Hola Suffolk Spanish Sparrow!

For the third time of asking, OFB and I plus Rob Win (his 1st attempt!) made our way down to sunny Landguard Point to try for the Spanish sparrow again. We arrived in plenty of time (4.30pm) and looked in the area between the car park and the pond overlooking the scrubby ridge bathed in sunlight, there was already a flock of Sparrows and we searched through them diligently but couldn't see it. Over time more and more Sparrows joined them and occasionally a small flock of 12 Linnets. and by 5.50pm things weren't looking good again, when a chap said here it is flying in and I got onto the said bird flying in and perching briefly on the top left of a bush, but then it disappeared, but I had seen enough to confirm it was the excellent Spanish Sparrow. It was then seen to fly to the ground and fed in a dip behind some Sparrows. It had several noticeable ID features including the brown crown, large pink bill and white area above the eye. A very bright buff brown or black edged back with 2 buff tram lines running down the back, faded black blotching down the flanks and meeting as a gorget on the chest, plus a very obvious feature of buff under-tail coverts, which were unmissable especially when it was seen side and rear on! It would frequently take fright along with the other Sparrows and fly up to a small bramble bush always just 2 feet of the ground before flying down with some sparrows and feeding again. It flew down again and then flew right up the scrubby bank and perched in a bush just 10 feet from the top of the ridge. Conveniently just below 2 bramble shots pointing vertically upwards, it sat here for some ten minutes. After being seen for 30 minutes almost constantly in view, it finally flew again and out of sight at 6.20pm. Adios!

Dips and bobs

On Sunday 2nd September morning a trip to Landguard disappointingly failed to reveal the Spanish Sparrow, a Lesser Whitethroat seen and 150 Swallows migrated south. In the garden on Saturday afternoon up to 6 Small Tortoiseshells seen on Buddlea, 2 Red Admirals. On Tuesday 4th September, a Buzzard flew north right over the southern carraigeway along the A12 just north of Hopton. A trip to Landguard again failed to reveal the sparrow. A Tawny Owl was heard calling kewick several times as we arrived back home at 9pm. A male Migrant Hawker was seen perched on the Pergoda in the garden on Wednesday 5th September & Thursday 6th September. On friday 7th September, a Common Frog perched on a Lily pad at lunchtime. At Winterton early evening no Emeralds seen but literally 1000's of Silver Y Moths seen in the Purple heather around 30 Graylings seen and 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Wheatears seen and several Common Terns heard and 1 winter plumaged Guillemot was on the sea.

Welsh Autumn Ladies Tresses

Visiting the family in Wales recently on Tuesday 28th July after visiting my sister, Mum & I carried onto Kenfig Nature reserve which was bathed in some sunshine. Mum had bought a book on Orchids in wales and it stated that ALT's were at Sker point, we were encouraged at reception where the assistant gave some rough directions and I received superb directions and a detailed drawn map from a birder/ botanist who had just seen them, his directions were spot on and when we got to post 12 we turned left past a green iron building down to the fence and through the smaller gate. The path along the grass held several excellent delicate white flowered tiny Autumn Ladies Tresses. Walking along here for a hundred yards (as directed the chap must be chief cartographer for the Ordnance Survey!) I met 3 paths taking the left hand one up a slight incline more were seen. Probably 100 seen in total and several blue flowered Field gentians seen too. In the evening the Dipper by Cymisfael stream showed really well albeit in the half light. Mum put out scraps for the birds early on every morning and up to 2 Nuthatches came and posed beautifully for the camera strategically placed by the open dining room door! The final day I was there 2 calling Ravens frequently flew over the garden in the afternoon.

Garden Butterfly Bonanza

On Thursday 23rd August, I was amazed to find 3 Small Tortoiseshells on the Buddlea in the front garden and another, 4th Small Tortoiseshell in the back garden Buddlea along the west fence together with 3 Peacocks and 2 Red Admirals, a veritable bonanza of butterflies in the garden in what has been a very poor summer for them so far.

Hot & Sultry Minsmere

Sunday 19th August the afternoon was hot and sultry and Jenny & I decided to go to Minsmere. Leaving Jenny on the beach, I visited the hides starting off with the public hide. Looking out over the South scrape area, 3 Spotted Redshanks were seen all in their grey winter plumage.A Greenshank was seen also here too. Looking north, walking along a spit a fine Wood Sandpiper walked east along a spit. Walking over the Dunes around 50 Grayling butterflies seen plus around 15 Common Blues, amazingly my fist of the year! Walking down, I heard the distinctive 7 note whistle of the Whimbrel, and a fantastic group of 8 Whimbrel flew right over our heads and south- east out to sea. A Starfish was seen on some grass near the beach. At the Lucky Pool, 3 Redshank seen plus further back and just south an immature Spoonbill stood and preened. 5 Little Egret stood together behind the Lucky Pool and another 8 were seen on the levels. By the Sluice bushes, 6 Swallow and 4 Sand Martins flew over. More Graylings seen on the walk back. Very little seen from the East Scrape hide. A quick visit to the Island Mere, walking along the ramp on the right hand side we were delighted to still see a few Round- leaved Winter Green flowers, we've never seen them before! They were still in flower with white petals and they did indeed have very round leaves. From the hide, I saw a lot of Gadwall, some 50 on the left side of the Mere, a Little Grebe at the back feeding a youngster. Amongst the ducks, opposite an immature stripy Great- crested Grebe stood the excellent eclipse female Ferruginous Duck, face on with brown bib on breast. She then settled in the water swimming left behind the bench with Cormorants on it. The peaked forehead seen and distinctive white undertail patch noted too. A quick trip to Dunwich was notable because exiting the car park we saw the BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson, in a white jacket and trousers cross the road with his young son and take the path towards the Greyfriars Wood! In the evening, at Southwold by the Pier, a group of 28 Kittiwakes flew south, a further 5, 8, 1, 3 and 2, 1 and 3 seen. Plus groups of 23, 14 and 8 Common Terns flew south over the sea. By the Beach Huts just north of the Pier and the defence rocks around 30 Pied Wagtails and 2 Turnstone seen.

Weekend Catch Up

On Friday 10th August visiting a group for work at the Brooklands centre, several Meadow Grasshoppers seen plus a perched Migrant Hawker and 2 Gatekeepers. In the evening, I saw 4 shooting stars, one was really spectacular zipping across the sky On Saturday 11th August, Brown Hawker, the usual female and 1 Red Admiral and 2 Peacocks seen by the Buddlea bush. On Sunday 12th August, at Covehithe Broad disappointingly no waders were seen as the water levels were too high, the highlight was a Harbour Porpoise swimming south and an immature Kittiwake flying south right over the beach. On Saturday 18th August, a Peacock & Red Admiral plus a female Common darter seen in the garden.

Trio of Migrant Hawkers

Having to work this evening, Thursday 9th August, I had the afternoon off and on a balmy hot afternoon, I spent much of the time in the garden, the sunny weather and in particular a very sunny spot by the Pergoda. The sunny conditions attracted a Hawker dragonfly flying around and eventually settling on the Rose by the Pergoda. It was a male Migrant Hawker, my first of the year. Seconds later, I saw a second male Migrant Hawker perched on a Honeysuckle. Both Hawkers were very obliging and posed well for the camera. A third male Migrant Hawker briefly settled close by on the Rose but soon flew off. Elsewhere in the garden, in the wildlife pond, a large Common Frog was seen on a Lily pad and minutes later it was replaced by a second smaller Common Frog. Butterflies were also in evidence, 2 Gatekeepers, a Meadow Brown, 2 Large Whites and 2 skittish and flightly Peacocks were seen too. My best butterfly tally in the garden of the year so far. Incidently, there has been no sign of the Hobby since Sunday, I couldn't look tonight as I was working until 9.30pm at Gorleston Library.