Brief Seawatch

A twenty minute seawatch from Baker's score Corton revealed 3 Meadow Pipit flying north, close in 28 Brent Geese south and 1 Guillemot north. Not really the Auk I was hoping for, but welcome nonetheless. I couldn't stay any longer as I had to be at Beccles very early to deliver my car for it's MOT.

Sea Passage

At Ness Point, an assembled team of birders already there included James B, Paul & Jane OFB, Roger W and others.
There was an impressive sea passage of birds flying north mainly duck and of those mainly Wigeon and Teal with groups of 18, 32, 24 of Wigeon and 16, 8 and 4 Teal flying north. Also flying past was a a respendent male Goldeneye and 1 female Goldeneye and 2 female Red- breasted Mergansers. Brent Geese also flew past 1 very close in flew north plus a further groups of 8 and 12 also north.
Eiders flew south including a glorious male and 5 females too.
Walking over to the finger 1 Purple Sandpiper seen amongst a group of 12 Turnstone plus 2 flew past going south so 3 Purple Sandpiper in all.
At Links road car park, amongst the Gulls was an old friend the adult winter Mediterranean Gull with green ring sporting the white letters 3XA9.
Walking north I checked warren House Wood and checking the hill behind it with the fence, I disturbed a Woodcock that flew into a fence and was momentarily dazed as it flapped around before it flew up and over the wood.
walking north along the beach, I saw further groups of 8 and 12 Brent Geese flying north and a large group of 32 Teal and 27 Wigeon going north. Nearing the seawall, 4 excellent Snow Bunting flew a short way south and walking along the sea wall, I spotted first 4 then another singleton Snow Buntings, totalling 5 in all feeding on the beach by the marram grass. Dog walkers were flushing them and they moved north briefly feeding before being flushed by them once again.
Finally, 2 singleton Curlew flew north.

Lunchbreak Pallas's

On Friday 4th November, at 12.20pm I took a short lunchbreak trip to Corton Old rail track hoping to see the Pallas's Warbler.
This bird had been really elusive during its stay but I was fortunate enough to see it 4X during my 45 minute stay and seeing it well on two occasions.
Seeing a group of birders including OFB, Steve P & Andrew G amongst others, all standing half way to the Dell, I joined them and no sooner had I done so than we started to hear Long- tailed Tits calling. The Tit flock came through and following it was a small warbler with short tail and silky white underparts. It then disappeared into bushes and called a soft "tsuiiee" call, it was the Pallas's Warbler. Around half an hour later, looking at the bushes bordering the east side of the old rail track bushes by the Dell, I serched through a flock of Long- tailed Tits flying right, a Chiff- Chaff was with them plus several Blue Tits. A shout went up from Steve P and the flock flew to the south end trees of the Dell in the middle of the track, the Pallas's Warbler flew across and I could see its bright olive upperparts and a riots of yellow wing- bars. It disappeared within a thickly foliaged Holm Oak.
Walking away from the group, I walked along the east side of the Dell and looked east peering into the shrub border and looking through to the back, I could clearly see the excellent Pallas's Warbler.
This Siberian gem always lifts the spirits and was desperately needed at this time. A glorious birds with olive green upperparts yellow supercilia and 2 yellow wing bars, it flitted around the back and I watched it for a minute before it flew a short way to the right.
Having to go back to the car to return to work at 1pm, I again saw the excellent Pallas's Warbler as it followed several Long- tailed tits which flew across the track (west path) which was 30 yards north of the Dell to the middle set of bushes. The Pallas's Warbler flew across and it perched on a branch in full view with the sunlight illuminated the bird wonderfully and the olive upperparts yellow supercilia and wing bars could be seen really well, albeit for just 10 seconds before it flew south.
Finally it was really good to see and have a quick chat with Tommy C an excellent field birder who I hadn't seen for several years.

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.