouth Library with a colleague running through some pictures saved on the Library computer when she briefly passed by a pic of a very interesting Dragonfly! Peter said go back and when he did the picture that he saw was of a very intersting dragonfly indeed it was either Lesser or Vagrant Emperor!!!
On consulting the literature concluded it was a stunning male Vagrant Emperor!!!
Apparently on Saturday 4th October, Yarmouth Library was celebrating Older people's Day and one of the activities was in the garden and another one of my colleagues spotted a Dragonfly she thought was an Emperor perched on some Honeysuckle climbing the south facing wall of the adjacent Salvation Army building and she took a picture with the Library compact camera.
She said she thought it was dead and even poked it at which point it flew up high west and out of sight! Picture Published by kind permission of Caroline Fernandez

Landguard Booted & Corton Shrike

On Sunday 16th October, Ricky F rang and asked if I wanted a lift down to Landguard Point to see the Booted/ Sykes Warbler.
We were soon heading down there together with OFB.
At the Point itself, which was bathed in strong sunlight, we walked over to the southern side beyond the compound to be informed the bird had been caught and it would be processed and then shown to us briefly. A Pipit which had been seen on the ground was labelled by other either an OBP or a RTP, a group of birders walked slowly towards where it had last been seen and a Tree Pipit flew up calling "teez" as it flew east and out to sea. it would be processed and then shown to us briefly before being realised. Half an hour later, Nigel O, strolled out from the compound clutching a cream bag with the bird in it. He held the bird up, a superb Booted Warbler for a few minutes and I was able to obtain a few shots before it was released in the garden. It flew to the bush at the back, where it sat in the sunlight for five minutes, although it's head was obscured by branches. It then flew over the garden wall and showed well in the fir for 10 minutes or so before flying around the back.
The Booted then flew towards the tamarisk on the southern edge of the compound and flitted around near the top but frustratingly it was never in full view before it flew to another tamarisk just north again on the edge of the compound. The Booted Warbler showed near the top of the tamarisk on a bare branch on the extreme left hand end. It later flew back to the tamarisk on the southern corner and then showed well near the top of the tamarisk bush.

Back at Corton at 5.30pm I parked in the car park by the church, I met a couple of birders who I had seen last at the Sandhill Crane twitch on Sunday. I had arrived just too late and they were concerned that I had missed the bird. I had dipped the bird that night but I had seen it the next day, it was nice of them to ask.
I walked across the green and could see the excellent Great Grey Shrike perched on bare branches on top of the hedge, running parallel with and just west of the western perimeter fence. It then flew towards the old sewage works and perched on the fence flying down occasionally on the ground. It was really good to see Steve S and Dot here too.
As the sun was setting I had a last look at the Shrike which still perched on the fence and it appeared to go to roost by flying down into a large bush within the compound.

At 12.30am Monday morning a Tawny Owl hooted several times from a north westerly direction of the house somewhere just on the perimeter of thee Close.

Sparrow's Nest OBP

On this fateful day which will be indelibly edged in my memory forever, I started out at 7.30pm when I drove over to John H's house and we were under starters orders waiting for news of the Rufous- tailed Robin at Norfolk. However, there had been a clear night and all the migrants had left.
So visiting Corton old rail track I saw James B and we heard Ybw calling from the eastern hedge but it remained elusive. Around 15 excellent Redpoll called and flew over by the copse. By the plantation, 3 Redpolls perched up and we heard a further 2 ybw's but again they remained elusive. By Corton old sewage works field James & I saw Meadow Pipits and Sky Larks in the fields plus by the grassy field just south of Potters, 5 Wheatear. Walking back past Corton MOD I met a nice couple walking their dog and they gave a very good description of a Short- eared Owl that they had flushed yesterday by the cliff top and it had flown languidly out to sea. Seeing James B we were saw a female Falcon fly away from us and and over the sea we were mystified to its identity as it was too big for Merlin but appeared too small for Peregrine. Walking back past Broadlands Sands, we were fortunate enough to see Ricky F and as we were talking I spotted an excellent Black Redstart by the seaward fence it later flew inland.
Walking back along the Corton old rail track Ricky and I heard the Yellow- browed Warbler calling from the sallows and we soon had good views of this and another, second Yellow- browed Warbler next to it (along the belt of sallows running west from the copse)
I then had a "tweet" to say that an OBP had been seen in Sparrows Nest and after telling Ricky, I made my way to the Nest.
It was good to see Danny P and we took the southern path along the top ride with the circular path, we joined Chris M, Peter N and Robert Win. We looked north along the eastern top path and Robert Wil and Ricky were gesturing to say they had the bird. It then flew up to some trees within the grassy area contained within the circular path.
This bird proved extremely elusive in the afternoon and a pattern would emerge that it would no sooner be seen at the top of the nest and then 20- 30 minutes later it would be seen in the area ground/ trees just above the bowling green.
A shout went up at the bottom and we went down the southern steps to the path above the Bowling green, no sign.
I decided to walk back up the southern steps and shout went up that it was in the trees. I saw the bird fly up and then hop out onto a branch in full view bathed in the sunlight and I was treated to a rare 10 second view of the excellent Olive- backed Pipit in full view for me. It showed olive green plumage, a striking cream supercilia with an obvious supercilium drop at the end of the supercilia with a dark spot at the rear of the ear coverts, a cracking bird.
Back at the top of the nest I eventually saw a Firecrest near the very top of a tree drenched in the golden light of the setting sun.
Later on at 4.20pm it was seen in trees set back from the Bowling green but with the crowd of people I was in entirely the wrong position to see it either in the tree of the horizontal branch in a bush just off the ground.
It was good to see so many friends here, including the aforementioned people as well as Paul & Jane, John H again, Andrew E, OFB, regular correspondent Paul W, Matthew D. You are all a great bunch of people and it is a privilege to know you all.