Late to the Penduline party

On Monday 2nd April, having endured a dismal birding Easter, I had the week off and not seen a single notable bird (easily the worst on record for me, personally) I had been out during the day, not realising my phone had lost power and casually checked twitter on the computer to be met with the outstanding news that Andrew E had found a Penduline Tit at Leathes Ham! I raced down there. Walking along the path bordering the Tennis courts, Craig & Rob H were still there plus a quickly departing Dick. It had been seen 10 minutes previously but had disappeared into the reeds. A long tense 30 minutes crept by, before Rob H brilliantly picked out a distant rendition of its very highly pitched call, he very kindly called me over and I finally saw the bird, a superb male Penduline Tit, initially really obscured by some bushes on the west side of the track, a stunning bird like a mini male Red- backed Shrike in summer with rufous brown back black mask over the face and a cream underbelly. It showed in the bush, initially obscured but it flew to another bush and showed near the top of the bush before it eventually flew across the path and into the bushes bordering the reeds. On Tuesday 3rd April, I had to start at 8am, so by 6.30am, I was back at Leathes Ham, looking behind the tennis courts and the bird was seen in the bushes singing, a very high pitched and trilling song, it was lovely to see it singing the first time I have seen this species in full song rather than the call. I was back looking and saw the the excellent male Penduline Tit feeding on a bulrush. I then had to leave. I was back at 6.15pm and met Justin L and I eventually picked up the bird feeding from a bulrush, I watched it for some 15 minutes feeding away and when it hopped to the back it was almost completely obscured. It later flew towards the reeds near the bridge. On Wednesday 3rd April, I didn't see the bird between 7.15 and 8.40am but did hear it early on twice briefly.

Departing Redwing

On Sunday 1st April at 11pm, a departing Redwing heard calling "psst" over the garden.

No Garganey

On Thursday 29th March, a trip to Strumpshaw Fen in the afternoon failed to reveal the close hoped for Garganey, a Black Swan on the water by reception hide and a Red Kite flew in and over the woodland, the only notable birds seen.

Spoonbill and yet more garden goodies!

On Saturday 24th March, the excellent female Brambling still in garden coming to sunflower seeds seen this morning in our garden at Bosquet Close at 9.10am and at 1.40pm and around 4pm. I then drove over to Carlton Marshes and enjoyed watching the excellent Spoonbill feeding on the middle of the scrape. Several Wigeon around 12 seen on the scrape, too. I encountered a very surreal but pleasurable experience, as I was just about to pull up on the garden drive, I viewed from my driver's seat, an incredible female Black Redstart amazingly seen on our front garden path !!! (so the garden purple patch continues in style!) at 12.50am, it then flew back to our fence bordering our neighbours just west of us, then it flew onto their roof, then flew left onto our roof, then our neighbours' to the east then the next door but one neighbours' roof. Then it flew over Fallowfields and perched by the first bungalow and conservatory then it finally settled on the second bungalow roof at 1.25pm at least, on Verdure Close off Fallowfields, Lowestoft and it looked settled. After that I looked in the garden and there was a fine Stock Dove on the garden fence, it flew down and fed with a Wood Pigeon on the scattered sunflower seed on the grass together with a Wood Pigeon. The bright green almost luminescence patch showed well on the side of its neck but it lacked the black double bars, indicating that it was an immature bird. It was extremely wary and I fired off in haste some shots in the camera not realising the memory card was in another camera, when I realised my mistake the bird had flown already, sadly. The female Black Redtsart was still sitting on the bungalow roof, seeing Paul & Jane who had obtained quite literally Ferguson views, it was still there at 4.30pm perched on the same roof and then it flew onto the pathments and patio leading up to Fallowfields giving good views for me too! The male Pheasant was still on Fallowfields.

Garden purple patch continues

On Friday 23rd March, the garden purple patch continues first, my partner Jenny, sent via Snapchat, an IN garden record male Pheasant 3.15-3.45pm (seen by Jenny & photo'd) at Parkhill, Lowestoft feeding on seeds on lawn plus a Snipe flew east over at 7.35am (seen by me!).

Female Brambling and pair of Stock Dove in garden

On Thursday March 22nd, with a morning off work, at 8.50am a different female winter Brambling in garden (see pic) this morning and an all too brief 2nd ever visit in garden of a pair of Stock Doves perched together on our Parkhill garage roof at 11am. In the evening Migrant Redwings (heading back to Scandinavia) again heard calling tonight over the garden (whilst filling up the bird feeders ready for more Brambling visitors!) & Gunton Tesco's this evening, around 10 Redwing heard over Lowestoft town centre last night (Wednesday March 22nd) too.

Male Brambling again in garden and Ness Point

On Tuesday March 20th, a day off work it was great to see a pair of Blue Tits busy collecting nest material and using one of our nest boxes, smart male Brambling in garden again 10.20am but has so far eluded the camera today! It would fly onto the ground and feed on the fallen sunflower seeds. At Ness Point, hoping to find a Bluethroat, no such luck but a small bird which flew across the Birds Eye car park into Tamarisks bushes eventually perched up to reveal a smart male Stonechat. I saw Rob Win and we saw 6 Purple Sandpiper on rocks at Ness Point late afternoon, one posed nicely for the camera in the afternoon sunlight. On some flashes just east of the Net posts, 3 Rock Pipit, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 2 Redshank & Oystercatcher were seen and the male Brambling still in our Parkhill garden late afternoon.