Rare Odonata; Vagrant Emperors & Red- veined Darters

On Wednesday October 24th, at Kessingland in the afternoon, I drove over to Kessingland, walking down Coastguards Lane there was a stretch of beach just north of the seawall. I was hoping to see the Vagrant Emperor Dragonflies spotted by Andrew E. I joined a group of people including Carl B, Dave H & others. One had been seen in flight 3o minutes earlier. After an hour no sign, a general exodus north before a weedy area, where a group of people were gathering raised hopes of a rare dragonfly sighted. It was fine female Red- veined Darter which posed well for the camera. Then a shout of an Odonata been seen flying over the end of the sea wall. It was a Migrant Hawker, but then a larger Dragonfly with straight abdomen and brownish body joined it and then flew north, it was the fine female Vagrant Emperor. Andrew E and Rob Will joined us and they immediately picked up the male Vagrant Emperor flying around the Dunes brown bodied but with a gleaming blue notch on the abdomen. Birds seen included Red Kite flying over the cliff & 2 single Fieldfares in off. Good to see old friends from both Norfolk & Suffolk too.

Shore Larks then pandemonium!

On Sunday October 21st, both Shore Larks were seen at Kessingland before 'headless chicken mode' for the 1st time this autumn. walking up to the Kessingland Sluice I met a birder saying they were still there and saw 2 birder watching them half way along the beach in the area bordering the grassy area and the sandy beach. I approached from the beach and kneeling made my way to within a respectable distance. Some dog walkers pushed the birds a little closer and both of the 2 wonderful Shore Larks fed on the seeds of a small weed, which made some nice pictures. Another dog forced them to run over to the beach. There were feeding along the margins of the beach and the grassy area. A BINS message, revealed a Vagrant Emperor had been sighed by the last 5 static caravans of the caravan park, a very vague message I walked around the scrubby area bordering the southern perimeter in th vain hope one might be spotted or fly up but it didn't, I looked & failed to see Vagrant Emperor. A call from OFB and an offer of a lift to Weybourne for the 2 Norfolk goodies was difficult to resit and after picking up James W from Gunton then mad dash up to Norfolk. Parking at the end of Beach road, meeting Rob Will & Andrew E at the pay and display machine, we walked west for around 500 yards to an round hollow area full of scrub but we had to negotiate the fence first and walk through the gate. The massed crowd encircling the hollow and the bird hadn't been seen for 30 minutes. Seeing Dave & Pauline next door they picked up the bird deep in a large bramble bush and brilliant direction from them, directed to a foot left of a large teasel I could see obscured views of the bird that appeared to be a Shrike, the the mask and bill and part of the back seen confirming it was a Shrike. It flew a couple of times into small Sallows but when it flew left it flew in what appeared to be a Buddlea bush and the bird hopped out in almost full view for 2 minutes. A branch obscured its mid section but the head mantle wings and tail could be clearly seen, it was indeed a superb Brown Shrike and a first for Norfolk and my 2nd UK bird. It showed a mask, hooked bill and browner back. We left to have a look for the probable Stejneger's Stonechat at Salthouse.

Grey Wagtail at the Paget

Leaving work on Monday October 15th just outside the Burrage centre, a Grey Wagtail flew low & north over the Burrage Centre, James Paget Hospital and my head at 5.05pm!

Garden & Fallowfields birds

On Sunday October 14, a Yellow- browed Warbler calling & moving west along hedgerow Fallowfields, Oulton, Lowestoft- bordering back gardens of Bosquet Close also a Grey Wagtail flew out from no 8 Bosquet Close, and a Buzzard & a female Sparrowhawk flew over. 5 Redwing flew south west over the garden at 10.45am also.

Visitors from the East and North

On Saturday 13th October, a typically brief view of a calling Yellow- browed Warbler flew into hedge on west side of Corton ORT along the west walk way at 12.10pm still 30 yds south from Stirrups Lane Bridge it flew into the sycamores in the middle where it was seen on a few occasions before it disappeared. Later on driving to Links road car park, SWT had organised a beach clean and I saw Chris M, Andrew E and others as I walked north to the enclosed areas just north of Tramps Alley where the 3 Snow Buntings were still on Gunton Warren beach initially just outside the fenced off area feeding by sprigs of Marram grass and weeds in fenced off area the 3rd one along just N of Tramps Alley, mid to late morning. The constant procession of dogs pushed the birds over to the beach and then they a flew a few yards south and then flew back to the fenced off areas before hopping through into the fenced off areas where they remained for the rest of the time they were there as they were not being disturbed by dogs.

Yellow- browed at the Paget

On Wednesday October 10th driving out of the James Paget at 1pm I heard a Yellow- browed Warbler by the southern most hedge bordering the James Paget Hospital at 1.40pm at least. It was seen briefly as it moved quickly through the hedge moving west all the time. No sign of any YBWs around Gunton & v.quiet birdwise his afternoon, best was a Brambling heard and seen flying west over the Gunton ORT, 3 Stock Dove feeding in the south- west corner of the field just north of the Gunton burial ground, Blackcap in the hedge by Gunton ORT, 3 GSW & 1 v. confiding juvenile Wood Pigeon (sadly suspected Trichonomad virus victim)in the Holm Oak wood bowl at Gunton warren.

Elusive evening Yellow- browed

On Tuesday October 9, still 2-3 Yellow- browed Warblers at Gunton, Lowestoft area this eve -5.15-6pm but all very elusive, 1 Yellow- browed Warbler by entrance to Gunton Meadows on the north side heard calling only, 1 Yellow- browed Warbler heard only by the track 300 yds north of of Sallows at Gunton wood and 1 Yellow- browed Warbler, typically hyperactive seen flitting through the bushes by the Sallows at Gunton wood but they wouldn't pose for the camera at all!