No show Shore Lark

On Sunday 5 January with the tooth playing up again I had no option but to sit it out this morning, but just after 12 noon the pain had subsided enough to try for the Shore Lark at Kessingland North beach. A calling Redwing flew over the road as I parked up but at the salt water pool opposite the Hollies steps, a Pied Wagtail was by the pool near the cliffs but there was absolutely no sign this afternoon of the Shore Lark, I met Alison & Chris A. who said dog walkers had just gone through in its former favoured area. Walking back by the fields opposite Heathlands and adult Common Gull and 2 adult winter Mediterranean Gulls were the only birds seen.

Eccles Desert Wheatear, Tundra Beans & appalling behaviour from TOGs at the Cranes

On Saturday 4th January, I was keen to go for the Desert Wheatear at Eccles, I got great advice from Jane F and parked at Hempstead Church and walked the 500 yards down the beach and then just south of there walking along by some rocks, a very poor looking young whitish cream Grey Seal pup was on the beach, looking clearly in a very bad way, it was lying on its back and it was not moving at all. I am pleased to report no birders were close to it while I was there. Although there had been earlier reports of appalling behaviour from people being too close and stopping the mother Seal to reach it, absolutely despicable behaviour. It was really good however to see John H, and as we walked along and a group of birders were talking and they actually said the bird was on the top along a path resting, so we walked up and viewed from the gate and it was seen resting on the path. We left it in peace. Around 20 minutes later, it flew onto the grey lip of the inland bit of the promenade, and it was seen very well albeit in shadow as it hopped fed travelling along and south along the top before it flew back onto a fence post. It then disappeared and around 30 minutes later we saw a load of birders rush up the steps, so we followed and behind the caravans we saw a little sandy area littered with bricks rocks and bric-a-brac and the very confiding Desert Wheatear spent time here feeding resting and I finally managed to get acceptable pics of this super bird. Walking back along the promenade the Seal pup had disappeared (I later heard it had been rescued by the Seal clearly under weight, lets hope it survives). Driving back to sea Palling no sign of the hoped for wild swans, but a Mistle Thrush was seen in a field by Waxham. Almost at the end of Horsey strait, around 500 yards south of Horsey Mill, by an area for 2 cars at the east side of the road, a load of Geese were seen what looked like 30 Pink- footed Geese, 15 Greylags and at least 20 White- fronted Geese. I then drove to Martham by and driving a mile down Collis Lane, I could see around 10 geese in the field, they looked like Beans and driving to the electricity sub- station on the advice of a Scottish birder, we saw 15 Tundra Bean Geese and then 4 Pink- footed Geese flew in too, reasonable if distant views. I then drove to a Barn somewhere in Broadland and 3 Cranes (2 adults and 1 immature). I stayed by the barn and took pics from there (but too far away for any decent ones) in order not to disturb the birds. It was frustrating that immediately 2 cars drew up too. 2 birders (who behaved impeccably) who viewed the birds by the barn and then drove off then 2 Toggers with 400mm camera lenses but no binoculars, I thought they might be trouble. One of them asked had I finished and was I going? I asked and requested them to stay by the barn (explaining they would disturb the Cranes if they went any closer) but I had a feeling they would venture closer, I drove off but then went immediately back and waited by the road side by the barn & saw they had walked down the path and the Cranes had initially walked back to the far corner of the field clearly disturbed and the Toggers advanced even further and the Cranes promptly flew off, appalling behaviour, I have photographed both these Toggers and their car registration number, if anyone wants to take this further, clear disturbance of a Schedule 1 bird, totally unacceptable! They had no consideration for the birds' welfare, it was as if they felt they had the absolute right to get as close as possible, absolutely sickening behaviour. No sign of the Cattle Egret at Halvergate although 2 Buzzards and a female Marsh Harrier seen hunting here.

New Year at Benacre & Ness Point

On January 1st 2020, a cloudy start to the morning I arrived at Benacre at 10am, as my tooth was hurting earlier in the day, but the pain had eventually subsided (I decided not to go to Hollesley) so I thought I could just go out locally. Parking up behind a row of cars. It was a pleasant surprise to see Maurice B also parking up. Just leaving was David B and his wife. We walked down saw Kevin B for a quick chat and onto the Benacre Approach fields we saw 15 Brent Geese (including 3 immatures) and 14 Barnacle Geese, a nice start! We also saw Clive N and after a brief chat went on our way back down to the hide. A couple were there in the hide and weren't sure if they had seen the GND just left of the Cormorant on the post in the water over the far western side of the Broad almost at the reeds edge. The couple left and Maurice and I wondered what had happened to the bird, I speculated that it might have swum down the left channel. This assumption proved correct when Maurice said he had it swimming right and we enjoyed distant views of the immature Great Northern Diver constantly diving and fishing and getting at least 2 bits of prey. Also on the far north side of the Broad were 4 Goldeneye (2 adult males, 1 imm male and 1 female). We decided to walk back and bumped into Carl B, who we showed him the GND and he excitedly told us he had seen a EWFG fly onto the sea, flushed by beach walkers it had joined the Brent flock on the Approach fields. I was keen to get there fast the sun was out, but as I reached the fields the sun clouded over again (typical!) It was still there with the 15 Brent Goose and I enjoyed good views of the adult White- fronted Goose, for a few minutes, it seemed wary, and as I looked down at the camera when a group of people walked past and the Goose was gone, it must have been flushed by them and flown off! (The same group of walkers who had flushed it from the beach) The Brents were still there. No sooner had this happened when a big flock of 25 Geese flew overhead and they separated into flocks of 11 White- fronted geese and 14 Barnacle Geese flying south. Around a few minutes later, I saw a flock of 14 Barnacle Geese fly past and south (the same flock from earlier?) A look at Asda Riverside, Lowestoft failed to reveal anything, nothing at Hamilton Dock either, next stop Ness Point and I looked over at the 'finger'/jetty and finally I had a double figure count of 10 Purple Sandpipers feeding at the end. My highest tally of the winter so far and just reward for checking over most days over Christmas! Later on in the afternoon, looking at cars at Lings with Jenny, I casually checked the western edge of the Grain silo and spied 1 Peregrine Falcon perched on the grey cowling hood near the top of the tower. Another good one for the year.

Showy Purple Sandpipers at Ness Point

At about midday Monday 30th December, on the very fine sunny day, I drove down to Ness Point and immediately bumped into Gavin D, I was hoping to see the reported 9 Purple sands, initially there were none, but Gavin spotted 2 fine Purple Sandpipers on the defence rocks just south of the compass by the ledge. Walking down to the southern tip of Ness Point 3 Rock Pipits were seen, 2 flew over to the SLP yard. Nothing in Hamilton Dock, save for 1 Cormorant and 1 Black- headed Gull fishing. We walked over to the rocks just north of the finger and this new hot spot for the species revealed 2 very confiding individuals, so 4 Purple Sandpiper in all. As always great to photograph in this light where the purple iridescence in the plumage truly stood out. An incredible 5 Ringed Plovers (my largest number of this species at Ness Point) flew north very close in. Initially asleep on the rocks, our patience was rewarded when of another 2 Purple Sandpipers, first one then the second woke up and started feeding. The first individual even flew closer and fed around 10 feet away albeit in shadow.

5 Purple Sandpipers at Ness Point

Also on Saturday 28th December, I went down to Ness Point at 3pm on the rocks by the compass I saw 2 Purple Sandpipers and by the defence rocks just north of the finger, I saw first 3 Purple sandpipers all on one rock and 2 further Purple Sandpipers behind them, so 5 Purple Sandpipers in total was my highest tally of this winter to date (although 11 had been seen earlier in the day). Also a Rock Pipit seen here and 2 further Rock Pipit flying around the SLP yard and then onto the rocks by the sea.

North- west Norfolk trip for the Eastern Yellow Wagtail Alaskan Wagtail

On Saturday 28th December, I drove over to John H's at Hemsby and together with Tony S and Bob B, John drove us up to near Ringsfield so we could try for the Eastern Yellow Wagtail Alaskan Wagtail a new sub- species for the UK and a good bird to try and see. Arriving at john's at 7am, we went over to Acle and picked up Tony S and Bob B and within an hour a quarter we were approaching Docking then realising we needed to take the road between Ringsfield and Sedgeford, we turned and and off and along the country road we initially saw a load of cars parked on the left side of the road and a massive muck heap also on the left side of the road. The bird wasn't there sadly but was on view from a track to the right where we looked over a field and a kind birder enabled us all to look through his scope and see the excellent Eastern Yellow Alaskan Wagtail (EYWAW). It has been labelled Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Alaskan Yellow Wagtail, Tschutschensis Wagtail, a real mouthful! Anyway a great bird whatever it is called!It looked to me like what a blue- headed wagtail would look like in winter. Problem is the complete lack of literature on this type of bird. It was seen in the field and then flew south and was seen on the brow of the hill. It then flew further south and we walked 400 yards down the track to see 2 smaller Muck heaps on the right and the bird was initially seen between the 2 muck heaps in the company of a Pied Wagtail and then EYWAW flew away and perched in the top of some trees before returning and was on the ground in front of a large puddle then it returned to the left hand muck heap wandering around the left hand side before returning to the area between the muck heaps in grassy stems being then flying up to the left hand muck heap. An interesting bird it showed a grey head thick white square ended super cilia ending 2/3 of the way back along its head, darker black loves between the bill and eye, pale bill with a dark tip, grey brown mantle and white fringed dark flight feathers and dark slate grey legs log dark white edged tail which it constantly quivered as it walked about searching for food. It also had a distinctive, diagnostic sharp tshreep like a metallic "Richard's Pipit" type call. It had yellowy underparts with whitish throat. A super bird! Really difficult to photograph though as the light was abysmal and the distance involved from the bird, so I decided to gamble and lower the ISO to 1600 and hope the bird stayed still long enough to get a reasonable image I was quite pleased with the result! Next stop was just after the bridge, by Holkham fields a Buzzard seen perched. Heading to Wells and after 50 yards we parked on the left by the start of the footpath across the fields to Wells/ Holkham woods. Looking across 2 fields we had excellent views of a fine immature Rough- legged Buzzard perched on top of a bush by some huts. Also seen was a Buzzard perched on a post and a Grey Heron flew to a nearby dyke.

Christmas Day Great Northern

On Christmas Day, I visited Benacre, parking at Covehithe at just after 9am there was not a soul about and I made my way down the cliffs, viewing a group of 5 Brent Geese in the approach field, 2 were immature birds with barring on the wings. 4 Linnets flew over the cliffs (where about another 2 metres had fallen into the sea) At the Broad, the fine i<b>mmature Great Northern Diver was straight out about half way out showing well, diving occasionally it sometimes fed on food and it even swam up to some BH Gulls nearby. Also seen at the very back of the Broad straight across were 3 Goldeneye, 2 males and a female. A walk down to Covehithe Broad along the cliff top, revealed lots of walkers and dog walkers down at Covehithe and the beach (now 11.30am) more than I've ever seen on Xmas Day before. There were 4 Goldeneye on the Broad, a male and female at the far southern western end and distant plus 2 further females by the northern end, one would have been quite close but was flushed by a dog walker. Nothing at Asda Lake Lothing, save for 1 adult Cormorant on the near post and nothing at Ness Point, but at Link's road there were 3 adult winter Mediterranean Gulls one was ringed (sadly I couldn't read the ring. It either started with a B or an 8 silver ring.