Surf Scoter in Holkham Bay & 2 Grey Phalaropes

On Saturday the Scottish birding team was re-assembled John H, Tim H, Tony S and myself and we arrived at Lady Anne's Drive Holkham at around 8.0am, 2 parties of Pink- footed Geese were seen in the mid distance and flock were flying over all the time. As we walked out to the bay, I noticed a small flock of mostly 15 immature Brent Geese on the near shore. From the dunes and we scanned the sea, some Common Scoter could be seen plus a male Velvet Scoter, black with a "white wing clip" and just next to it was the excellent near adult male Surf Scoter with bright orange bill and when it turned a waking great white patch on the nape which really stood out but only when it turned its head. It swam along dived occasionally and spent a lot of time flying down the bay and then back again flying in a little closer. Further down the shore line, a sharp eyed John spotted the Grey Phalarope feeding, actually walking along the shoreline and pecking for food. We approached it and watched it for some time as it walked up and down the shoreline. Driving down to salt house, viewing from the duckpond in the further pool in the field, I spied the 2nd Grey Phalarope of the trip this was swimming in the water swimming and feeding sometimes characteristically spinning around, presumably to disturb invertebrate in the water ready for it to snap up for its lunch.

Wednesday afternoon at Leathes Ham

Wednesday 22nd October, afternoon taking TOIL from work, I headed down to Leathes Ham and immediately saw around 8 pairs of Pintail (16 birds) really close. Walking around the path, I checked the parties of Lon- tailed Tits to no avail, I then bumped into Ali R, we saw a couple of Chiff- Chaffs then heard the Yellow- browed Warbler call and a few minutes later, then we spotted it flitting around in the scrub for several minutes. It showed a cream supercilia and 2 wing bars. Whilst on the ham pond, a female Goldeneye was seen too. I then drove to Ness Point, seeing John H in his car driving away. In the bush by the orange wind sock, the immature Red- backed Shrike perched on a bush, I parked close by and was getting the camera ready when a factory worker walked out and flushed the bird and I didn't see it again.

A quiet Scilly 2014

This year on Scilly was disappointing. No big birds and few opportunities for photography. The best chance I nudged the camera onto the wrong (manual setting) and messed up what would have been good shots of Barred Warbler, the only excuse that I can pass muster is that I'd had no sleep the previous night having co-driven down to Penzance from Lowestoft. On the boat trip over we saw a close Balearic Shearwaters. several Auks flew past, a Pomarine Skua flew by, plus a Great Skua and several Meadow Pipits and Linnets seen flying low over the waves. Arriving on Scilly, after dumping the luggage, we walked up to the Health centre and in gardens opposite the lane, particularly on the right side, by a flowering Palm, a superb bulky grey Barred Warbler skulked among the flowers, firstly it was obscured and then it sat almost right out head on and its breast and head seen really well as it showed for a couple of minutes before it flew right. A trip to the airfield revealed the fine pale Short- toed Lark feeding on the grassy area beyond the closest runway. Several planes taking off and loading forced it to fly a short way slightly further back. Meanwhile first one the 2 Clouded Yellows flew past. A Redstart, female type was seen in a gap of some gorse bushes. Further down on a fence Whinchat perched.

Distant Burnham Norton Steppe Grey Shrike

A last minute dash up to North Norfolk to Burnham Norton, taking the turning on the right through the village and carrying onto the end, parking an unusually free car parking area and a 10 minute walk to the spot where the Shrike was. A couple I spoke to said it hadn't been seen for half an hour and I was fearing I would dip out (and all too common occurrence this autumn) Fortunately, the bird popped up onto a bush by a distant gate. It was the superb Steppe Grey Shrike. it slowly started to make its way along the fence line towards us when suddenly a sharp shower spooked it and it hopped down and disappeared. The shower sone dissipated but it was a full half hour before we saw it again by the bush by the gate and then it started to make its way along the fence line towards us, before it flew eastwards over a field, it was then seen along a very distant hedgerow, before it once again flew back along the fence line working its way towards us before it flew west over the field and perched onto a bush, before finally it flew to a distant hedgerow.

Yellow- browed Warbler at Lowestoft Cemetery and a bathing Shrike

Driving back from Minsmere, I headed straight for the Lowestoft cemetery and John Turner House. Walking into the Cemetery I quickly caught up with Andrew E then Rob Wil, but it was a group of Bedfordshire birders who relocated it in a tree just 50 yards from the Folly western entrance. The bird was calling frantically and by moving around to the eastern side of the tree we saw the fine Yellow- browed Warbler. It was near the top of the tree, but by moving to the east of we had good views as it flitted between this tree and another where the foliage met. The cream super cilia nd wing bards showing well and as always a smart clean bird. It flitted around the foliage catching insects and as always a delight to see. Equally delightful, was the immature Red- backed Shrike at Ness Point by the bushes, hunting for food. It spent some time perched on the fence at the back before coming onto the close bushes and after Dick W had just left the Shrike flew down to one of the puddles and bathed for some 5 minutes before flying back totally bedraggled. It then went to ground for 10 minutes before again hunting from the bushes for food.

Sunrise start catches the Minsmere Little Crake

A very early start saw me entering the Bittern hide at Minsmere at 6.50am, it was already light and the Crake had already shown. My error in arriving 20 minutes later had no knock effect however, as I entered a packed hide but with room in the third row back to set up my scope. I stood next to Dick W & Paul & Jane F. After just 10 minutes the bird was seen, a wonderful immature Little Crake, It had been seen at the far pool walking around, or rather running around the at the back on the mud. However, when I saw it It crept out from the right of the far pool at the nearest edge (which narrowed to a pint at its nearest edge) whilst was slightly covered by a few reeds. The immature Little Crake walked out and around and then walked left. It later popped out and walked right, then I saw it come out again from the right. The small size and typical Crake like appearance ruled out Water Rail and the structure, particularly the protruding primaries and prominent fine white face and lack of barring ruled out Baillons. All in all I saw the bird for around 5 minutes wandering around and most of the distinctive feature were observed. Incidently, this was the 3rd bird for Suffolk the last being in 1973, also at Minsmere. A walk around the Scrape viewing from the East scrape hide, revealed many Black- tailed Godwits at least 50, and 3 Dunlin. We also saw 4 Spotted Redshanks in their grey winter plumage in the south west corner too. From the public hide, returning Wigeon 100 were back in some numbers as were 3 pairs of Pintail, with some asleep on the island. We were also fortunate to see several small parties of erupting Bearded Tits, usually around 8 in number, 3 distinct groups seen. Plus a pair of Stonechat on gorse by the path. Walking back along the North marsh, an immature Bearded Tit was showing well in the reeds.

A confiding immature Red- backed Shrike at Ness Point

Since coming back from holiday, on Wednesday 24th September, I tried for the RB Fly at Kensington Gardens and in common with the 3 Greenish Warblers, LG Shrike, Barred warbler, YB Warbler this autumn, I missed it, wandering around the gardens in the afternoon for 2 hours failed to see it or anything else of note. Good to see Jeremy from GOR & Geoff from Beccles though. On Thursday, a dash down to the Turbine yard at Ness Point failed to reveal any of the trio of Black Redstarts although I saw a nice Wheatear here. On Saturday 27th September, I viewed the superb immature Red- backed Shrike from the sea wall, the following day, seen again plus 2 Bonxies going south, 5 Gannets flew northout to sea plus a fine Harbour Porpoise swimming north. On Saturday 4th October, the immature Red- backed Shrike was showing exceptionally well along the bushes bordering the eastern edge of Bird's Eye Factory and using the car as a mobile hide I managed to get close to the bird without disturbing it, indeed at one point it was too close for my lens set up. The Shrike was busy catching wasps and I noticed it took great care to get rid of the sting at the back end of the insect before devouring it. Looking out to sea, I a saw a Bonxie flying south. Seeing Maurice we had a chat then I drove seeing a group of 6 Meadow Pipits on the deck a couple of the their number briefly perched on the fence before flying west. I then drove to an enclosed area just south of the Orbis centre and was delighted to find my first belated Black Redstart of the autumn, a delightful smoky grey bird with fiery red tail that first disappeared behind some pallets before later being seen just to the left of a blue skip. Joining Rob Wil, Andrew E and Paul & Jane F we witnessed a remarkable passage of Bonxies flying south, some 69 Bonxies were seen by me flying around, some settled on the sea, some harried gulls, some were reasonably close where you could see the white wing flash on the wings. also seen amongst the Bonxies was the smaller longer winged Pomarine Skuas 2 were seen flying south. Small groups of waders included 2 Dunlin and 4 Dunlin and a sanderling flying south. Whilst 5 Red- throated Divers flew south singly. Some 268 Brent Geese in total flew south mostly in groups of around 20. 5 Gannets seen flying north, 8 Common Scoter south, groups of 8, 3 and 2 Wigeon south and 5, 6, 2 and 6 Teal south too. Another Black Redstart flicked up and perched on the wooden wall separating Ness point from the SLP dockyard. We also saw a fine Hobby departing these shores and flying out and the south over the sea. Whilst conversely small groups of 20, 18 and 8 Starlings flew in too.