Isabelline Wheatear & great supporting cast at Cley

On Wednesday 13th November, rather fortuitously I had to cover for a colleague (in the mid to late afternoon, when I usually finish work at 2.30pm) and was able to take most of the morning off. So following some excellent directions (as always) from John H, I drew up into the little car park by the famous East bank walk, the haunt of the late, great Cley regular Richard Richardson in the 1950's- 1970's. There was only 3 cars in the car park, when I arrived so I duly parked up. I saw 2 birders who came back off the east bank stating it was negative news on the Issy Wheatear but it was only 7.30am! I read someone's blog yesterday when they had arrived at 6.45am and hadn't seen the bird until 8.15am. It was only now that the sun was rising and became a gloriously sunny, but cold day. 5 minutes later, I was nearing the end of the East bank walk and John had mentioned about the Long-tailed Duck on the pool near the beach looking out to your left as you walked towards the beach. I saw the female Long- tailed Duck swimming left from a a group of 4 Mute Swans, she was constantly diving but was seen well, if distantly. On a near dyke, a Little Grebe seen and quite a few c80 Wigeon seen too. On one of the posts marking the marsh boundary from the beach sat a large, probably female Peregrine Falcon, ominous given the news that the Wheatear hadn't been seen. A chap I was following along said "Is that it?" The Wheatear perched on the shady ridge by the sea, was clearly the excellent Isabelline Wheatear, other birders walking along on the pebbly beach flushed it further down the beach. Also present were 2 very close Snow Buntings literally at our feet that sadly could only be briefly enjoyed. Then the Wheatear flew over the fence and into Arnold's Marsh where it hunted for food along a distant grassy knoll and several times it was seen perched up on a post. It then flew much, much closer but disappeared behind a bush. We then didn't see it for a tense 25 minutes but we were treated to a gorgeous group of 30 calling Snow Buntings flying over our heads, there tinkling calls straight out of a musical advent calendar and the left and then right over the beach, always a joy to see. The Isabelle Wheatear hoped out heralded by a cameras snapping in unison (only problems was it was back on and against the light) briefly back on along the right hand side of the bush before it flew back again to the more distant grassy knoll on Arnold's Marsh. It then spent a lot of time in the grassy knoll just beyond a marram mound and could only be viewed distantly. Finally, it flew over the fence and onto the beach and was semi- settled in a small grassy area and we were able to admire it at closer quarters at around 15 metres away, where it settled for several minutes. At this point it was 10.30am and very sadly, I had to leave as I had to be in work by 11.50am. I didn't want to leave as it probably would continue to be very confiding, especially after my first hour and a half at Cley the bird was keeping its distance. So it proved when Chris L tweeted it had been very close to him at one stage, oh the joys of working!

Reasonably showy Humes' and elusive Pallas's Warblers

On Sunday 10th November, first stop, up at Hopton cliff top path and I am pleased to say the Holiday camp car park is now open again, so I duly parked there. I saw a suitably chastised James B, eating great chunks of humble pie, as he had made the dash over to Walberswick very early morning to twitch the super Eastern Yellow Wagtail, which apparently would never be "confirmed or accepted??!" Our luck was out because we saw no sign of the Eastern Lesser Whitethroat (Ferguson luck now having worn off!) All I saw was a rather hoarse calling Chiff- Chaff. I looked over at the beach but instantly gave up as a couple with 5 dogs were all over the beach. Further blanks at Hopton track and Corton Old sewage works, where distressingly I saw half of the field just north of the OSW was being developed (the area by Broadland Sands and the area by the cliff) perhaps for more holiday homes, equalling loss of habitat and let more inevitable disturbance from humans and dogs and probably more fly tipping too (which has increased exponentially since they expanded on the inland field). I then went back to behind the Oval almost instantly seeing the Humes' Warbler down the slope by the steps by the northern part of the Oval. It was in a close Sycamore and called a few times before flying across the path and flew into the tree right by the path (west side) calling 3 times but we couldn't see it though. It flew out across the path and it the tall Sycamores lining the Alley walk at the bottom, where we saw it well. It moved a little way south. walking back to the Ravine steps, we suddenly heard a Humes' Warbler constantly calling around 30 times, looking from the top by the North Parade, we couldn't see it. I went down the Ravine steps and at the bottom, we could see it in very low foliage but people charging up the slope was enough for me, so I ran up the Ravine steps (or rather 3/4 because I was totally exhausted and out of breath, no change since school as on school runs it was always the same!) At the top, near the slope by the North steps, I used up the last vestiges of Ferguson luck when the bird showed well in the middle of a tall Sycamore for several minutes and I managed to fire off a few pics. Back at Kessingland Swage works the Pallas' Warbler was very elusive but in the "Firecrest thicket" opposite the Sewage beds, the northern end, I saw the a glimpse of the bird where I noted the striking yellow supercilium and even the yellow rump when it hovered briefly and that was it. It was always moving at the back of the bush. 2 Chiff- Chaffs were also seen and around 8 Long- tailed Tits. Back at Lowestoft, a check of the Oval and a quick swatch at the end of Swimming Pool road failed to reveal any Little Auks, Skuas or anything.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Pallas's & Hume's Warblers= at last a great Autumn 2019 day!

On Saturday 9th November, hearing of a putative Eastern Yellow Wagtail (now split by BOU as a separate species) I drove down to Walberswick Hoist covert car park hoping to park up and walk out, but inexplicably wooden logs had been put across to stop access (??) so I parked on the verge just beyond it afterwards handily parking behind Paul & Jane F. I thought it was bound to be a successful twitch I though even in this this the worst autumn ever! Walking through the woods, always a nice walk and even better today with such good company, we enjoyed a couple of groups of irrupting Bearded Tits flying over the reeds. We saw the crowd assembled on the beach and joined them just north of where the public footpath met the beach, looking at few pools just in from the beach, initially no sign but within 20 minutes, it flew calling a rasping call, and settled into a slightly more distant small pool where a monochrome bird generally grey above and white below wagtail seen with supercilia and yellowish wash to the vent and a yellow spot on the upper breast, and a little yellow down the middle of the breast (seen in photos). Crucially also seen in photos was the long hind claw (pics 3 & 4 below which is indicative of this species). It then flew to the nearer pool and was seen well through the scope between the grass. It flew and was joined by another Western Yellow Wagtail and they flew around and on a couple of occasions both birds would fly back and the Eastern Yellow Wagtail often settled on the edge of the pebble beach giving a couple of minutes photo opportunity. The last time it did this it spent some time preening on the edge of the beach which helped. Again the Wagtails flew around flew past the assembled throng of admirers on the beach over the sea and then back again. Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipts also seen here. Plus, while we were watching a fine small flock of "tinkling" calls of 7 Snow Buntings and flew in the weeds in front of us. We also saw a Great White Egret flying north over the marsh. Walking back again we saw irrupting Bearded Tits and a female Marsh Harrier quartering the reeds. Hearing of a Pallas' Warbler at Kessingland, Julie had tweeted a picture in the hand of the bird. We drove to Kessingland and spent around half an hour waling the patch, Tit flocks were non- existent until one flock of Long- tailed Tits, south of the Sewage works which included a Chiff- Chaff. Walking past the filter beds we saw a group of people at the northern gate looking in the hedgerow forming the northern border of the sewage works, where the Dusky Warbler had been a couple of years ago. The Pallas's was being seen, initially in a Sycamore but it flew into a closer tree and I saw the bird, thanks to great directions from Paul & Jane, half way up the tree mid right looking through foliage I could see the wing- bars and a broad yellow supercilia and the yellow rump seen briefly too when it hovered and that was it, it flitted away. A text came through from Rob Will that he had found a Humes at Flycatcher Alley, so we decided to carry on there. Parking along North Parade, overlooking the Oval, the Hume's Warbler was seen from the top low down in the vegetation, initially in an elderberry bush. But by far the best views for me when we saw it perched in dead sycamore branches lying on the ground and it spent around 3 minutes hopping around here. A great day finally for the Autumn of 2019, with great weather and great company accompanied by the usual Ferguson luck (so sorely lacking when I'm on my own!)

Garden birds

On Wednesday 6th November, a Buzzard circled over the house at the front mid- afternoon whilst talking to my neighbour and on Thursday 7th November, a rasping Brambling heard over the garden.

Ivy Bee in house, fungi & Southwold

On Sunday 3rd November, a Bee buzzing around the kitchen window proved to be an Ivy Bee that I let outside straight away, although thinking about I should have got some pictures first, a new species for me! A large bit of Fungi was seen and photographed in the garden along the western fence line and a look around Southward Churchyard produced 2 Goldcrests, a Chiff- Chaff, around 10 Goldfinches and a surprise very late Painted Lady that flew onto a gravestone at 2.50pm then flew south. all the birds scattered and a female Sparrowhawk flew west overhead. Not the hoped for Firecrest. I looked around Belle Vue Park and the ravine around 3.15pm but failed to see Firecrest here either.

Very little in the Parks

On Saturday 2nd November getting up before first light and walking down the Carlton Marshes track, a Marsh Harrier was seen and 1 female Marsh Harrier was seen sitting on the now flooded Peto's Marsh but no sign of any Cranes, my big bogey Lowestoft birds having never seen them despite countless efforts. A look in the Parks, initially parking at Marine Parade, 2 calling Siskins flew into the trees here. failed to reveal the hoped for Pallas'. I looked at 3 separate Long- tailed Tit flocks. In the Parks, at Belle Vue, A rasping Brambling heard (but not seen) calling overhead but not seen and 2 Sky Larks flew overhead too. 2 Chiff- Chaffs seen with the LT Tit flock at the southern end of Flycatcher Alley. Good to see Paul & Jane F, Andre W, Rob Will and Rene. A sad morning too as I heard that Paul Woolnough had passed away in September.

RIP Paul Woolnough- birder, twitcher, lister & a real character

Really, very sad indeed to hear today from Paul & Jane F, of belated news that our friend Paul Woolnough had died at home, aged just 60 years old, in mid to late September. Paul Woolnough was a Norfolk birder of long standing. A particularly garrulous individual, he was a real character, a loner who loved his birds and would always be at the big twitches. He worked for many years as a van delivery driver for Norfolk Norse but had left his job in the last 18 months. Although a loner, he was very sociable and was well known to Norwich, Norfolk and Lowestoft birders. He particularly liked us Lowestoft birders (he was also friends with Justin, the Norwich & other Norfolk birders especially the Dereham birders, for example). He was always very helpful in giving directions to various, out of the way locations (even offering to meet us and guide us to our quarry, in our pursuit of wildlife, which we were very grateful for). He also had a great love of other wildlife especially Butterflies, Dragonflies, Orchids etc and planned his holidays so he could observe and tick off different Butterfly, Dragonfly and Orchid species. He had a particularly successful trip to Scotland in the summer of last year. We first came across him on twitches in Norfolk in the early 1980's when he sported some particularly fine flared trousers and Ricky famously dubbed him "Lionel Flair!" after Lionel Blair, the entertainer. I'm sure we may even have called him Lionel on a few occasions, too! We didn't know his real name, sadly till quite a bit later. He would often be seen on twitches in Norfolk and he would always come over for a chat, he was also quite the obsessive lister, with Cley square patch lists, Norfolk lists and then later on a Lowestoft Lizardland list. He loved his patch lists, so it seems very fitting to recap some of the birds he had seen: He had an impressive Cley patch list of 314 (source: Bubo bird lists) which probably included his last good bird the Black Guillemot off Cley car park. Paul also had seen such megas such as Moltoni's Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, White- Crowned Sparrow, Dark- eyed Junco in the past and he had found a Glossy Ibis at Cley in 2014. He also had a very impressive Lowestoft area list of 273 (particularly as he lived in Norwich and not Lowestoft!) including recent sightings of Pacific Golden Plover, Savi's Warbler, Iberian Chiff- Chaff, GW Teal, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Barred Warbler and American Bittern (Source: Bubo Bird lists). He had a great recall of the exact dates when he had seen birds in the past and was keen to share that information with all and sundry. He was a fine birder though and could be relied upon on any sightings he had seen, to be spot on. He was also very sharp eyed and I was fortunate enough to benefit on several occasions, specifically when standing next to him when he picked up the Norfolk Beeston Blyth's Reed Warbler and he pointed it out to me and I had a great view for all of half a minute before it disappeared never to be seen again. His Twitter tag was the "Norfolk Visitor" and he then started to bird/twitch around the Lizardland area quite a lot. Around 2011- 2013 he would often post very welcome comments on this blog on various species he had seen or the last time one had been sighted. I was pleased to bump into him early morning at the Savi's Warbler at Carlton Marshes this Spring and in July was very concerned to see him struggle the mile and half along Breydon south shore to the Pacfic Golden Plover, Yare Valley Justin & I offered to walk back with him but he insisted he would be OK and we only left when he guaranteed he would phone when he got back to the car, which he did. I rang him a day later to see how he was and he said he had taken my advice and said he was better following his visit to the GP who had given him a prescription. He recovered sufficiently to twitch the Black Guillemot off Cley in August, but following a tweet a couple days ago from Justin enquiring to his whereabouts, (as we would have expected to have seen him at the Two- barred Greenish Warbler twitch), it was very odd that no one had heard from him since September. He was sent direct texts and I called him several times and no response, which was very odd as he was so punctilious at replying. We are grateful to Justin for raising concerns initially and calling at his address and unfortunately finding out from his neighbours about this very sad news, Paul was a unique individual and I for one will miss him. RIP Paul. (Photos: first one: Paul on his 56th birthday enjoying a pint and at the Lizard Orchid somewhere in Norfolk, second one: courtesy of Jane Ferguson), 3rd & 4th one: my copyright!