Kessingland shore pool birds

On Tuesday 18th February, at Kessingland North beach, I wanted to take some scenery shots for my forthcoming talk on Friday 3rd April at 7.15pm at St. Marks Church, Oulton Broad (all visitors welcome!) for the Lowestoft RSPB, but I could see immediately that the shore pool had increased in size dramatically and walking around I saw the 8 Sanderling along the west side and then 3 Ringed Plovers around the east side. I could hear Snow Bunting calling and 5 Snow Buntings flew in including 2 smart males, one was very white. Another Lark call heralded the arrival of the wonderful Shore Lark flew in and started feeding along the tideline just east of the northern section of pool. I was joined by 2 other birders and we waited to see if they would come to us. The Snow Buntings approached to within 50 feet as did the Shore Lark but they suddenly flew further along the beach (we hadn't moved) but they did come back and the Shore Lark flew back a little (we hadn't encroached on these birds one bit). The Shore Lark then sat down in the sand, a digiscoper arrived and we put him onto the bird and promptly left. It was refreshing to be asked by a lady dog walker, what bird I had seen, and when I explained she kindly called her dogs back so that they wouldn't disturb the Shore Lark. As I was walking back past the field just south of Heathlands, a lady said she had seen 5 "Snow Buntings" fly in and I walked along and saw 5 fine Sanderlings by the puddle, I explained to the lady the correct ID of the birds. A look around Lake Lothing from the railway bridge revealed an Oystercatcher by the shore edge and a Cormorant on a post but not the hoped for Shag.

RIP Benacre Hide?

On Monday 17th February, I first saw an excellent 1st winter Shag on the jetty by Mutford Lock Bridge, Oulton Broad. From there I got back into the car and drove to Covehithe. Driving along the A12 just before Wrentham, a fine Red Kite drifted west low over the woods and over the road then it drifted west. Seeing the sea had beached the Broad at Covehithe I decided to walk to Benacre Broad. Another 3 metres at least had fallen down from the cliffs following storms Ciara and Dennis. The hide was now barely 20 metres from the sea and this was at low tide. It's unlikely, unless the hide is moved and the Gooch estate so I am told is against it being moved onto their land (move a few hundred yards west so it looks out more from the south- west corner of the Broad) and Natural England unlikely to fund a move in any case. The next big storm or neap spring tide might finally submerge it and sweep it away. Such a shame for what was formerly a perfectly positioned and a very fine hide with a lot of very happy memories of being with great company and seeing some fine birds from a great vantage point, Wilson's Phalarope & WT Eagle X2 springs to mind). Initially I couldn't see the Diver, 4 Gadwall seen along the western end and then in the north west corner the fine Great Northern Diver finally surfaced and showed distantly on and off (it was constantly diving). I took some pics of the hide, the cliffs and the trees that had fallen down onto the beach, I attempted the walk to Covehithe Broad, but half way along a sandstorm forced me to retreat and retrace my steps.

Again no SEO

At 3pm on Friday 15th, parking at the far end of Carlton Marshes by the railway line, I was fortunate enough to see some birds fly from bushes including at least very welcome checking Fieldfare, my first UK one of the year. Walking down by the birches I saw Gavin D and we saw several Barn Owls and then walking around I saw Rob H and more Barn Owls were seen, probably about 5 in total. On one occasion a male Kestrel really harried the Owl and we also saw a Kingfisher dart through, and a Stock Dove flew into a birch tree overhead. The Toggers/ Owl mafia were further down the track and seemed to be behaving themselves and a distant white- headed Buzzard sat on a gatepost and walking back another Buzzard flew over the track. Again no sogn of any SEO's am I really unlucky?

Shag at Lake Lothing

On Friday 15th February, having cancelled my trip to Wales due to the impending onslaught of Storm Dennis, I took a look around Oulton Broad nothing seen at all. From the railway bridge, overlooking Lake Lothing looking east I could see 2 Cormorant and 1 fine immature Shag fishing, it would characteristically leap out of the water to dive. Looking right I could see Jane F by the concrete promentory and joining her I just missed another immature Shag which was flushed by a boat heading east along the river. A Little Grebe, (1 of 3 seen) was seen relatively close but the inevitable dog walker kept a little distant and when I went back it was very close and once it dived I ran into position and was ready for some pics, until I had the misfortune to meet yet another Togger with no consideration and lacking any fieldcraft (the two seemed to go hand in hand with these guys in my recent experience) who walked straight up to me asking me where the Shag was and next time I saw the Little Grebe (after a vanishing act of 20 minutes) it was by a distant boat.

No SEO at Carlton Marshes

On Wednesday 12th February, at 4pm I arrived at Carlton Marshes and walking down the main track over the Scrape I saw a a female Stonechat on a gate and a fine Great White Egret flying west at about 4.20pm. Having rang Jane F, I realised I had guessed wrong and walked quickly back east down the main track and past Spratts Water to the area by the Poplar trees to look over the marshy area for SEO's non of them but up to 3 fine Barn Owls hunting (but no sighting of SEO's), a male Stonechat on a reed and a Kingfisher darted past us (Jane & Paul F and I) and flew north low over the ground. As I walked back past Spratts Water , along the bushes to the left I must have unintentionally disturbed around 200 roosting Wood Pigeons.

LEO at Lenny's

On Wednesday 12th February, on my drive over Mutford Lock bridge at 12.20pm, I could see 2 Cormorants at the end of the jetty and what looked like a Shag half way along. Speaking to Jane F earlier she had had seen 2 earlier. At around 1pm after work. Lenny T very kindly invited me over to his house in Wenhaston, where I was able to view a wonderful Long- eared Owl, which had roosted at the end of his garden for the second day running and had been seen on a day or two previously. I have been fortunate enough to know Lenny for many years having been a Southwold patch worker with many great finds over the years. I was very grateful for the hospitality that both Lenny & his wife showed me and the welcome cups of tea, too! I spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the company of good friends, it was really nice to catch up and also that Gerald J and his wife also visited. The Long- eared Owl was perched on the trellis at the end of the garden under the cover of a Leyland hedge (nicely sheltered against the wind) and during the period of observation it stretched, preened itself and looked around but firmly remained in position throughout the period of viewing. Although the cross light rendered a significant challenge for my photography, I hope I got a few acceptable shots of what is such an enigmatic bird. Lenny and his wife told me that on previous visits it would fly around 5.30pm and Lenny later kindly updated telling me that it had a wing stretch then flew at 5.35pm tonight.

A corking bird is the Shore Lark!

On Tuesday 4th February, at the pool by Heathlands steps 8 Sanderling were seen, another good count for the area. By the southern end of the shore pool, the bird was perched on a bund, it raised its wings and then flew off seconds before I first saw the bird. Walking around the western end of the shore pool the bird flew over to the north- east edge of the pool and it fed amongst small areas of grass dotted around the sand and then along shoreline, where it gave superlative views albeit in poor light. The Shore Lark was showing well along the northern edge of the North Beach saline pool by the beach. On Saturday 8th February, a couple were scoping the bird from the south section of the now much reduced shore pool (40% had gone around the southern end) I asked them if it was OK to walk around, having received their assent, they walked back and I spotted the bird again by the north east corner of the pool, again by the shoreline. Taking care not to disturb the bird, I dropped down and got within 30 feet of it, it continued to feed undisturbed and it came towards me within 20 feet and I spent the next hour photographing this obliging bird. Again occasionally it raised its left leg, is it injured? I had noted this on Tuesday and Barry W had mentioned it this morning in a tweet. A very disappointing trip to Carlton Marshes late afternoon trip in seemingly perfect weather failed to reveal any SEOs for me at least, really only a couple of paths to follow as Share Marsh is closed until the spring, but I still couldn't find the bare branches where so many have photographed this bird.