Ladybirds- 7 Spot and Harlequin

Last Sunday 26th February- 3 Seven-spot Ladybirds were seen in the mild weather. Whilst today at County Hall Annexe at Norwich there seemed to be an infestation by the Harlequin, 7 seen in an around a small room.

Not Strictly birding

At Leathes Ham, I saw Richard W, who quickly left as there appeared to be no sign of the Goosander, and I decided to tempt some Pintails over to the northern end, a male Wigeon took the bait, or rather bread and showed well for the camera as did 3 Coot who wolfed the bread down. Walking back to the feeding area, the excellent redhead Goosander was showing ridiculously well, mostly too close for the camera lens. Stepping back I managed a few shots despite the cross sunlight. 3 Pintail, 2 males (one very pale headed one) and a female also showed well. Today was a non- birding day out with Jenny, however i managed to squeeze in a fe birds. At Minsmere approach road, there were 24 Bewick's Swans in the field this time further away, nice to see Rob Wil & Paul and Jane here too. At Pakefield cliffs, parking by the roundabout I walked out 100 yards north and through the field and along the hedgerow having seen 150 Brent Geese in flight settling into the field, I watched from the hedgerow, and easily picked out 2 stunning Pale- bellied Brent Geese sticking loosely together at the back of the flock.

A feast of birding

An excellent morning's birding today, I had waited all week hoping to try for the Greenland White- front down at North Warren. At North Warren, i parked just past the cottage on the left and seeing 2 birders scoping the Geese, it turned out to be Roy M and Lee W. They were just leaving and Roy kindly showed me where the bird was, the excellent Greenland White- fronted Goose, before he left. But it was difficult, the bird was asleep and it was only when the bird woke up and walked about, showing a very dark brown back and below with thick breast marking on the darker breast, just a sliver of white at the base of the dark tail and most significantly the orange bill with white around the base of the bill. A cracking bird but very difficult to pick out unless it was side on with its head up and almost impossible to pick out if it was walking away from you feeding or asleep. The first one i have ever seen of this form. Scanning through the flock a little later after the birds had moved a little, I picked it out with its dark back and orange bill as it walked right, it was at the back of the flock, just in front of some reeds at the back of the field. A little later, a fine Tundra Bean Goose with short bill, black at the base and orange at the tip seen too. Also with the Whit- fronted Geese were 5 Barnacle Geese. Next stop Minsmere, viewing from Whin Hill, initially not a lot was seen but after careeful scanning the excellent Glossy Ibis was seen distantly in a feild way over to the right just in front of the line of Poplars near eastbridge village. The bird although distant showed its distinctive dark silhouette longish neck and legss and long down curved bill as it consstantly fed in the field. At one point it flew back and behind the Poplars before we picked up again in the same field. Whilst on Island Mere, 4 redhead Smew were seen on the western end and at the southern end another 4 redhead Smew were seen, the original 4 Smew flew to join the others creating an impressive flock of 8 redhead Smew. Someone picked up the excellent Great White Egret walking right along a distant field reed edge the large size, kinked neck and yellow bill were clearly seen despite the range. Several 5 Meadow Pipits were seen in the grass just ahead. Driving out of the Minsmere approach road, a flock of 16 Bewick's Swans seen in the middle of the field reasonably close to the road, I parked up and manageed tto get aa few shots. At Benacre broad, I counted 11 Goldeneye, 1 male and 10 females. A flock of 40 Teal seen too, plus 2 Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher at the beach end edge of the Broad, the Oystercatcher was flushed and it strangely it perched in the middle of the back of the Broad, obviously the water level is low. I finally picked out the excellent Slavonian Grebe which was constantly diving right out in front the hide albeit on the northern half.

Week of Dips

Wednesday 22nd February, I tried early morning for the WT eagle which was seen in a field near Filby, missed it be 10 minutes. I saw a Great- crested Grebe crouched low over the water on Rollesby broad. Very disappointing especially as I was one of the very few people that missed the Eagle the previous year. Thursday 23rd February, I tried for the 5 Ibis's seen on Berney marshes, arriving at Burgh Castle early morning I saw Peter A, the finder, but the birds had flown behind a cottage and in the 30 minutes I was there there didn't reappear. However amongst a flock of 200 Brent Geese were 2 Pale- bellied Brent Geese. Lunchtime and 3 of the Ibis' had flown. But none were showing in the 30 minutes I had there. early morning Saturday 25th February no Goosanders at the "dead end" ie Caldecott road end of Oulton Broad.

Iceland Gull at Lowestoft Fish market

A tour around Lowestoft this morning revealed nothing on Oulton Broad as the water was smothered in boats, you couldn't have put more on there was so many, no waxwings at Oulton broad north and nothing along the River Waveney along Riverside road. 3 Sanderling in the beach corner of Hamilton Dock showed well albeit almost directly into the sunlight. A close Oystercatcher was also seen through the fence too. At Ness Point 8 Purple Sandpiper were on the finger, but were spooked south when a passer-by took off his jacket! They flew north to the rock just 30 yards past the end of Ness Point. I met Danny P and a big, big thankyou for him taking us, (Rob Wil and I) into the Lowestoft Fish market this afternoon, where he drove to an area just before the car- washer place and I saw a group of gulls just in front of us which included a very close adult Iceland Gull! Inevitably they flew (I found a perched Lesser Black- backed Gull and took a few pics) and we eventually located the Iceland Gull on top of the fish market roof, seated just behind a Great Black- backed Gull. Danny went to buy some bread and no sooner had he thrown it down when the Gull flew over including the Iceland Gull that flew round and settled on the ground, it wandered over before flying up the roof once again. Throwing more bread out it flew down again before flying over to the conceret ramp by the fish market where it perched before flying onto an outduct of Ness Point House. Also in the harbour were 2 Shag, 1 around 30 metres out and one really close in the corner. Finally I hope you like the updated and redesigned interface for the website, definitely time for a revamp!

Wild Swans

Just west of Great Yarmouth, I drove today along the A47 and parked at the first layby south of the road and looked across at a group of Swans. At the front of the ploughed field just beyond a meadow I could see (from left to right) 5 Whooper Swans then 2 smaller Bewick's Swans and then another 3 Whooper Swans, 2 sub-adults and i immature, so there were 8 Whooper Swans altogether. They were busy feeding the immature Whooper had brown plumage and the sub- adults had bleached out white instead of the yellow extending triangle on their bills. Next stop, Covehithe church where I counted a flock of 151 lapwing and walking down the path, there was a reasonably confiding immature Brent Goose (dark- bellied variety) feeding at the side of the meadow and the path that transsects. The bird was only 10 metres away and I managed to get a few pics albeit in poor light. The bird was feeding then sat down to have a doze. On Benacre broad itself, I counted 9 Goldeneye (2 males and 7 females) all diving frequently. Up to 4 Little Grebes were seen at the back and west side of the Broad but the hoped for Slav was nowhere to be seen.. I heard a Dunlin-like wader call and I looked up and saw first one and then 2 Sanderling flying low over the Broad and west, this species has become much rarer locally in recent years. A Heron stood at the back with the 180 strong flock of Greylag Geese. A male Marsh Harrier was a surprise (I was expecting a female bird at this time of the year) bird quartering the reeds at the back. Out to sea, around 10 Gannets (9 adults, 1 sub- adult) flew north often at close range. Walking back on the sea, I counted 10 Great Crested Grebe, all singletons doted about plus 5 Red- throated Divers sat on the sea singularly also. 4 Wigeon (2 males and 2 females) seen bobbing up and down on the waves Walking back to Covehithe Chuch, the immature Brent Goose was a little closer to the track, so I took a few more pics albeit in poor light. By the time I drove to Oulton Broad North railway station, the 4 excellent Waxwings were still there, voraciously feeding on crab apples at the side of the south platform, the light was very poor and it started to steadily rain, my cue to leave.

Mutford Short- eared Owl

early evening on Thursday 16th February a Short- eared owl was perced on the far fence and it flew round the meadow and out of sight. It must have been perched on the side postrs because when I walked back it flew over the middle and back of the meadow again. A Woodcock flew up from the middle and flew west.