Two Roseates

Like buses, you wait along time to see a Roseate in Lowestoft and then the very next day you see two! Up early to check the North Beach, Andrew had beaten me to it and a tweet came through at 6.30am to say the Roseate Tern was still there. I went straight down and initially saw the black- billed Roseate Tern with the rosy chest perched on the groyne near the back, it then flew south, again appearing very white in flight before returning this time perching on a groyne just 50 yards north from the other. Again it spent a lot of time preening, it then flew onto a closer groyne briefly before flying back to the furthest one. later on it flew to a cross beam in the middle of the groyne perched with another Tern, this time Common to the right. It then flew south and then back again perched on another groyne post on the northern side about half way back. i got some good shots here. Andrew then spotted another Roseate Tern this one in full breeding plumage with red on the bill confined to the base.

Lowestoft Roseate at last!

A tweet from Andrew E had me deserting my dinner this evening and rushing down to the North Beach, parking at the Links road car park I walked south 5 groynes along and saw a small group of people scoping something on the groynes. Seeing Andrew E, Chris M and Paul & Jane. Paul pointed out the bird perched on the posts on the northern side of the groyne, 4 birds back. It was a superb adult Roseate Tern, a personal first for Lowestoft! Nice ti finally see one after rushing down on many occasions (8?), to try and twitch one on the groynes or sitting on a buoy off Ness Point, all these birds had been found by Andrew E (great testimony to his skill, dedication and perseverance) but before today hadn't stayed long enough for me to successfully twitch them. I've often looked for them myself in july and August on the groynes, the one I found still remains the one I saw by Benacre Broad hide in the early 1980's, ancient history now! It had a long black bill, distinct pinkish flush to the chest and very white plumage. Both red legs were short with a tiny silver ring on each leg. It spent a lot of time preening, preening its back feathers especially. I walked over and took some more side-on shots and walked back when suddenly all the terns flew off and south, there must have been 15 Common Terns including 1 young bird and 1 Sandwich Tern. The Roseate Tern was then seen in flight looking very white and rosy below as it flew, over the green buoy and then flew north again before it flew south again. Other arrivals included Robert Win, good to see him again and Justin L. Checking other terns on groynes, a further 2 singleton Sandwich Terns were seen. Whilst 2 fine adult Kittiwakes were seen flying south low over bthe water. The adult Yellow- legged Gull was seen on a groyne. Whilst back at the car park, amongst 4 Black- headed gulls was 1 fine adult summer- plumaged Mediterranean Gull with a white ring with black lettering on it. back home, alarm calls of the 8 House Martins heralded a soaring male Sparrowhawk over Fallowfields road.

RIP Jon Lord keyboard maestro

It was a great shock that I learnt today that the Jon Lord, the keyboard player, best known for his work with Deep Purple and Whitesnake passed away yesterday having died from pancreatic cancer. We have lost too many good people recently. He was a true colossus in the music world, having been a heavy rock pioneer with Deep Purple contributing immeasurably to many of their classic songs including the seminal "Smoke on the Water" & "Black Night." He was a true genius on the keyboard (being voted "Best Keyboard Player" in Sounds for 7 years running in the 1980's), providing a heavy Hammond keyboard backing to the amazing guitar riffs of Ritchie Blackmore. He also had regular musical "duels" with Ritchie, and this was often improvised, their innate ability to play together, follow or lead and improvise led to many an extended song, especially in the 1970's which was often a feature and often this was the highspot of the gig. My dear brother and I always had an expression for the best of the best, it was Deep Purple Mk2, meaning the second and best line-up of the band which of course included Jon Lord, translated to something being of the highest quality! Jon's keyboard solos were always unique and a highlight of any Deep Purple or Whitesnake concert that I attended. He was also a pioneer in the classical field too, composing the critically acclaimed "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Arnold in 1969 at the Royal Albert Hall. This was truly groundbreaking stuff; never before had a rock band performed with a classical orchestra, this proved so successful that the format has been repeated several times. I was delighted to attend the repeat 30th anniversary performance once again at the Royal Albert Hall in 1999, it was excellent and a fantastic experience for all who attended. On a personal note, I was delighted to meet the great man in 2001 and he lived up to his reputation as the "gentleman of rock", highly articulate, I enjoyed a stimulating conversation with Jon and was delighted to get his autograph too, outside the stage door at the Hammersmith Apollo. He will be very sadly missed. He lives on in our hearts and the great music he created.

No Dove, Stoat & Purple Hairstreak

I was feeling distinctly unwell today, beginnings of a sore throat and cold? I did however eventually get out and drive to Beccles Marsh at lunchtime for a recently seen Turtle Dove. It was great seeing both Paul & Jane & Roy H and his wife. Despite the excellent company and being shown where they had been seen on telegraph lines near the old swing bridge, the only problem was we didn't see any. Probably, because the weather had started to cloud up and conditions weren't favourable at all. Turtle Doves are rapidly taking the place of Hawfinch as most dipped bird this year so far; having tried Westleton Heath 3x for them, missing them at Kessingland 3X too. But as I walked back along the path, a black-tail tipped Stoat ran out in front of me and along the path from left to right it then darted into the undergrowth the other side, it repeated this feat minutes later behind me, skilfully eluding the rapidly emerging camera lens! Reaching home, I received a very welcome call from Nick B who said a Purple Hairstreak was sunning itself on his lawn! ten minutes later, I arrived at his home at Gunton, and walking into his back garden I saw the excellent male Purple Hairstreak sunning itself showing its iridescent purple upperwings, proving it was a male. It was very photogenic, unlike 99% of the rest of the genus. It spent it's entire time here, closing its wings and sometimes flying a short way (a matter of inches only) before climbing up a grass stem again. I also saw the remains of both Spotted Orchid and Bee Orchid in the back garden too. Nicholas eventually caught the Hairstreak in a glass jar (for it's own safety) to be released in a safe place in the Oak tree in the garden. I went back to Links Road, amazingly the puddle had completely disappeared, just 3 BH Gulls on the car park but the puddles are still there worth checking in the days ahead and no further sign of the Lesser Emperor either. PHOTOS TO FOLLOW

Lesser Emperor at Link's Road flood pool

Taking a lunchtime sojourn on the Link's road car park today, I immediately saw the adult Yellow- legged Gull at 12 noon, stood right in the middle of the car park, it spent most of the time preening and then sat down until it got up to fly when a child ran over to a nearby puddle. It flew and then came back until a car heading straight for it, forced it to fly over the seawall and sit on a piece of ruined old sea wall. It was very sunny and as I was walking back to the car and past a large pool which had flooded the road just past the turn to the car park when I saw at 12.25pm, a large Emperor- sized, large- winged dragonfly (appearing a tad smaller than Emperor Dragonfly) flying around in a large circle over the large puddle/ pool. The length from the eyes of the Dragonfly to the anal appendages at the end of the abdomen must have been around 3 inches long. It had a powerful flight and change direction in a milli- second. Surely, it must have been fresh in from the continent (wind direction was E/SE)? What struck me most was the very obvious blue "saddle" on the 2nd and third segments (from the top) of the straight abdomen. It had a brown thorax. I then watched this fantastic Dragonfly almost constantly for 4 minutes, it kept flying in a large circle around the pool obviously hunting for food, I never saw it land or at rest. Once or twice, it flew over the north wall of Link's road, only to to return seconds later. I watched it down to six feet, so it was reasonably confiding in flight. Watching it sideways on, I noted the blue segments were wrapped completely around the whole circumference of that part of the abdomen, with the blue contrasting with the rest of the abdomen, which was dark brown with a central dark black line. I then checked the eyes (a crucial ID feature to separate it from the smaller vagrant Emperor) and could see they were green. It was a fantastic, self found, male Lesser Emperor Dragonfly!!, my first British one. I had missed them on several occasions in the UK, the one seen nearby at Lound and one I tried to twitch in Cambridge Science Park several years ago had been dipped. I have however, plenty of recent experience of seeing this species in the Mediterranean, where having regular holidays, I have seen probably over a hundred over the years. I always see Lesser Emperors in flight and never at rest or perched! The Lesser Emperor appeared to fly towards a weed by the wall, but wasn't seen at rest at all during the period of observation, it flew back from over the wall and then around again whilst I stood on the wall, looking down at it again getting good views. The only problem was I didn't have my macro 150mm lens with me only my 500mm with a 1.4X converter it was too close for that!! So sadly no pictures of a truly impressive Odonata! Obviously the Lesser Emperor was looking for food and not finding any it decided to finally push off north. I last saw the Lesser Emperor fly north over the wall where it appeared to dip down and disappear. I didn't see it fly further away though. I tweeted the news out to all and sundry ringing Andrew, Rob & Paul & Jane. But despite the arrival of Rob Wil, Morris and Dick W and a thorough search of the local area, we were unable to find it. Sharp- eyed Rob Wil picked up an excellent orangey summer plumaged Knot that flew north and a fine adult summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull that flew onto the car park all too briefly before flying north again. POSTSCRIPT: A Lesser Emperor was also seen prior to this sighting not that far away along Winterton North Dunes on Monday 9th July.

Carlton Marshes Owl

At 11am today, I joined Rob Wil and then Andrew E along the dyke bordering the first field. Andrew E had an excellent Fen Raft Spider, perched on a lily at the back of the dyke showing both yel

low stripes down its abdomen. It was quite big appearing 2/3X the size of a 50p piece. It spent most of its time in this area occasionally venturing out slightly seen side on and then back on. As we watched this up to 3 Norfolk Hawkers patrolled the dyke only alighting very briefly on vegetation. Once an excellent Water Vole popped up right in front of us and surprised us all before all to quickly diving again and out of sight. Paul & Jane F joined us and we admired the Spider for a while longer before Rob, Andrew and then I left. By the nettle patch by the edge of the car park, Comma and Red Admiral butterflies showed briefly with the Red Admiral briefly alighting on my leg, warranting a pic! See above. Before leaving I checked the disused building and was amazed to see a Little Owl perched right out on one of the exposed roof beams and posed beautifully for a minute for the camera (I stayed in the car, using it as a mobile hide) before it flew a few metres south to the large trees by the silo. In the garden in the afternoon, I photographed a Common Blue, female damselfly, perched on a runner bean leaf. It was first spotted perched on the Lavender and then on the bean pole. At around 5pm, a grotty male Black- tailed Skimmer flew by the conservatory and then perched on the concrete slabs just by the back door, a new garden record of this species! A walk around Gunton meadow and woods, early evening revealed 142 Common Spotted Orchids in the Orchid field, 119 on the west side, 23 on the east side. In Gunton Woods, an incredible 842 Common Spotted Orchid counted there are almost definately more than these most probably over a 1000 in flower, an incredibly tally and great testimony to the excellent work done by the Gunton Woodlands Community Project volunteers!

Beccles Marsh Wood Sandpipers

On Friday 6th July, I drove to the Beccles roundabout and taking the tiny road due east of there I drove past the now closed recycling centre and down the narrow track to the fishing pools/ lakes. Surely this wasn't where the Wood sands had been seen. I rang several people but none answered, so I tweeted out a request for directions and first Andrew E and then OFB rang back with excellent directions. From the fishing pools walk north, past the wooden gate until you get to a farm barn, go through the gate there and then turn right just past the barn, 10 Swallows were on the wires here. Down the track bordering the field to the right with brown cows in it. Reach the cart in the corner of the field with 2 cylinders on it, turn right down the track here for 30 yards until you aree opposite a pool in the field to your left and scan for the waders. A big thanks to Neville L, Robert Wil and regular correspondent Paul W for excellent texted directions too. Without you guys (and Andrew E & OFB), I wouldn't have found the place and missed out on 3 2012 year ticks. Viewing the pool, I immediately saw 2 Greenshank, 1 and then I counted first 6 and then 7 excellent Wood Sandpipers. It was difficult at times to get an active tally as they disappeared frequently behind a reedy island in the middle and were constantly flying from first from right to left and then left to right. But finally all 7 were together. I also saw 1 Green Sandpiper that quickly flew off. 3 Lapwing and chick and a Snipe on the right of the reedy island seen too. Carl B and then Neville L arrived, Carl immediately thought there were 8 birds, and eventually we did indeed count 8 Wood Sandpipers in total. carl wanted to check another area, we walked back to the cart and continued left ie. north and then east, where at another Pool, where an additional 5 Wood Sandpipers flew up and away flying due south, so there were a total of 13 Wood Sandpipers. The pool Carl B knew of revealed nothing and walking back to the original pool, we checked and indeed all 8 Wood sands were still there. Suddenly a train went past and first the 2 Greenshank and all 8 Wood Sandpipers flew due south. walking further down the track near the farm, 2 Linnets and then a Spotted Flycatcher were seen in the trees to the left of the path, the Spotted Flycatcher showed quite well on a prominent branch.