A very, very elusive Two- barred Greenish Warbler at Orford

On Sunday 13th October, first stop was Ness Point where the Shore Lark showed initially before disappearing then pandemonium as a BINS message went round of a probable Two- barred Greenish Warbler was at Orford, once Richard had tweeted it was one, I took Maurice B down and we parked at the Meadow car park. Lots of people around 100 gathered around the path overlooking some tall trees. In the vegetation I found a fine bronze Beetle Chrysolina bankii, which is locally scarce, but initially no sign of the bird but within half an hour people were running and we followed and gathered in front of a very large Buddlea where people said the bird was. Imagine the frustration as I couldn't see it latching onto 2 Goldcrests and then checking the bush and still not seeing it. I was only one of handful of people missing it here, which was so frustrating in the extreme. I have missed several major birds. A bird flew out left from the Buddlea which people said was it, but I couldn't positively ID it, later it was seen at the side of a field and again I missed it but heading back to Buddlea bushes 10 minutes later, I saw a Chiff- Chaff sized bird fly out from the Buddlea at very close range showing pure green upper parts, a large wing bar, a stout flesh coloured bill, whitish underparts which were more yellowy- olive by the face but by far the most prominent feature was a very thick yellow supercilium which was very obvious and the supercilia was kinked up at the back and the bird was fairly longer tailed (noticeably bigger and longer tailed than YBW). Seen for around 10 seconds in flight in all, at the time I didn't want to call it out in front of the assembled crowd. We all turned our attention to the bush but it didn't appear and a bird flew back to the Buddlea not (seen nearly as well) this time. On seeing the tweeted pics later on, I realised that this was indeed the superb but all too brief view of a Two- barred Greenish Warbler which had saved me from a horrendous dip, but pity I didn't see better and more prolonged views of such a fabulous bird. I have some experience with the species seeing several in China in 1999. Later on at 4.30pm, I went back to Ness Point and eventually saw the Shore Lark fly back and feed on the concrete car park.

All quiet at Benacre but birds on the way back home

A report of a possible RN Grebe on Benacre Broad had me driving in light rain to Covehithe, on Saturday 12th October I walked down to the Broad in the fields just south a group of Gulls included an adult Yellow- legged Gull, a real brute of a bird with a very white head, slightly darker slate grey back yellow legs. By the Broad nothing really seen but the Tit flock moving past the hide revealed a Treecreeper scaling up the trunk of a tree. walking back past the wood, I heard the rattling of an unseen Mistle Thrush. Back at the Covehithe path walk, I heard the rasping of a Brambling 3 birds flew off one was definitely the Brambling. Walking back by the path to Covehithe Broad in the large tree, I had a good view of a Chiff- Chaff in the light rain. Hearing of a BR at Heritage Green, Kessingland, I met David B and the female Black Redstart seen in gardens opposite with it briefly seen on the fence then it flew back and settled on the left hand corner of a roof for 10 seconds before it flew down and out of sight. Going onto the North Denes, after Andrew E had tweeted a Dartford had been seen following Stonechat around. I saw James B and I could see a male Stonechat but no sign of the Dartford. James left and I walked along the inland path to check some brambles when I heard some cracking and a silver winged chocolate brown female Ring Ouzel with pale cream on the upper breast flew past and perched in the pines and then out of sight. As I was searching for this bird. I turned and saw the male Stonechat, perched on the brambles but even better around 10 metres behind it the Dartford Warbler flew up and perched for 20 seconds on one of the tall Alexanders before flying down, my first sighting on the North Denes. Despite phoning James B, who had only just reached home and him returning, we failed to see either the Dartford or the Ouzel again.

Stunning views of the Shore Lark today

On Wednesday 9th October leaving work at 1.30pm I went straight down to Ness Point and drove up to the old Coastguards car park at the southern end of Ness Point. Another car was already there and really good to see Tim B photographing the Shore Lark posing on the wall. I crawled round the back of Tim's car and fired off a few shots before I got back in the car and we both got some great shots from our cars with the bird still on the sea wall even giving a brief snatch of song, it sat down and rested for some 20 minutes before flying down to the car park and feeding before a walker disturbed as it flew to the seawall north of the coastguards, the bird then flew back and gave superlative views feeding in the car park as we both stayed in our cars and perched on the wall again. I saw Peter No and later Gus H, as I saw a Black Redstart briefly on the fence and Gus indicated it was perched on the dark vertical beam of the SLP building at the southern end of the SLP yard. A really enjoyable trip this time with great company and optimal conditions for photography made me very happy! A walk around the Netposts revealed little save for 3 Linnets in the weedy area. I decided to visit Gunton Wood and no sooner had I walked to the usual area that I heard first Siskin, then another, then the rasping of a Brambling then the strident "tsuip" call of a YBW. Hearing the YBW call around 5 times I finally pinned it down to the bush next to the Holm Oaks, west side of the path, it called a further 3X and I spotted it, a fine Yellow-browed Warbler, flitting about near the top and saw the cream super cilia and wing bars for all of 30 seconds before it disappeared again. A really enjoyable afternoon's birding!

Shore Lark again and nasty encounter

This morning at first light I drove down and saw the Shore Lark perched along the top walkway, it then started singing briefly and then flew down to the gravel area, where I saw it well. Also finally seen was a female Black Redstart perched on the railings, a long overdue first sighting of this species for me in 2019. Directly after work, I returned after a fruitless quick visit to Gunton ORT where nothing was seen. The fine Shore Lark was seen again along the top walkway just north of the usual area. I noticed a person hanging around by the railings with a dog but when a woman walking her dog walked straight and deliberately at the bird (she didn't walk on she returned the railings) and scared it and hurling a load of expletives at both me and another birder with his young family (whatever his wife/ young children thought I don't know, but they soon left.) We were entirely innocent of any provocation. She is slim 30's with mousey or blond hair wearing a yellow fluorescent cagoule and walking a Golden Retriever type dog. I have unfortunately encountered her before, whilst photographing an immature Kittiwake on the sea wall by the Link's road car park and a load of abuse was hurled at me then, too. If it happens again, I will notify the Police. She doesn't like birders or photographers, so best to keep well clear of her. The bird flushed to the aerial mast area again. It fed around the concrete weedy edges and flew to the top part and even started singing which was lovely to hear. I also saw 2 Black Redstarts here and briefly heard the song of a male Black Redstart too. This couldn't be fully enjoyed because fearing my safety, the aforementioned woman was joined by a man/ partner they were conversing in a very loud turn her talking about the ******* birdwatchers and feeling a little trapped here, I decided to leave. The light was going anyway, so I left again having not improved on my shots from the previous evening in part due to the obnoxious dog walker.

Bramblings and Shore Lark

On Monday 7th October, first light birding I heard and saw 2 Bramblings flying west over the north end of Gunton Old Rail track plus what may have been the immature female Ring Ouzel flew into a bushy area, some cracking heard so may well have been the bird. At Corton Old Sewage works as I reached the lane running north west of the complex, a Fox was staring back at me from the vegetation sadly it moved as i got the camera out. I heard a rasping Brambling. After work, a trip to Hamilton road, because Rob Win had come up trumps yet again with a superb Shore Lark find at the old coastguards at the southern end of Ness Point. I saw James B. by the railings along, northern tip of the concreted area and he said the bird was just south of here. He'd also seen 2 Redstarts. After a few minutes the superb Shore Lark, was seen feeding by the gravel and puddles before it suddenly flew over to the old coastguards. James left and I used the radio mast tower to shield myself while I took a few shots as it ran and fed along the top walkway which headed south then west as the bird fed, I got a couple of nice shots albeit in poor light. Andrew E arrived and it then ran back along the top walkway, then it flew back to the gravel area.

Wonderful Ring Ouzel at Gunton ORT

At 5pm I saw 1 Redwing fly over the garden calling "steep" and a Song Thrush heard in the garden that was seen flying over to fallow fields. A Stock Dove was also seen flying south over the Parkhill Hotel wall at some some height too. This inspired me to check the local area. After all the rain that had fallen and with easterly winds and easing of the rain, meant I would go out with just the bins (should have taken the camera but it was still raining albeit lightly!) I looked around Gunton Old Rail track, Dip Farm, Hubbards Loke, Gunton Woodland Burial and then leeward side of the ORT hedge. Totals of 34 Song Thrush, 30 Robin, 12 Redwing, 10 Blackbird, 5 Goldcrest (all seen along the Gunton ORT bar 1 Goldcrest at Hubbards Loke, where I also saw 2 Chaffinch. Best of all as I was walking along the lea (inland side of the Gunton ORT bushes by the fence around 100 yards north of the Gunton Woodland burial. I saw an interesting Rouzel type Thrush fly into the second red- berried Hawthorne bush, It was only around 10 metres away and slightly obscured view in the bush. I looked at it, noting both the brown long bill chocolate brown head and mantle, distinctive white fringing to the wings and a very slight pale patch on the upper breast. I was so close, I could see the distinctive scalloping to the underparts (last seen on the other bird I saw really close the Oval bird- read on) and long wings extending beyond the rump, another good ID feature. It was a superb immature female Ring Ouzel and it was very confiding sitting on the same perch for around 10 minutes. I was really enjoying these views rarely seen this close as they are usually so skulking and secretive. It was "chacking" quite a bit too, which is as another aural ID feature, as I slowly edged round to get further views. It would have been to nice to photograph, but I hadn't brought my camera as it was still raining (albeit slightly when I left home) although the light was not great either and the bird was partially obscured but definitely my best views since the fine adult male I had seen on the Oval, one spring, several years ago. I really enjoyed watching this fine bird and it was ample reward for getting wet this afternoon and all of the dips yesterday! After 10 minutes it flew back to its original bush and out of sight where I decided to leave it go to roost without being disturbed.

Quintuple dip day

On Saturday 5th October, best birds of the day were the 4 adult- winter Mediterranean Gulls on Links road car park, missed the YBW and Ouzel along the North Denes slope, missed the Black Red at Hamilton road (still haven't seen one this year!), missed the Purple Sand at Ness Point and the RV Darter just N of Birds Eye in the weedy patch, a day to forget! Rob spotted a pale Buzzard flying north hassled by around 8 Carrion Crows. Best bit was seeing Barry W, Rob Will, Chris M. I did however hear at least 2 Redwings "tseeping" behind the southern section of the Oval in the tall trees at the back. Parties of 5 and 15 Brent Geese seen flying south over the sea. Later 2 Redwings were heard at Fallowfields, but not seen.