Little Gull & Scaup

On Sunday 4th March, a very frustrating early morning, when I saw 2 Fieldfares alight into a tree on Fallowfields (one of the few left) they flew left and then one alighted on a berry bush, Running round I was getting in prime position to get some great shots and guess what? A dog walker appeared at exactly the wrong moment and flushed the bird. I later saw 1 Fieldfare perched on top of a bungalow roof but it would have been just a silhouette shot, so no pics taken, very frustrating. One 1st winter Little Gull on sea (with 6 BH Gulls) at 10.30am from Baker's Score, Corton, whilst looking 20 yards north, it flew towards me and south settling on the sea in front of me. It flapped its wings and then flew south. Thanks to James B & Craig S for information. Also at Oulton Broad by Wherry PH- the Male Red- breasted Merganser still, although an interested passer-by flushed the bird out to the middle of the Broad. 3 Great- crested Grebes too. No sign of any other sawbills. A text from Jeremy G. late afternoon had me heading to Lound, although confusion of which was the middle Lake, Drake Scaup still Lound (thanks Jeremy) with 4 Tufted Duck on the middle lake meant that I only found the bird at 5.40pm just as the light was fading (i.e. 300 yds west of Blue Door Loke) best viewed from inside car looking down (through trees) on the Lake, also walking down Blue Door Loke, a Woodcock flew up, my 5th in 4 days.

5 Sawbills on Oulton Broad

In the morning at 9.30 am, a look from the Wheery revealed the 2 excellent redhead Smew 300 yards out diving frequently, the male Red- breasted Merganser was swimming close to the pleasure boat showing really well. Even better, by the houseboat at the very western end of Oulton Broad, a distant male Goosander. Seeing James B, I showed him the sawbills and we walked around to Mutford Lock basin, initially we could see 5 Dunlin on ice sheets with water flowing over it. At the back, some 180 Dunlin seen and amongst them were 5 Redshank and I eventually saw the 2 dumpy grey Knot feeding at the back of the group, albeit in poor light and seeing Paul & Jane we were delighted to see a Kingfisher fly and perch on the boat. Walking around to the yacht club, I looked at the male Goosander and it soon flew right and amazingly was joined by a second male Goosander which flew right and to the back of Oulton Broad and out of sight. Hearing a tweet from James B, about a Jack Snipe in a dyke by Furze wood, Corton and I was walking down the snow covered track, a Woodcock flew up and away. I followed the track down past the turnstile and took the path along the field bordering the dyke to the left and then it bent round to the right following the wood around. The Jack Snipe flew up from the dyke about 5o yards away and flew over the field and back again. I walked back and it did the same again, not wanting to disturb the bird further I left. By the dyke bordering the southern fringe of the Corton new sewage works, a Woodcock flew up and away. Checking Corton old sewage works another excellent Jack Snipe flew up and flew NW from dyke opp Corton old sewage works. 1 Fieldfare fl east over Fallowfields 2.30om missing all the apples in our garden just now!

'Beast from the East' brings avian visitors in from the cold

On Friday 2nd March, I was walking out from the Library over to the main Hospital building at 10.10am and I was delighted to see a Woodcock heading east over the Hospital building. I was especially pleased as I though I had lost my chance to see any at Fallowfields with the recent 85% scrub/ tree clearance. Unbeknown to me but I was informed by jenny, that my plan had worked and the apples I had put out in the garden had attracted 2 visiting Fieldfares into the garden (only our 2nd & 3rd garden records after I had seen one briefly during a similar cold spell 5 years ago). So we were now members of the rapidly expanding garden Fieldfare bird club, I just want to see and photograph them myself, I have to yet a good shot of a Fieldfare. I had replenished all the feeders and put out all the food I had as we were being inundated with birds during this Siberian blast. After work, I dashed down to Oulton Broad looking from the Wheery I could immediately see the excellent male Red- breasted Merganser, asleep amongst the Gulls (mostly Black- headed c200) just off the Wherry but I searched in vain both here and at the Dead end, I didn't see any Smew, although the light was fading fast and it was snow too this made viewing difficult. Back home I was replenished the feeders and putting out more apples in the garden at about 8.30pm, when an excellent Woodcock flew north east right over the garden and barely 10 foot above my head, thrilling and good to see the remaining scrubby/ tree area of Fallowfields is still delivering the goods!

Waxwing fly by & garden visitors

A t(h)rilling Waxwing flew east right past me on Crestview Drive 10.10am walk back from ECCH meeting at Hamilton House! A Meadow Pipit also flew onto a roof calling just after I had seen the Waxwing (also along Crestview Drive). A quick look in the garden revealed an incredible total of 12 Greenfinches and 5 Chaffinches (my highest numbers for both species) feeding on the sunflower seeds whilst a Robin and 3 Blackbirds (1 male, 2 females) seen too and a wonderful Song Thrush perched on the fence facing us showing its spotty breast. I wonder how much more I would have seen had Fallowfields not been cleared?

Redwings probably in the garden

On Wednesday 28th February, following extensive snow fall where we had a foot of snow, the Close was not drivable for normal cars so I had to leave at 7.30am to walk into work. I heard probably 5/6 Redwing calls which appeared to emirate from the back garden but no time to look. On the walk along the A47 just before Rackham's corner, a Lapwing flew close past me and north. A look at Fallowfields now 90% cleared failed to reveal any Woodcock in the remnants of the vegetation, before the clearance with these snowy conditions I could have almost guaranteed seeing at least one.

Fifth time lucky for RBM photos

At 7.30am I had driven down to Oulton Broad Boulevard parking by the free space by the shops. I walked over to the Boulevard specifically the south- east corner not expecting the RBM to be there but it was and it saw me and swam right out to the middle of Oulton Broad, a stupid basic error from me. It spent twenty minutes here and even went to sleep and I though I would be heavily punished. However, as the sun finally came out poking through the clouds, the excellent male Red- breasted Merganser swam strongly back and made for the yacht basin part of the Boulevard. I waited until the bird had dived and then I ran into position. Often guessing correctly where it would resurface I managed to obtain the shots I wanted and I even saw the bird catch a Ruffe fish which it wrestled with in its bill the serrated edge of the mandible proving very useful in gripping the fish and it eventually swallowed it. It sstarted to swim out so I walked carefully down the wooden jetty and then it hung around here for a while sometimes disappearing from sight before re-appearing. I left it still in this area and even saw the bird from the car as I crossed the Mutford Lock bridge on the way to work.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

On Sunday afternoon, I was looking around 3.30pm, 6 Purple Sandpipers were at Ness Point were showing really well, 5 were on one rock just north of the compass whilst one was asleep on the rocks by the finger. Plus 3 Gannet-N & 2-S (all ads) and loads of Cormorants c300 flying around out to sea.