Back to Felixstowe Ferry

On Saturday 14th December with the 'promise' of sunny weather initially, I made my way down to Felixstowe Ferry to get hopefully fully lit pics of the confiding Black- necked Grebe. The sun was rising nicely at Lowestoft, but the only problem was clouding over rapidly as I approached Felixstowe, so no such luck! I parked up at the cliff top car park, paid my 2 hour car parking levy and walked down onto the beach where I could Lee W, Tim O and another chap. The fine Black- necked Grebe was still on the pool and showing well, a few rays of sun poked through the cloud but soon it was totally covered by ashy clouds. We were joined by John R and after Lee had walked around we shifted our position onto the beach side and the bird swam even closer to us showing down to a few metres, albeit with grey leaden skies behind us. It then eventually started raining so we beat a hasty retreat to our cars and John R kindly used his star alan key to do up the mount from my lens to the tripod clamp grip which was starting to get a little loose, really grateful for John for this. A trip to Minsmere revealed no 2018 Bird reports as yet (they are on sale at Ipswich Museum but didn't fancy the trip into town on a busy Saturday before Christmas) but the promise of copies coming in next week.

Eastern Stonechat and confiding Black- necked Grebe

Having suffered with bad toothache the previous weekend, I had written off going to see the Eastern or Siberian Stonechat as I had seen one previously in Suffolk in 1993. Having heard that that a potential DNA sample had been obtained, I looked in Steve Piotrowski's excellent "Birds of Suffolk expecting the Lowestoft bird to be have been accepted as a "Maura" but it stated "Stejneger's" or "Maura", so the opportunity to go and see an Eastern Stonechat was very tempting. Having been fully dosed up with anti-biotics, of course I was keen to see a bird I hadn't seen either at all in Suffolk or for 26 years! The trip was on with hastily arranged leave undetaken on Mon 9th December with the best day of the week booked and fingers crossed the bird would stay and it wouldn't be flooded out Monday night (high tides and flood alerts for the south Norfolk and East Suffolk coasts). As the morning dawned I had done my homework and checked the RSPB directions sadly they didn't give a grid ref which I was find helpful, (I am always wary of going to new locations as I usually get lost or can't find the place! See my Tenerife trip report where all the sites for rare bird bar 1 I couldn't find!!!) the directions stated follow the signs for HMP Prison from Woodbridge. I drove to Woodbridge and went around twice around the town and Melton village too, no signs whatsoever! I then had a brainwave and remembered seeing a sign to Hollesley opposite the Sutton Hoo entrance so I drove there followed the sign through Sutton Heath and then found HMP Colony signs that I followed. First problem, there were 2 prisons, Warren Hill YOI which I tried no RSPB reserve signs (despite being directed there by the "workmen") there and then I followed the road to the main prison, it was closed "workmen" were clearing the road of a fallen tree, there were very helpful and let me through as it was only a temporary closure (I think they must have been some of the open prisoners) and I then approached the main prison with some trepidation. But before I thought I would have to speak with one of the warders, there was an RSPB reserve car park sign to the left and I followed the slightly muddy and pitted track, just adjacent to a high fence, but with a door left open. So I parked up (made sure there was nothing tempting on show in the car) and then took the track first to a hide on the left where an impressive array of wildfowl seen, including around 60 really close Wigeon that soon walked off. I knew I had to head for the river bank so I took the main path and saw a birder scoping same said marsh. he said I needed to walk right along the reversal path some 500 yards where 3 birders were looking intently at the bird. As I reached within 100 yards they all broke up and one walked towards me it was Ali R and he said the bird had just disappeared. I joined the other 2 birders one of which was John R. I spent the next 20 minutes looking for the bird in vain until John R who had walked further right came back and said the bird was by the fared of the field perched on a bent yellow marker, sure enough I saw the excellent and stunning Siberian Stonechat, strikingly very pale below and as it came closer I noted a faint peachy breast colour and rump. Also at this closer viewpoint, we could see a subtle combination of brownish black above with white fringed black tortillas and a deeper peach on its rump.It would fly very minute or so onto a grass stem then perched in the hedge at the back and then back on the bent yellow marker and then it flew closer half way back and then closer still. As I got my camera out the bird promptly disappeared not to beset again by me on this visit. A Redshank flew over the field and over to the river behind us. 2 Curlew and then 1 Curlew flew south over the field. I noticed a problem with the scope the tripod bush strap had broken meaning the scope could not be secured to the tripod. having received excellent directions from John, I walked back the car was fine and hadn't been broken into. Driving to felixstowe Ferry, which was a little difficult to find as the main sign had been taken down and I tried "Golf road", "Links road" to no avail and I even found another Golf club but not the right one. Following the OS map, I soon got back on the right route and I parked at a very sunny the clifftop pay and display car park at Felixstowe Ferry (just before the Felixstowe ferry Golf club), a very fine and confiding male Pied Wagtail fed just by the side of the car and then posed on a fence rail so I took a few pics of this obliging individual and then walked down to the beach and a 100 yards left or north to 2 shore pools by the beach just abutting a concrete promenade walkway. The southern pool was only a quarter size of the one remaining Benacre Pit and I quickly spotted the excellent Black- necked Grebe. A textbook winter plumaged individual withe bright red eye and dainty upturned bill. It was diving frequently which meant I was able to get into position (when it was underwater) and I managed to get some nice shots albeit in the fading light as the bright sun was enveloped by a very unwelcome cloud. The bird dived and caught a small fish which it promptly devoured. By 3.30pm I decided to leave (sadly no time for the RLB at Bawdsey picnic site) and go to Viking Optical to get my telescope sent off and repaired, the service and expertise there was as always excellent and I was told the scope would have to be sent to the Leica factory in Portugal it would close down for Christmas but I would get it back repaired and fully serviced/ cleaned early in January, perfect! Now time to dig out the old drawtube Optolyth 30X75GA scope, but still optically excellent! (Pics of the Grebe to be posted when I free up space on my computer).

Eagle Owl spectacular part 2

On Wednesday 4th December, I couldn't resist another look at the magnificent Eagle Owl at Winterton. I particularly wanted to try for some pics of this bird, as I hadn't taken my camera last time regrettably, a real "bubo, bubo!" As I walked up Bulmers Lane from the Church at Black street, around 20 yards south of 10 Bulmers Lane, opposite The Cobbleways, we could see the magnificent Eagle Owl perched half way up, this time in a deciduous tree (devoid of its leaves) as the 2 birders walked off. I heard some very familiar "trilling" and a lovely Waxwing, with raised crest perched in a lone tall tree just beyond an open cul-de-sac entrance, seen from 3.15pm for all of 2 minutes, I shouted to the 2 birders to come back. They were 2 slow as the Waxwing then flew low north (behind the Bulmers Lane houses) and was lost as around 7 Starling decided to fly at the same time. The Waxwing was heading in a northerly direction towards the Church. Always nice to find a waxwing & my first self find of this species this winter. As I walked following Somerton road around, I could see Peter C and Diane parked up at the playing field car park and we walked around and then took the road going south from Somerton road up to the Council houses opposite a nice woodland copse area. I instantly spied the magnificent Eagle Owl perched up in the same tree, this time in a bough left of the main trunk around half way up. I put Peter C & Diane onto it. Joined a couple of birders at the top of the road, they suggested I could get closer views and pics by going through the gap in the hedge and walking east along the field edge I joined 2 birders who were within 50 yards of the bird. I managed to get some magnificent views of the bird and close pics of the bird despite the fading light and ISO 6400 ( I also had to lighten the pic by 3/4 exposure too). It was quite unperturbed by us. It was ever vigilant as the head turned revealing the magnificent orange eyes and even preening its left leg (revealing no rings). It even stretched its wing several times. As we watched the bird we heard a Tawny Owl hooting but try as I might I could not see it. It also stretched its left leg out clearly seeing the whole leg and I couldn't see a ring on it. After I took a few shots. I walked back to join Peter & Diane along the road and then the bird flew and sat out in the open on the low roof of a house, before incredibly we saw it fly towards us and directly over our heads and then south- west and out of sight.

Around the Trinity Broads & Eagle Owl spectacular

On Saturday 30th November, I visited the trinity Broads which is always a very pleasant trip out. At Filby, I could see 15 Goldeneye with around 3 males seen. Also 20 Pochard seen too but scan as I might for around 30 minutes from the Boardwalk I could not see the BN Grebe. Around 20 Pochard seen from Ormesby Little Broad too. Walking back 2 charming Marsh Tits seen low down with a Coal Tit and female Siskin seen too. I drove over to Billockby barn and saw Justin L. and his family, no sign of the Cranes but Justin said they had flown to the far side of the field I drove back around 100 yards then took the road north and after 100 yards parked in a space just off the road to the left and spied a nice total of 20 Cranes feeding in the fields. A look at Ormesby broad was instantly successful with the Long- tailed Duck seen often diving. A quick pop home and then it was back out again to travel to Winterton, as I was travelling along Bulmers Lane, I could see some birders looking across, so I parked at the Church and walked back and saw Steve S, Tim H and other birders and they had their scopes trained on the magnificent Eagle Owl perched 2/3 of the way up a Pine tree, viewed from 10 Bulmers Lane and next door to birder's Patrick G's house. The bird was initially partially obscured so only half the face and body could be seen but it leapt onto another branch right out in the open, we marvelled at its piercing orange eye, magnificent talons as it preened and wing stretching. Justin spotted a Sparrowhawk male which swooped down Bulmer Lane, weaved around the bushes bordering garden on the east side of the road before it perched on Winterton church tower. We walked around to and from here a much bigger crowd of birders marvelled at this magnificent bird.At around 4pm it suddenly leapt of its per and flew around on a magnificently broad wings and then flew right over out heads and then perching on Church Tower roof. from here it perched for a while before it leapt down onto the roof and out of sight presumably after Pigeons which had been present here minutes previously. On Sunday 1st December, a look at Filby Broad, this time with the Boardwalk to myself and I instantly spied the fine Black Necked Grebe really distant but swimming just to the left of the wooden platform.

18 Waxwings at Clovelly Rise

After drawing a complete blank looking around Lowestoft on the 23rd, Sunday 24th, I received a tweet saying there were 18 in Clovelly Rise. I drove straight over saw 18 Waxwings in the tree at the top of the road and parked carefully as to not to disturb them, & then typically, 11 birds flew off, then another 4 then 2 then finally the last one and that was it! They all flew west in the direction of Crestview drive, I was told they feed on berries at Potomac, but no idea where that address is (other than Crestview Drive!).

NO Waxwings

On Saturday 23 November, I looked for Waxwings at various places around Lowestoft this afternoon after the rain had stopped, Gunton Estate, Gunton, Lowestoft Crown Meadow FC, Hoseasons and North Quay Retail Park, no sign, all I saw were Starlings. A Stock Dove flew east over the garden earlier, bird of the day for me.

Little at Corton but Waxwings save the day

In the morning, I had a look around Corton ORT, Churchyard nothing seen and at Corton Old Sewage works where a Jay flew up from the field and 11 Common Gulls seen in the field to the south. depressingly more of the field to the north and extending right back to the old sewage works has been taken presumably for an extension to the caravan park, less habitat, more people and dogs not a prospect I relish. I was just about to pop out to the supermarket before they closed at 4pm when James W tweeted that Waxwings were along the Gunton Estate and I drove down Weston road and down Westhall road and the Waxwings were in a Berry tree, I stopped and saw James W opposite. I joined him at 3.35p. Looking across the Open/ playground area, 6 Waxwings were perched in the top of a tree and occasionally they flew down and across onto the Beey tree to eat the berries for a few minutes before fling back. In very much the same area as the Westhall road birds of the previous winter and probably the same birds that had been over at the North Quay retail park over the last few days.