Sunday 18 March

Earlier at Oulton Broad, 3 Goosander (2 males, 1 female) still seen at the western end of Oulton Broad and a beautiful Male Brambling in garden at 12.05pm plus Redwing heard and 2 Stock Dove flew west over the garden. Smart male Brambling still visiting our Parkhill Garden at Lowestoft this lunchtime & early pm with visits at 1pm, 1.20pm, 1.40pm and 2.40pm. Male & female Black Redstart seen at Heritage Green, Kessingland this afternoon, male showing at no.48 but viewing limited & plse respect residents privacy, female shows occ by green area opp. as we were watching her, around 12 Golden Plover flew north seen just over the treelike bordering the A12 no.48. Big thanks to David B for his precise directions & popping out to see me.

Sat March 17

On Saturday 17th March, 5 Redwing just flew E directly over Parkhill/ Fallowfields garden, Lowestoft 9.12am plus 6 Greenfinch and 5 Chaffinch on feeders/ garden this am. I had a look at the Hollies Caravan Park, no sign of any Black Redstarts viewing from the road. I also checked Heritage Green at Kessingland, not entirely sure where the BR's were, but there was a big grassy area bordering the dual carriageway which looked a good bet but no sign of them. I walked round the estate, depressing to see 8 gardens carpeted with the dreadful artificial grass, it looked awful too. I took a look around Heathlands hoping to find my own BR, no such luck, several Blackbirds and a Song Thrush and a pair of Mallard by a large puddle at the side of the path. A fine Fieldfare at/in "Mint Condition" (Heathlands regulars might appreciate the pun?) at Heathlands, Kessingland no sign of any Black Redstarts at Heritage Green or the "Hollies" By the mid afternoon, a male Scaup still with Tufted Duck at the W 'end' lake opp. the old Temple Lound, a Tawny Owl hooting and 4 very close Shovelor by Blue Door Loke until shooting started then flew east.

Brambling heard and seen just outside the garden

On Tuesday 13th March, a mewing Buzzard was heard and seen looking to the north of the garden it was circling with another bird of prey that disappeared as soon as I spotted it. On Wednesday 14th March, 1 Brambling heard just outside the garden, its dry rasping call, alerting me to its presence heard and then seen 9.10am Fallowfields in one of the few bushes left, just as I was leaving for work (pic from last Sat at Titchwell RSPB)

Male Scaup again at Lound

On Sunday 11 march afternoon, from the car I managed a few shots of the male Scaup, again in the company of Tufted Ducks there were also 3 Wigeon seen further east too. The Scaup swam strongly left initially but later swam right back to the west end of the 'middle" lake where I obtained further shots in the fading light. The bird was diving readily.

Snowy Owl at Thornham Point

Hearing reports of a Snowy Owl in NW Norfolk somewhere it was finally pinned down on Scolt Head on Friday and hearing it was at Thornham Point (viewable from Titchwell beach or Thornham on Saturday 10th March, I eventually headed up there with Maurice B. Driving to Fakenham then going through Docking we reached a packed Titchwell RSPB with the cars parking down the side of the entrance road, as luck would have, it there was one space and we started the long walk past the reserve, many people were walking back including Lee Evans. A birder informed us that we needed to hurry as the bird was by the tideline and likely to fly if the tide came in and the tide was coming in! We continued walking quickly past the freshwater and saltwater scrapes and walked 3/4 mile right along the crowded beach. We initially scoped along the beach and saw the distant shape of the majestic 1st winter female Snowy Owl perched on a tree which looked like a dead Christmas tree lying on the beach. We power- walked up the beach for 3/4 of mile and joined the hundred strong group of birders strung out in a line looking from the dunes across the beach 400 yards away to where the 1st winter female Snowy Owl sat. Even at this range she was still a really impressive bird. Generally white and slightly smaller size-wise than an Eagle Owl, she sported heavy brown markings on her body. Her head swivelled around always on the alert and marvellous to see those piercing yellow eyes. The most active she got during our period of observation was when she fidgeted around and ruffled her feathers. She was so far away I couldn't autofocus on the bird so I switched to manual and got one record shot. Sobering to think the last Snowy Owls I saw were both with Ricky in at Wainfleet, Lincolnshire in December 1990 (also with Peter N) and Oct 2001 at the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk. Along the shoreline birds included 14 Bar- tailed Godwits, 3 Grey Plover and 15 Sanderling. (all new birds for the year) Walking back a fine female Snow Bunting was seen routing around the Dune edge. from the Salt water scrape, we immediately saw down a channel, a winter plumaged Spotted redshank and then a Greenshank walked into view. Also there 3 Avocet and a a handful of c8 Black- tailed Godwits including one fine summer plumaged individual half way back and just a few feet away a very confiding winter- plumaged individual. By the bird feeders as we walked back we saw first one very smart winter plumaged individual that was quickly joined by a second bird. Walking back past the woody copse, an extremely well camouflaged Woodcock proved exceptionally elusive until I noticed a movement at the back and kneeling down on the ground I spied a half concealed Woodcock amongst the leaf litter and got everybody onto it, the bird moved once and the head and bill were seen briefly. The Dereham boys picked up 2 additional Brambling in the bushes behind and I saw 1 Brambling here.

Male Scaup again

On Thursday 8th March, as I drove past (without camera gear) the male Scaup was seen again at Lound 500 yards west of Blue Door Loke on the "middle lake" near the road in the company of 8 Tufted Ducks.

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.