Another quick lunchtime trip, the weather was really sunny, I met Perry F again walking back he said the Twite were much further along the path, about 500 yards along between the 2 kissing gates. Walking up, cloud suddenly blotted out the sun, typical! I saw a Dunlin, several Redshanks and several 7 Rock Pipits. past the first kissing gate, I could see a flock of 60 Black- tailed Godwits on the estuary water just 15 metres away.
Between the 2 kissing gates, suddenly 5 passerines flew up calling from the path, they gave a Linnet calls flew over the fields and eventually settled in the same place, I could clearly see 2 of their number and they had steel grey bills, they were Linnets, 5 Linnets.
Walking back along the path just 100 yards from the entrance gate, the 5 excellent Twite were perched on the mud by the shoreline. Whilst on the east side a Kingfisher flew low and north over the dyke.
Friday, 3 February 2012
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Garden & Estuary Visitors
It was really nice to see a Song Thrush feeding in the western border of our garden today at 8.05am. First one in the garden since early winter 2011.
A look out at Burgh Castle at lunchtime from 1.15 to 1.45pm revealed the 5 excellent Twite feeding along the west bank of the track around 300 yards up from the church, I saw Perry F who used his fieldcraft to get close to the birds and they flew south around 50 yards where we were both able to obtain some shots as they fed reasonably close to us. One Twite was perched up quite high on a weedy bush (2 later joined it) and sported a really yellow bill and chestnut face, my best shot of it was the last one I took using manual focus as the automatic auto- focus sensor was going haywire on the camera today!
A look out at Burgh Castle at lunchtime from 1.15 to 1.45pm revealed the 5 excellent Twite feeding along the west bank of the track around 300 yards up from the church, I saw Perry F who used his fieldcraft to get close to the birds and they flew south around 50 yards where we were both able to obtain some shots as they fed reasonably close to us. One Twite was perched up quite high on a weedy bush (2 later joined it) and sported a really yellow bill and chestnut face, my best shot of it was the last one I took using manual focus as the automatic auto- focus sensor was going haywire on the camera today!
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Bullfinch over
At 8.35am this morning as I was filling up the bird feeders, a calling male Bullfinch flew over in a north- easterly direction.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
"Bullies" return again
At 8.05am, 8.35am and 9.10am the pair of Bullfinches were again feeding on the buds of the Cherry tree at the back of the garden. Initially the female Bullfinch was to the fore, but later it was the male Bullfinch at the front. They flew off when yet another dog walker with a luminous jacket walked past (see 27 Jan post at Oulton Broad). But they returned about half an hour later.
A few minutes later, a Jay flew in and briefly perched on the tree.
On Saturday 29th the RSPB the 1 hour garden birdwatch was a little disappointing, but only counting birds seen in the garden I counted 1 Greenfinch (usually have more of these but I have temporarily run out of sunflower seeds), 4, Chaffinch (2 male, 2 female), 2 Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Great tit, 2 Blue tit, 2 Robin and 2 Blackbirds.
A few minutes later, a Jay flew in and briefly perched on the tree.
On Saturday 29th the RSPB the 1 hour garden birdwatch was a little disappointing, but only counting birds seen in the garden I counted 1 Greenfinch (usually have more of these but I have temporarily run out of sunflower seeds), 4, Chaffinch (2 male, 2 female), 2 Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Great tit, 2 Blue tit, 2 Robin and 2 Blackbirds.
Monday, 30 January 2012
Kessingland Owls
On Sunday 29th January, just before 2.30pm, I walked down to the Kessingland sewage works by the fence a regularly calling Chiff- Chaff was seen well and another second Chiff- Chaff called from the other side of the track.
Walking down to the caravan park, by their car park, an excellent Short- eared Owl flew out from the bushes past the dyke and over to a hedgerow by an arable field. walking around there carefully, a dog bounded by disturbing, a Short- eared Owl flew up from the path ahead and west across the field over a dyke to another field. walking around the path looping around to the right/west, I raised my bins and instantly saw the Short- eared owl perched on the ground on a muddy area. I watched this Owl for over an hour and it remained perched during the whole period of observation. Moving its head, often alert, it reacted when another Short- eared Owl flew first right and then left.
A drumming Snipe flew past and over my head, whilst in the distance a Barn Owl flew by.
Walking down to the caravan park, by their car park, an excellent Short- eared Owl flew out from the bushes past the dyke and over to a hedgerow by an arable field. walking around there carefully, a dog bounded by disturbing, a Short- eared Owl flew up from the path ahead and west across the field over a dyke to another field. walking around the path looping around to the right/west, I raised my bins and instantly saw the Short- eared owl perched on the ground on a muddy area. I watched this Owl for over an hour and it remained perched during the whole period of observation. Moving its head, often alert, it reacted when another Short- eared Owl flew first right and then left.
A drumming Snipe flew past and over my head, whilst in the distance a Barn Owl flew by.
Friday, 27 January 2012
Great Lowestoft January birding
Having the morning off from work, on a bright sunny virtually windless morning (for a change), first stop Burnt Hill Lane and 9am, I scanned the field to the west and initially i couldn't see them and then I scanned again and there they were, 4 excellent Tundra Bean Geese. Fine birds with dark brown chocolate heads, small squat short bills with orange tips and orange legs. Too far away to photograph, I just enjoyed the scope views for several minutes. I turned away for a minute and then they were gone, I scanned and checked again they had definitely gone! They must have flown as I took my eye away from the scope to text the info out, this seems to be confirmed by a single call I heard to my right (west of the field) of a Bean Goose.
Next stop was Oulton Broad at Pets corner, I met Richard S, who had seen it around the jetty by Caldecott road, I eventually drove around there and duly saw the redhead Goosander which was initially at the jetty and then she swam quickly to the middle of the Broad (when a dog walker with a luminous jacket walked past and stopped rather perversely right in front where the Goosander was & before I could set the camera up!) and then right and out of sight again.
2 adult Egyptian Geese seen by the Boulevard and a further 2 adults and 3 immature birds by the Wherry (the only bird to pose for the camera today). A male and female Tufted Duck were reasonably close to the waters edge. A Little Grebe was seen by the "bowl" too.
At Riverside road, looking out over Lake Lothing, the excellent Black- throated Diver was seen swimming around the orange buoy whilst perched at the waters edge of a large grey ship behind the Lydia Eva, 2 Shag were seen also.
Hamilton Dock was empty and I couldn't see the Iceland from here, but my time was running out.
Next stop Ness Point where I saw 8 Purple Sandpipers mainly roosting on the northern end of the point where the sea defence rocks extend out into the sea by 20 metres, they were all asleep on the usual rock.
By the wind turbine, just past some stacked pipes a fine male Black Redstart was seen perched on a pile of wooden poles, before some visiting "birders" yelled out "Dave's got it" (they were only trying to be helpful but slightly annoying when I had already spotted it and was hoping to photograph it) which flushed the bird back to a wooden hut and it perched on a traffic cone lying on its side before darting off again.
Next stop was Oulton Broad at Pets corner, I met Richard S, who had seen it around the jetty by Caldecott road, I eventually drove around there and duly saw the redhead Goosander which was initially at the jetty and then she swam quickly to the middle of the Broad (when a dog walker with a luminous jacket walked past and stopped rather perversely right in front where the Goosander was & before I could set the camera up!) and then right and out of sight again.
2 adult Egyptian Geese seen by the Boulevard and a further 2 adults and 3 immature birds by the Wherry (the only bird to pose for the camera today). A male and female Tufted Duck were reasonably close to the waters edge. A Little Grebe was seen by the "bowl" too.
At Riverside road, looking out over Lake Lothing, the excellent Black- throated Diver was seen swimming around the orange buoy whilst perched at the waters edge of a large grey ship behind the Lydia Eva, 2 Shag were seen also.
Hamilton Dock was empty and I couldn't see the Iceland from here, but my time was running out.
Next stop Ness Point where I saw 8 Purple Sandpipers mainly roosting on the northern end of the point where the sea defence rocks extend out into the sea by 20 metres, they were all asleep on the usual rock.
By the wind turbine, just past some stacked pipes a fine male Black Redstart was seen perched on a pile of wooden poles, before some visiting "birders" yelled out "Dave's got it" (they were only trying to be helpful but slightly annoying when I had already spotted it and was hoping to photograph it) which flushed the bird back to a wooden hut and it perched on a traffic cone lying on its side before darting off again.
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Nothing doing
A quick look around Lowestoft before work on Monday 25th January and Thursday 26th January failed to reveal much save for the Wood Duck on both occasions at Oulton Broad the Goosander being particularly elusive as usual especially in the sunny calm conditions.
Visits to Belton for work saw me seeing the Ruddy Shelduck on Tuesday (with 12 Egyptian Geese) and Thursday (with c40 Egyptian Geese) from the road to Belton just 10 yards after turning off from the A143.
Visits to Belton for work saw me seeing the Ruddy Shelduck on Tuesday (with 12 Egyptian Geese) and Thursday (with c40 Egyptian Geese) from the road to Belton just 10 yards after turning off from the A143.
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