Waxwings at the Library

As I was packing my bags in the car at 4.20pm this afternoon, having been at Great Yarmouth Library most the day, I heard a familiar thin high pitched trilling call and looking up, I saw some excellent Waxwings flying in from the west into the large Mountain Ash tree, just east of the Library car park. Incidently, this was the same tree where both Peter C and I found a Yellow- browed Warbler, one October several years ago! I eventually counted 7 Waxwings. I went back and retrieved my colleague Peter C and we both enjoyed views of this birds as they flew down to the large berry bush just east of the Library staff room and we had great late afternoon views of these birds. As we watched the Waxwings incredibly, 2 single Med Gulls flew over, my first ever at Great Yarmouth Library! First, an adult Mediterranean Gull flew west over the car park and then a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull flew over flying west. The Waxwings were also enjoyed by 3 other members of staff also. I watched the birds for a few minutes and first 4 birds flew down gorging themselves on the plentiful berries before flying up to the top of the tree again. Finally, 1 Waxwing flew down feeding before again flying up again. Sadly, I had to leave these birds (had to go back to Gorleston Library) as they perched atop the tree. It will be worth keeping an eye on this area as there are plenty of berries on this bush and this small group of Waxwings may well hang around for a while? At this rate, Great Yarmouth Library will be on Norfolk's top birding/ wildlife hotspots with Vagrant Darter dragonfly, Ybw, Waxwings, Blackcap all seen in the last year or so!

Birds from the car

On Monday 11th February, driving west along the A47 Acle straight late morning today, I noticed around 100 Pink- footed Geese in the field north of the road. Driving back just past Hales at 5.15pm, a Barn Owl perched on a post on the north side of the road.

Grey Partridges on a bitterly cold Sunday

On Sunday, 10th February, I looked over at Hamilton Dock and it was good to see the Great Northern Diver at Hamilton Dock swimming right out in the middle for around half an hour before it disappeared! At a bitterly cold Ness Point and a very high tide, 7 Purple Sandpipers, flew past the finger and 7 huddled together, against the bitter cold south wind. At lunchtime, I joined the Lizards (Andrew E, Rob's Wil & Win, James W, James B, Paul & Jane F, Richard W et al) putting in some 500 bushes (Gorse, hawthorne, elderberry etc) and scrub paid for by Suffolk Wildlife Trust as the western hedge around the Ting Dene caravan park on the North Denes. Mid afternoon, I saw the Wren in the near border in the back garden running parallel with the kitchen, it flew left over to the lavender bush. A text from Roy H and then Jane F had me driving just a few yards west of Mutford along the Hulver road, by the SEO field at Mutford, I could see a Barn Owl hunting, initially no GP's seen and negative reports from Maurice B who was also there. But while I was yet again fruitlessly scanning the Ellough area, a call from Roy H (one good turn deserves another see yesterday's post), I drove back to the Hulver road area just yards from the end of the village by the for sale signs, in the large field north of the road, we spotted 2 excellent Grey Partridges in the eastern end of the field on the far side just yards from the blue bag. They huddled low amongst the cut stubble. One was male and female, the male had chestnut brown markings on the face. They slowly walked east along the back of the field. Nice to see a species I hadn't seen for over a decade, I'd never seen them in either the Ellough, Beccles or indeed Mutford areas before, the last ones I'd seen were the Corton ones over a decade ago.

Breydon Green- winged Teal

Early morning on Friday 8th February, both Song Thrush and Wren seen in the garden. On Saturday 9th February, Pete A had tweeted finding a GW Teal on Breydon, I eventually made my way to Great Yarmouth. Walking up to the hide, Keith D & Phil H were still in there and although the bird had been lost from view. Phil thought he could still see the bird. He put me onto the bird with some excellent directions, it was on the estuary just beyond the lumps. When it moved, it was amongst 3,000 Teal it was indeed the excellent Green- winged Teal, it showed the classic white vertical stripe. It stood for most of the time, back on, but when it moved slightly and the white vertical stripe could just about be seen. Walking back, I met Roy & Ruth H and went back to direct them onto the bird, it was back on again and virtually impossible to pick up, however it shifted to a side on view and the white vertical stripe was once again obvious.

Black- bellied Dipper + 2 Otters = Top Thetford trip

Today, Thursday 7th January, I couldn't resist the lure of a very photogenic BB Dipper any longer and following a day off TOIL following working extra hours in January, I gave in. It's been a very hectic this year with work and talks at the moment. It was difficult driving west to Thetford this morning but I fared much better than some, the early snow and frost no doubt causing 2 accidents. One on the Barnby bends had me queuing up with other traffic and after a few minutes stationary, I turned round and had to drive the tiny and very water-logged side roads around Mutford & Ellough to bypass the blocked road, just past Mutford, one reward were seeing 3 Bullfinches (a male and 2 females) fly across the road (right to left). Accident number two, whilst driving along between Bungay & Harleston, I noticed a Mini had wrapped itself around a road sign and a ditch to the left of the road. A stop on a side road left at a mile east of Thetford, I saw a Mistle Thrush fly across a side road to a wood. Finding the 3 Nuns bridge was very easy, driving over one bridge and turning left into a car park by a brook, I walked along past another bridge and turning left and following a brook and some trees, I met a birder who said the bird had just flown off. Fearing the worst i walked further along and was very relieved to see the excellent Black- bellied Dipper posing beautifully perched on a stone on a relatively well lit area of the stream where it intersected 3 separate tributaries. It posed here for a while barely 15 feet away. It swam in the water hunting and catching tiny fish and invertebrates. It then flew to the back perched for a while before hunting over tot he left and then the right. before advancing photographers pushed it over to where I was, where it perched briefly on a twig just 6 feet away. It then flew to an upturned branch in the stream using this as a vantage point for its hunting. It would look for its prey and then suddenly jump in swimming and chasing its prey. It then flew left before it flew past and back a little way. I walked back and it was perched by a log, showing beautifully barely 10 feet away. Its reflection showed well in the water and it spent a good 20 minutes resting, being barely motionless, before it suddenly woke up, characteristically dipping. The Black- bellied Dipper then jumped up to the log and then leapt back fishing first left of the log and then right of the log. It then flew back to its original spot. A birder at the back walked towards us saying he'd just seen 2 Otters, I then crossed the ford, carefully, my Wellingtons sank 6 inches into the mud, but I crossed OK and and walked towards across another dyke running across. With a large house and green area beyond, we could see 2 incredible Otters, bounding and swimming up and down in the water, their bodies arching as they twisted and turned in the water, as if they were playing, one could follow the progress of the Otters swimming right with the tiny stream/ line of air bubbles breaking the surface. Amazingly these otters seemed oblivious of our presence swimming only 3o feet away. They then bounded onto terra firma on the bank beyond which was fenced, before they both entered the water. As they swam you could see their heads break the surface and one bared its teeth once posing beautifully for the camera. You could also see the characteristic matted strands of wet fur and whiskers too. Absolutely amazing views, my best ever of this species and still only the fourth and fifth I've ever seen. They swam quickly right and disappeared behind a reed fringed island. meanwhile a calling Siskin flew past overhead, another Siskin seen in flight and Nuthatch heard in the distance too. A Muntjac deer was seen on the lawn at the back. By another bridge, a Treecreeper flew by and up into a tree. Near Ellough driving back, around 40 Fieldfare flew up from a hedge on the south side of the road. Final goodie of the day was a Song Thrush in the garden seen at the back and then perched in the left tree for some time. Pictures to follow at the weekend.

Gunton Waxwings

On Tuesday 5th February, from 8 to 8.15am I was at the junction of Clover Way and Squire's Walk, the 40 Waxwings were seen perched at the top of a tree on the eastern corner. They all took flight at one stage flew around and settled back on top of the tree. In a tree just east of their along Clover Way, a Fieldfare was seen perched in a tree.

Waxwings again

On Thursday 31st January, 18 Waxwing were seen around the Berry bush at Crab Lane and they all flew west a few yards to a tree by some houses. Early afternoon, the Waxwings were busy feeding on the bush again, joined by Ricky F, we both witnessed a Sparrowhawk dive at great speed into the bush and unfortunately pluck out an unfortunate Waxwing, held securely in its talons as it shot away. The rest of the Waxwings flew to the tall trees in the churchyards where there were 50+ birds. The Fieldfare was again seen on the berry bush giving very good views.