Buzzard low over A47 near Corton roundabout

On Tuesday October 2nd at 5.25pm a Buzzard flew low over the road travelling back from work along the A47 just before the Corton Long Lane roundabout.

Buckenham Pectoral Sandpiper duo

Having seen visitors from the Arctic and the east (Finland) in recent days I was now hoping to see some American visitors. I drove over to Buckingham RSPB on the evening of Monday 1st October, initially I couldn't see any waders. Walking down I heard the pink-pink of Pink-footed Geese a small flock of 8 flew in, A Buzzard was also seen perched on a distant gate. I later counted 160+ in this area. but as I scanned past the 150 or so Black- headed Gulls, 5 Lapwing were seen to the left of the Gulls, whilst walking right of them were the excellent duo of 2 Pectoral Sandpipers feeding on the muddy edge, (slightly bigger than Dunlin) with Snipe-like backs and the very distinctive brown breast cut off on the mid breast with whitish underparts below. The were hunched over constantly feeding and one was following the other they were still at Buckenham RSPB but flew off at 6.15pm, when the whole flock was disturbed by a female Marsh Harrier (they'll probably come back though), in front of the Gulls an incredible 34 Ruff flew in. Over to the right, 1 Snipe and 12 Wigeon were on the grass, Finally 1000's of Jackdaws were amassing on the grass right at the back, then they all flew into an isolated copse and then an incredible 5000+ Jackdaws flew over me their collection calls sounding like a high pitched machine gun. Also 300 Rook pre- roost gatherings completed the corvid-fest equalling a great evening!

Blyth's Reed amazingly gives itself up for me just before going to roost

On Sunday 29th September another fruitless search around the local patch this time at Corton Playing field and Corton OSW nothing wildlife of wise of note save for 8 winter plumaged Starlings singing away from pole at Corton OSW, nice to see Craig S and the Border Collies again though. I was tweeting my Beluga pictures out mid afternoon, when incredibly James B tweeted at 4.10pm, Rob Win had just found a Blyth's Reed Warbler in bracken just north of the Lowestoft Oval on the North Denes. I rushed down parking along North Parade and walking down the Oval steps to the Denes and joined Rob Win, James B, James W, Andrew E, Rob Will, Paul & Jane F, Chris M, Richard S, Rene B and others who later joined included Dick W, John H and Paul W. The bird was proving to be typically elusive mainly moving through the bracken, bramble and betraying its presence only by its distinctive "sic" call and at times bracken was seen moving and sometimes, a "Warbler" shape seen moving through. I had resigned myself to dipping this bird as I have done for most of the goodies seen in Lowestoft this Sept (although I was away in Jersey when the Booted warbler was present), save for the YBW. When at 6.35pm, the bird flew right and standing next to Dick W, who confirmed I was in the right area, I saw through my Zeiss Victory binoculars, which are known for giving outstanding visibility and clarity in poor light, and this time agin it was no exception, and I saw the bird hop onto a bit of bracken where it sat out in full view for me for around 5 to 10 seconds. I noted the following ID features: a pale grey- brown bird on the upperparts (not rusty brown or chestnut). The white super cilia was prominent and clearly noted extending just beyond the eye, pale flanks (not chestnut fringed) and importantly short tertial projection (ruling out normal Reed and Eastern Reed Warbler) The legs appeared dark. Before, the bird hopped out of view and then flew into a large bush, presumably to roost, where it continued to give its distinctive "zic" call. My last Blyth's Reed Warblers was one on Bryher, Scilly and I also saw 1 at West Runton in Norfolk on 27th September 2008. A really jammy observation, as I fully expected to dip or have untickable views, but that view gave me a super new Suffolk tick, a wonderful Blyth's Reed Warbler and yet another stunning find by Rob Win, who a regular patch worker and fully deserves the plaudits of this stunning find, especially as he had spent most of the day trying to ID it, the bird proving typically elusive and Rob seeing it only 7X in total. Thanks to James B for putting the news out as soon as the ID had been clinched.

Benny the Beluga Whale, a stunning Arctic visitor

On Saturday 29th September, after hearing of an incredible find of an Arctic Beluga Whale, nicknamed "Benny" or should it be called "Benita"? in the River Thames at Gravesend in Kent, and much talked about in the media making it to the Ten O'clock BBC News and articles in all the national newspapers. I drove down taking John H and James W with me. Using the Sat Nav, we eventually made our way Gravesend to Mark Lane and parked just off here at a very run down industrial estate, littered with rubbish everywhere and walked to the equally run down "Crown & Sepulchre" pub and joined a few potential whale watchers on a concrete platform, having a good and commanding view of the river. The Whale had been seen around 30 minutes earlier. A message 20 minutes later came on John H's pager, that it was being seen just west of our position and we walked along the footpath by the river and came to another good viewing point where the Whale, an excellent Beluga Whale was seen occasionally surfacing usually showing its mid back looking for all the world like a turning white tyre in the water. It was disturbed several times by boats and one time it swam close in very calm water and stuck its head out where we could the line of its mouth but not its eye. It would be seen usually every 5 minutes or so when it would then surface for 1-2 seconds for 3 separate times. When it was disturbed by boats, it would disappear for around 10 minutes. Walking back to the car, seeing Matt D, he said it was showing a fare closer from the Promenade, so we drove around parked by the much more salubrious Esplanade. The Promenade looked really nice and was a big improvement on the very run down industrial estate area where we had been! Around 110 people were around the promenade area peering over the railings, hoping for views of the Whale. Most were "birders" but other curious onlookers were noted too! The Whale was indeed a lot closer being around 500 yards out (instead of 1200 yards away when seen from viewing area we had walked to just west of the Pub) finally giving me a chance to get some photos of it. The Whale was seen mostly around the back of a moored barge, where it would surface every 10 minutes or so and on 2 occasions showed a lot more of its body (see pic. The Harbour Master's Pilot boat even came past and had a look, with a chap with a camera and mid zoom lens (see pic). However, the Whale was seen again. Unfortunately after 2 really massive large container ships went through we lost it from view and decided to leave, well satisfied with our views of this magnificent cetacean. Let us hope that this Arctic stray makes it back safely home.

Yellow- browed first one of the autumn!

On the early evening of Thursday September 27th, met Joshua C staring at the bush where The "Ninja" Yellow-browed Warbler still in favoured bush just south of 1st shelter belt south of Links Rd car park along North Denes slope seeing off all Chiff- Chaffs straying into its vigorously defended territory! Seen well but briefly about 4 times and also seen in flight chasing off all the Chiff- Chaffs! Also the Barn Owl hunting behind us on the N. Denes as well. YBW called as well around 10 times.

Barn Owl on the North Denes

On the early evening of September 22nd, a Barn Owl again hunting over the Lowestoft's North Denes 6.40 - 7.10pm normally around the large bramble just north of the Oval this evening. It spent a lot of the time on the ground. An outstanding find by Julie, last I've seen in this area, was a Barn Owl flew over my parents garden at Corton Road (500 yds away) 1982 & Ricky & I had a pair a few years later on posts at Dip Farm before the shelter belt grew up.

Whinchat and Wheatears

On September 22nd September, 1 Whinchat was seen at Corton, seen by Corton OSW along the northern mostvfence, plus a female Whitethroat & Green Woodpecker + 3 Wheatear around the North Denes netposts & male Blackcap along the North Denes slope plus 5 Mediterranean Gulls (1 ad, 1 2nd Y & 3 imm's) at Links Road carpark, Lowestoft.