Morning at the Arboretum

John & I visited Lynford Arboretum on saturday morning between 9.10 to 1pm, where we saw Barry B and a group of people watching several Crossbills in conifers including 2 immatures and a smart red male. Walking to the entrance hut area over looking several larch trees. We waited here til 1pm, seeing up to 12 Crossbill feeding on larch cones but sadly no Two-barred. 2 Spotted Flycatchers were seen perched at the top of the larch trees. Also a Mistle Thrush flew over heard, rattling as it went.

Evening at the Marsh

On Friday 26th July, seeing Phil at the car park we walked up to Wilton's Mount overlooking Carlton Marshes scrape, as we walked up 3 Green Sandpipers flew around. I saw a Ruff walk into long grass and first Spotted Redshank and then up to 6 Greenshanks.

Green Woodpecker in the road

Whilst driving out of the estate to work this morning at 7.40am, I was pleasantly surprised to see an adult Green Woodpecker in the road, which quickly flew east when I drove past.

Mid- summer at Ness Point

A very pleasant early evening at Ness Point and North Denes didn't reveal the hoped for Two- barred Crossbill at the Oval or Sparrow's Nest. Round the Gas turbine at Ness point, there were around a 1,000 Starling with approxiamately a quarter of the birds immatures, later on by the new building 2,000+ Starlings flew south. Whilst out to sea, I was pleased to see first 5 adult Kittiwakes flying north and then a fine adult summer Mediterranean Gull flying north and then even better a Little Tern flying north too, sadly a rare sight off Lowestoft these days. Very little at the Net posts.

Remembering Don

It was with great sadness that I read recently of the premature & sudden death of Don Petrie from Southend, Essex. Don was a lovely man, a genuine nice guy, a great birder and he joined our Scilly team for 2 consecutive seasons a few years ago. Don was a good friend of Terry T and we, Terry T, John H, Andrew H, Ian M & I were fortunate to have the pleasure of his company on two Scilly trips. Don was a hardened Scilly regular, who had amassed a long list of ticks but was still enthusiastic on seeing the rarities. Don had also found many rarities himself too and was an excellent field birder and patch worker. Indeed, he was particularly passionate about birding around Southend and Essex and had co-founded the SOG- Southend Ornithological Group. Don, I think, worked for HM Customs & Excise and was a very intelligent man and I enjoyed the stimulating & interesting conversations we had down at the Atlantic and Bishop & Wolf pubs at Hughtown, Scilly, where I remember Don was a partial to a pint of real ale. What I also recall above all about Don, was that he was a real people person, having many friends, being very sociable & helping out those less experienced than him in birding. He also gave very handy advice where needed & generally being a very easy going, amiable person, he had a gentle humour and was liked by all and sundry. Occasionally, I was fortunate enough to bump into him in and around Lowestoft, as he was often throughout this period helping a friend out with decorating their house in the town, a real measure of the man always willing to help others. My last, fondly remembered meeting with Don, was at Breydon Water last year, when having just missed the Caspian Tern, my disappointment was quickly dispelled when I unexpectedly bumped into Don when he popped out of a car and we had a very enjoyable catch up & chat for some ten minutes. My sincere condolences go to his family, friends & loved ones. Rest in peace, Don, I'll raise my glass to you next time I have a pint of real ale.

Another new Lowestoft Bird!

Last Saturday 13th July, in balmy conditions, I walked down the path to Carlton Marshes Scrape and joined Rob W, Rob Win & Richard S at Wilton's Wound. Overlooking the scrape initially all we could see were 8 Little Egrets in the far right corner (all carefully checked for Cattle E) the sought after Spotted Red had disappeared into the grassy edge at the back. But the distinctive call had a winter plumaged Spotted Redshank flying around circling the Scrape, I eventually picked it up noting the pencil thin plumage and greyish winter plumage before it once again landed in the grass and out of sight, a new Lowestoft bird for me. Cuckoo was briefly heard as was a Lesser Whitethroat on the way back. A trip to the dyke failed to find a great raft Spider but the ever observant Richard did turn up a Spiderling of another species. Apologies for lack of updates recently I have been so busy at work!

Hummer back in the garden

On Monday 8th July between 7.15 to 7.20am, I was delighted to see a Hummingbird Hawk Moth hovering around the pink flowering Valerian plants in the garden, right outside the kitchen window. I have encouraged these now common plants to flower (for this precise purpose to attract these moths). I quickly retrieved the camera and before I could change the settings to TV- shutter speed priority (essential to freeze an image of such a fast winged insect) it had flown off to the west. A Hawk moth, that in flight, resembles a tiny hummingbird, due to the very fast flapping wings, hence the name. It typically shows diagnostic bright chestnut brown panels on the "secondaries" area of the wings, if I was labelling in avian anatomical terminology, I'm not sure of the proper entomological descriptive term. I will keep a look out and look forward, very much, to further future visits, once they have been sighted I usually get a spate of sightings (fingers crossed!) July is always the best time for visits from this very welcome continental visitor, co-inciding with the flowering of the nectar rich Valerians, but typically observation periods are usually no more than 5 or 10 minutes. Apologies for lack of any updates, I have been exceptionally busy at work (I have worked 49 hours in the past calendar week!!!) with no time, whatsoever for any other wildlife watching.