Finally some Spring Migrants!

On Monday 31st March, with the benefit of the clock's going forward on the previous day I took advantage of the lighter nights to look at Ness Point for some migrants that had been reported earlier. Looking from the western end, all I initially saw was a Robin in the Turbine Yard. A look at Ness Point revealed that it was very low tide, so no chance of seeing the Purple Sands (I hadn't seen them all week despite having a week's leave checking round the local area- Denes and Ness Point had been totally bird less). I always find it very difficult in seeing any Wheateras or Black reds in March, much easier in April! I then walked around the eastern side of the Turbine yard and by the rocky area by all the bric a brad, a female Black Redstart was seen. Whilst at the northern end, a fine male Wheatear was seen and it flew to the rocky area not far from the Black Redstart.

Two- barred or not Two- barred at Lynford Arboretum, that is the question?

On Saturday 29th John H and I went to Lynford Arboretum in the hope of seeing some Two- barred Crossbills. Initially we didn't see very much but in some Pines near the car park we heard Firecrests singing and then first 1 then 2 Firecrests were seen flitting around here flying another tree and then further back, as usual a real gem of a bird and my first sighted at this location. At 9.40 we left for a location just north of here where we parked the car half way along the road overlooking a field with a large row of trees beyond it was here that we saw 3 Buzzards and with them an acceptor almost as large, a superb female Goshawk it flew ever higher and then flew strongly right and then swooped down into the trees. Whilst behind us, another couple of Buzzards were seen and flying with them was a Peregrine Falcon Whilst looking forward first one then 2 Goshawks got up and flew towards us and over the road and then over the trees at the back before, a female Goshawk flew right overhead albeit silhouetted in the strong light. She then flew over the woods and eventually out of sight. Whilst behind us, we had been hearing snatches of the Wood Larks song, when by the edge of the field we saw the excellent Wood Lark, (my first for 2 years as I didn't see on last year) characteristically short -tailed in flight flying along the dye of the field, occasionally obscured by the trees foliage. We drove back to Lynford, looking back into the tunnel, we first saw a male and a female Hawfinch feeding at the left and right at the back. 1 Treecreeper fed by the feeders. A chap came along saying the Crossbills were seen in the trees by the woods, just before and left of the bridge. Seeing all the birders, the Crossbills around 40 seen, were eventually sighted and I am grateful for views through Dick F's and Dereham Ian's scope where I saw brief views of either the 1st winter male Two- barred Crossbill or hybrid (the same bird we had seen before Christmas) perched just left of a thick trunk. Back at the tunnel we saw up to 4 Hawfinches, feeding mainly at the back, I spent some time here and was eventually rewarded when once a bird flew to the feed to bring from the water bowl area. A Redwing was seen at the back and at the sides a Nuthatch fed at the back of the feeders. We left at 3.40pm pity we didn't stay a little longer as the 3 undisputed TBC's flew in.

Minsmere Fudge Duck

On Thursday 27th March a trip to Minsmere in the hope of photographing Bitterns revealed a superb male Ferruginous Duck at the Island Mere. The bird spent most of its time in the far left hand corner of the Mere associating m,mainly with Tufted Ducks, seen albeit against strong sunlight it spent most of its time before it swam out to the middle and then reasonably close to the hide. 2 Snipe were seen on the ground too. Several Marsh Harriers, 2 males and 1 female were seen quartering the reeds. Sadly no Bitterns seen yet alone photographed. Later on a walk around the Denes and Ness Point only revealed 13 Turnstones at the Point.

Garganey duo & Dusky again

A pleasant but cold walk down to the Carlton Marshes Scrape, I saw Chris M who'd just seen the Garganey. Looking from the Mound, I initially could seen no sign, I was joined by Neville L and he couldn't see them either. We saw a pair of Gadwall and male Teal plus a Little Egret. It wasn't until Robert H walked up he spotted them on a grassy spit, they just walked into view, the fine male and female Garganey. They spent most of their time walking in out of view on the grassy spit and later on they had walked around 100 yards over to the right. We then went to Fisher Row and at the spot we met Andrew E, Robs Wil & Win, James W, Paul & Jane and others. The bird had been seen again. I saw a movement and low on the left of the bush, the excellent Dusky Warbler was seen sitting on a branch and showed well for me for a good minute and a half (perhaps payback for the time spent over the previous few days?) before it moved back. Viewing the east side of these line of bushes from the tea garden path, I first saw a Treecreeper scaling one of the trunks of these bushes and then a Chiff- Chaff moving through the bushes prompted the Dusky Warbler to chase it off and then it moved right through the bushes between a dead tree and a broken tea stump.

Very elusive Dusky

On Thursday 20th March, a very early start 6am at Oulton Marshes or Fisher Row revealed 2 Redwing perched on top of 2 tall trees by the "Bowl" opposite the Old Tea Gardens path. Up to 5 Chiff- Chaff were seen singing through the visit too. Eventually locating the mega elusive Dusky Warbler (heard only) to a row of bushes extending south from 2/3 way along the path, I heard the disinctive "tak" call 3X in quick succession at 7.30pm but failed to see it and had to leave at 7.40am I saw Tony B and showed him where to look, 5 minutes later he saw it! On Friday 21st March, I arrived again early and heard it again "takking" 8.30am but just couldn't see the bird. Although I saw a bird flitting around way back in the bushes which could have been it. A Chiff- Chaff moved through the bush. I was joined by Don & Gwen and at 9.15 we heard a constant "taking" but we still couldn't see it. The calls were getting louder it was getting closer and we still couldn't see it until Gwen saw a movement to the left of the bush. I picked it up at 9.20am and finally after 5.5 hours of looking, I saw a grey bird fly and perched near the top of the bush, it showed out in the open for all of 5 seconds but enough to confirm it was the excellent Dusky Warbler showing dark eyestripe and white supercilia. It then flitted back and out of sight, time to go to work!

Garden Wildlife

The sunny weather heralded the first sighting of a Comma butterfly in the garden today, Sunday 16th March. Whilst a Chiff- Chaff was heard calling from Fallowfields. In the pond, the Frogs were mating again and even more Frogspawn was seen.

100,000 views thank you

Wow, 100,000 views for the website and counting, thank you for taking the time to read the blog.