The marvellous Bullfinches have been visiting the garden regularly (4 occasions once every 20 minutes or so) this morning, first the pair (the male and female) and then all 3 Bullfinches (male and 2 females) keep returning to the Cherry tree to feed on the sprouting buds!
One of the females has been feeding from the front branches and the male has proved quite showy too.
A Song Thrush flew into the garden and fed underneath the pagoda area. Up to 4 Wood Pigeons have been in feeding on the berries of the Holly bush. The Green Woodpecker was perched up against a verticle branch in the middle of Fallowfields.
Jay seen too.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Frozen Out!
On Monday 6th February, a Snipe flew west over the Gapton Hall roundabout at 8.50am as i was travelling to Great Yarmouth Library.
Today, 7th February, the female Bullfinch was perched in the Cherry tree at 7.50am in the garden.
Glancing over as I drove past Ormesby/ Rollesby Broad, travelling to Martham Library, revealed both Broads were frozen with just a small patch of open water near the feeding area on ormesby broad which included several female Pochards c8.
A quick half hour lunchbreak visit to Burgh castle end of Breydon water failed to reveal any Twite, although could have been disturbed by a jogger who ran ahead of me and then came back 10 minutes later and another walker just ahead too 2 Linnets were feeding along the usual area. Several Bar- tailed Godwits seen, at least 2 on the estuary and a further 2 in flight. The estuary channel was quite low, low tide and in the distance (half way between Burgh castle and the Pump house) by some buoys I could see 4 Goosanders, 2 fine males and 2 females, a jogger in luminous green jacket ran ahead of me and flushed them further out onto the estuary. Masses of c600 Wigeon seen and these flew up in a state of panic when first a female Marsh harrier quartered the estuary and then a Peregrine swooped down low to catch a bird but missed on this occasion.
Today, 7th February, the female Bullfinch was perched in the Cherry tree at 7.50am in the garden.
Glancing over as I drove past Ormesby/ Rollesby Broad, travelling to Martham Library, revealed both Broads were frozen with just a small patch of open water near the feeding area on ormesby broad which included several female Pochards c8.
A quick half hour lunchbreak visit to Burgh castle end of Breydon water failed to reveal any Twite, although could have been disturbed by a jogger who ran ahead of me and then came back 10 minutes later and another walker just ahead too 2 Linnets were feeding along the usual area. Several Bar- tailed Godwits seen, at least 2 on the estuary and a further 2 in flight. The estuary channel was quite low, low tide and in the distance (half way between Burgh castle and the Pump house) by some buoys I could see 4 Goosanders, 2 fine males and 2 females, a jogger in luminous green jacket ran ahead of me and flushed them further out onto the estuary. Masses of c600 Wigeon seen and these flew up in a state of panic when first a female Marsh harrier quartered the estuary and then a Peregrine swooped down low to catch a bird but missed on this occasion.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
4 inches of snow!
Woke up this morning to see the garden and the Close covered in 4 inches of snow. 2 Bullfinches (male and female)- visiting as a couple once on separately on the other occasions the female the more frequent visitor; are regularly visiting again this morning eating the buds off the Cherry tree. Other birds in the garden include 15 Black- headed Gulls landing in the garden plus a 1st winter Common Gull, the first time I have seen either off these species perched in the garden, they were after the bread I had put out! Up to 6 Chaffinch (4 males and 2 females), 4 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Collared Doves, 2 Robins, 4 Blackbirds and the 3 Starling have been flying over too, plus a Pied Wagtail flew oveer south.
A check of Fallowfields revealed 4 Bullfinches flying away but no Woodcock seen today so far.
Later on some children wandered onto the Fallowfields waste ground and half way along near the edge of the road, they disturbed a Woodcock that flew low and west.
I then drove over to Oulton Broad and parking at Pets corner, I saw the excellent female Goosander resting on the jetty barely 3 metres away by the rowing club slipway. It spent most of its time asleep and seeing Morris B, I left him with it while I put some money in the parking machine. Big mistake, as it had woken up and swam away in my absence. Meanwhile some Mallard swimming towards us included the fine male Wood Duck which swam over and under the jetty.
Walking around by the Boat club, a newly arrived of 18 Pochard were seen. At the bowl by the Mutford Lock Bridge, a Lapwing, Snipe and 33 Dunlin were seen on the far muddy bank. Whilst walking along over towards the railway bridge, we saw up to 4 Grey Plover, 2 were very confiding, 2 Golden Plover, 6 Dunlin, a Kingfishersped past flying left and from the bridge, a Shag was seen where we also saw Rob Wil and Andrew E.
Walking back to Oulton Broad, 1 Dunlin was particularly confiding, whilst the flock had increased to 40 Dunlin back at the bowl. 20 Tufted Duck also seen.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Hard Weather Birding
Waking up to the first snow fall of the year, really just a light dusting. Lots of birds were in the garden early morning including Bullfinches, first there was a female, the both the male and female and then 3 birds; 1 male and 2 females. The visited every 20 minutes or so on seven different occasions. The male often feeding on the buds at the front of tree. The 2 females were slightly less showy.
A walk over Fallowfields revealed 2 Woodcock; 1 flushed from the base of a bush in the middle and another bird flew up from the private gardens just west of Fallowfields.
A tweet from Jane and I was off to Leathes Ham, where the adult Iceland Gull was seen on the ice, usually unfortunately back on and preening. Up to 3 male Pintail were also very close as was a perched female. A Wigeon seen also and male Tufted Duck. A Woodcock flew east behind us.
Dick, Rene, Paul & Jane were also seen here.
Next stop Riverside road, where the excellent Black- throated Diver was on the river straight out but never my side of the river sadly. The excellent Peregrine was seen briefly perched on its perch on the west face of the Grain silo. 2 Shag and 2 Cormorant were seen also. From Asda the river was very low and on the exposed mud on the south side were 2 Dunlin and 5 Redshank.
At the North Denes caravan park, on the south side, I spotted 3 Golden Plover and 1 Dunlin just 10 metres away. The Plovers were running a short way then feeding, 1 bird plucked out and devoured a really long worm.
There was nothing on the Oval and I walked along the entire North beach and Gunton beach and no Auks were seen alive or dead. an adult Mediterranean Gull in winter plumage flew over several times north the south then north again, probably the same bird and this bird has spared my blushes as this is my first Suffolk one for this year! But I did see a flock of 130 Brent Geese flying south right over my head over Gunton Beach and then 9 Brent Geese flew south a little later. Whilst walking along the Links road wall, I inadvertently flushed a Dunlin that must have been huddle close to the wall. It flew a little way over to the dunes and settled down near some marram grass and taking great care not to disturb it I managed to get a few shots of this bird as it sat down.
Popping into Warren House Wood, I flushed 4 Woodcock, the first flew up from the middle part of the wood near the western fence, the second I could have predicted as it was the spot up the hill on the southern side where I have seen Woodcock on three previous occasions. The next one got up near the pillbox in the middle of the wood and the final one flew up near the north eastern edge. My tally of Woodcock was seven in total for the day.
A walk over Fallowfields revealed 2 Woodcock; 1 flushed from the base of a bush in the middle and another bird flew up from the private gardens just west of Fallowfields.
A tweet from Jane and I was off to Leathes Ham, where the adult Iceland Gull was seen on the ice, usually unfortunately back on and preening. Up to 3 male Pintail were also very close as was a perched female. A Wigeon seen also and male Tufted Duck. A Woodcock flew east behind us.
Dick, Rene, Paul & Jane were also seen here.
Next stop Riverside road, where the excellent Black- throated Diver was on the river straight out but never my side of the river sadly. The excellent Peregrine was seen briefly perched on its perch on the west face of the Grain silo. 2 Shag and 2 Cormorant were seen also. From Asda the river was very low and on the exposed mud on the south side were 2 Dunlin and 5 Redshank.
At the North Denes caravan park, on the south side, I spotted 3 Golden Plover and 1 Dunlin just 10 metres away. The Plovers were running a short way then feeding, 1 bird plucked out and devoured a really long worm.
There was nothing on the Oval and I walked along the entire North beach and Gunton beach and no Auks were seen alive or dead. an adult Mediterranean Gull in winter plumage flew over several times north the south then north again, probably the same bird and this bird has spared my blushes as this is my first Suffolk one for this year! But I did see a flock of 130 Brent Geese flying south right over my head over Gunton Beach and then 9 Brent Geese flew south a little later. Whilst walking along the Links road wall, I inadvertently flushed a Dunlin that must have been huddle close to the wall. It flew a little way over to the dunes and settled down near some marram grass and taking great care not to disturb it I managed to get a few shots of this bird as it sat down.
Popping into Warren House Wood, I flushed 4 Woodcock, the first flew up from the middle part of the wood near the western fence, the second I could have predicted as it was the spot up the hill on the southern side where I have seen Woodcock on three previous occasions. The next one got up near the pillbox in the middle of the wood and the final one flew up near the north eastern edge. My tally of Woodcock was seven in total for the day.
Friday, 3 February 2012
Return to Burgh Castle
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)