Phalarope & Yellow- brows

On Sunday 8th October, a check around Gunton woods failed to reveal any YBW, but calling 8 Siskin flying over and constant Redwing calls heralded their return, just 1 Redwing seen flying over. A look at Ness Point failed to reveal the YBW there although good to catch up with both Chris M and Rob Win. Rob & I checked Mariners and Malsters Scores, a YBW watched by someone else seen flying off but un-tickable views for me. 4 Chiff- Chaff seen here and a male Blackcap seen. Next stop was Southward Flash so parking at the last space available by the water tower I walked down and saw 1 couple set scoping the flash. No need o ask them where it was as I picked up instantly, a super Grey Phalarope, constantly feeding in the water along the left hand edge, often obscured by grass along the northern edge, but occasionally it would venture into the middle having a wing stretch and preen or two before recommencing its feeding. 2 Ruff suddenly walked into view from the far side. Mid afternoon, a tweet from Craig about hearing a YBW from trees bordering the Station Road children's playground and I drove straight over. As I was walking across the field, I heard the bird call and the first bird I saw looking in the large sycamore was the excellent Yellow- browed Warbler, flitting around showing typical white belly cream super cilia and 2 cream wing bars, I watched the bird for around 2 minutes before it flew right. Checking Old SW, I heard a Yellow- browed Warbler from the hedge behind but I didn't see the bird. A look in Belle Vue Park, by the Ravine just east of the bridge revealed a male Great- spotted Woodpecker that flew into a large tree in the top most branches.

Carlton Marshes this evening

On Sunday 1st October, approaching the Carlton Marshes Scrape, I saw a Migrant Hawker flying around, it didn't last long as a Hobby tore through caught and fed on it whilst flying over the scrape and then east. no sign of Little Stints this evening at Carlton Marshes missed by 1 minnute! On the middle of the Scrape were 3 Black- tailed Godwits and 2 Dunlins feeding on the water. Round the other (southern side) side 2 Green Sandpipers flew off and as the light was fading 20 Ruff flew in, whilst14 Snipe+ and a Barn Owl flew west of the scrape and one hunted over Share marsh.

Red- throated Pipit at Landguard

After an agonising wait, after first hearing of a switchable RTP at Landguard on Wednesday and having left work at 4pm that day I had judged leaving home at 4.30pm (when I found out) I wouldn't arrive at Landguard until 5.45pm and it would be practically dark by 6.30pm, leaving only 35 mins birding time factoring in a 10 minute walk to the spot. Saturday dawned bright and early and I was ready when the first BINS message came through around 7.35pm. Around 70 minutes later I was pulling into the car park and followed a couple of birders walking across the common to the southern tip. People were gathered half way down the easternmost boardwalk roped off the area bordering the beach which was grassy with sueda either side bordering the boardwalk and by the seaward side. I made my way to near the front. Only problem was it wasn't immediately apparent where the bird was. After 5 anxious minutes, I finally picked the bird up. a superb Red- throated Pipit, which was actively feeding to the left of the grassy channel feeding in and out of the vegetation. Fleeting views were seen, but then it fed by the side of the boardwalk often obscured by the weeds. It came close by the first post but mainly feeding by the second and third posts along, occasionally showing very briefly out in the open but was always active moving and feeding. A heavily streaked bird, it had a whitish super cilia, dark streaked brown crown, it showed distinctive whitish mantle stripes further emphasised by bordering black mantle stripes. It was also streaked on the rump (unlike Meadow Pipit) It had a fine bill with yellowish base. Underparts it showed a pale peach throat, which was quite distinctive in good light but less so in poor light.the rest of the underparts were a uniform cream white with streaks on the breast and flank sides. Unfortunately at 10.15am, a dog walker ignored requests and deliberately walked along the boardwalk and inevitably flushed it. It flew up called "pssst" and flew north and appeared to settle in the distance along the north common. However, despite me hearing it call 'pssst' around here at around 10.40amthere I didn't see it or know which direction it was flying in. This was the second bird I have seen in the Uk, my first one seen on Tresco, Isles of scilly. I have previously heard one flying over north at Stirrup's Lane, Corton, but this is a mainland and Suffolk tick. As we walked over I heard the distinctive drawn out "teez" of a Tree Pipit, but couldn't see it. Initially I walked over and saw a Wheater by a fenced off area, the Wheatear was quite confiding. 4+ Wheatear seen in total. As I was photographing the Wheatear, I spotted a fine Clouded Yellow butterfly flying left behind it. I then met Barry W and a group he was leading. It was seen on several other occasions along the common. My first look over just north of the cottages, a female Redstart flicked up onto the wall of the cottage, whilst a Whitethroat flew from one bush to another. Just north of the cottages by a fenced area, first an obliging female Redstart seen perched and then on the ground and back on the fence again. Whilst a male Redstart seen by bushes as I walked by behind the fence, a female Whitethroat flew into the bush too. The Clouded Yellow butterfly flew past us again here. I walked back onto the common hoping to get some pics of the male bird on the fence but it flew. It then posed on the fence and then finally in a small bush then large bush by the track and was inevitably flushed by a dog walker inadvertently. The RTP was later picked up along the middle common where distant, feeding around c20 Meadow Pipits which were slightly smaller and browner. The RTP was more grey- brown above and whiter below. but good views were seen feeding in the short grass. It later flew to the edge of the south common and standing on a mound I had very close views where it fed by some bare sticks. It later flew of its own volition back to its original area, where we good views again. Albeit, against the light, so Barry W. and I walked around the beach edge and had much better views looking from the fence over to the boardwalk, where it was again feeding near the boardwalk, it ran out on the open and showed reasonably well here.

Yellow- browed at Corton

On Tuesday 26th September, after checking this precise area the day before after work, it was good to get a tweet from Rob H to say he had just had a YBW. At 6pm I arrived and just 30 yards down the track, I heard the "tusk" call of a YBW and a bird was seen flitting in the right hand side of the track. I saw a bird which showed silky white underparts. It flew over the track and although we didn't pick it up even when Rob & I went over to the eastern track. Back at the other track, a bird flitting about flew back left and I saw the main body of the bird with double wing- bars, the fine Yellow- browed Warbler. It then darted left and 10 seconds later we heard a distant YBW call, surely a second bird? It eventually flew back and then flew back 10 yards to the road, where I saw the creamy brow and head of the bird as darted about in a tree. It later flew over to a very mellow- leaved tree at the middle of the track at 6.33pm.

Hard work on local patch

A look around Corton on Sunday 24th septenber was very disappointing despite the east wind blowing with the only species seen 4 Large White butterflies, a Grey Wagtail was heard calling as I did the loop path back to the car bordering Stirrups lane. A Green Woodpecker flew up and flew left as I was entering the Corton church car park. Nothing at Radar Lodge. A look around the Denes revealed 6 Pied Wagtails on the Oval and I was relieved to finally see a Wheatear this autumn perched on the fence of the northern perimeter of Ting dene permanently sited caravan park. The bird perched there for a while before flying down back into the fenced off area. A young and Adult Herring Gull perched on the west and east wall of the seawall near Ness Point.

Little Stints & Phalarope again

On Saturday 23rd September, walking down to Covehithe Broad which is fast becoming my favourite birding spot with a combination of field hedges, trees, beach and broad some nice varied habitat and a very picturesque spot. No sign sadly of yesterdays RN Phal, but 3 fine Little Stints seen at the back of the Broad initially. Looking out to sea, initially a Red- throated Diver flew south and also amongst some Gulls I could see a Bonxie or Great Skua sat amongst some Gulls its thick body broad neck and distinct face and bill betrayed its ID, after a fe minutes it flew up showing the white underwing flashes on the primaries and it flew south. When I looked back on the Broad, the Stints had disappeared, then they were seen back at the back they suddenly flew the trio flying north and round again and then 2 flew over us and settled in the seawater inlet to the Broad. I and John R who was also there carefully approached them and got some reasonably close pics along the far side of the inlet albeit in poor light but they then flew to the Broad edge, we saw them here too. A Hobby then flew from north to south over the back of the broad. A calling Grey Plover with black "armpits" flew over the beach and right above me before flying south. Later, the 2 Little Stints had ran to the extreme northern edge of the broad by the beach and approaching very carefully (I had the advantage as I was dressed all in beach biege) we got eventually within 5 metres of these birds without disturbing them as they were both asleep and now bathed in sunlight. Eventually one work up started feeding and then the other woke fed and then they flew of the own accord back to the broad edge further south. Walking back a fine male Stonechat perched on scrub seaward then landward side of the path. A fine calling Goldcrest seen by the trees by the track. A hovering Kestrel seen by the farm then perched on overhead wires. Later seeing Carl B when driving back to Wrentham, he directed me to 25 Egyptian Geese and 1 Barnacle Goose in the middle of the flock in the field to the south of the road by the first house. At Minsmere east scrape, a distant juvenile Red Necked Phalarope still spinning like a top clockwise along the left hand end of the east scrape to disturn invertebrates to peck at from the water's surface seen late am. Later it moved to the very back of the east scrape. There were also 3+ Little Stint much closer to the hide, 1 bird flew to the island with the big stick running along the far edge, it returned several times. 3+ Ruff seen including the white male with orange legs, a winter- plumaged Knot was amongst some c300 Black- tailed Godwit, c20 Dunlin, one Snipe seen on an island and whilst scoping the Phalarope, 2 Bearded Tits seen in reeds behind they were a male bird and a juvenile. Finally back at Minsmere car park, a fine adult male Migrant Hawker seen flying about.

Pied Flycatcher on the North Denes

On Sunday Sept 17th after a tweet from Rob Win, I drove down to the Links road car park and looked in the sycamore copse just 100 yards south of there where I saw Carl B peering intently in, we saw the fine Pied Flycatcher flitting around low down almost at ground level, several Magpies higher up maybe making it a little nervous! It occasionally showed perched briefly on bare branches and posed briefly for the camera. Amazingly this was Suffolk's first autumn bird this year! An adult winter Mediterranean Gull seen in the car park later but no sign of the Redstart. On Tuesday 19th Sept, the usual Buzzard was perched on the tree just south of Hopton roundabout seen after work. On Wednesday 20th returning from Frettenham via Acle straight it was almost dusk and a Buzzard flew from left to right low over the road.