Back to local patching

On Sunday 18th October, it was a nice early jaunt around Corton, with a rasping Brambling perched high up in the south east corner of Corton churchyard bordering the road. 2 Redwings in the hedge and more heard around the churchyard, 4 Blackbirds in the hedge but no sign of the Ouzel. A Grey Wagtail called and flew over and headed south- east. A walk around Corton new sewage works was uneventful until a 1st winter female Ring Ouzel took exception to me walking past the western path just 30 metres south of the metal gate by Stirrups Lane. heavily obscured, I could she was brown and very scaly (hence 1st winter) and paler wings and cream white crescent on the breast then shew as gone! Immediately afterwards 20 calling Redpolls flew overhead and north.

Big day in Norfolk

On Saturday 17th October, I was keen to get some pictures of the Red- flanked Bluetail at Waxham, so I parked very early at first light by Shangri-La and walked the mile south following the footpath, one of the infamous the East Norfolk suppressors was hurriedly rushing back (I wondered if he as off to twitch a mega rarity but he didn't say anything to me) and past the RB Shrike area (I could have parked opp. Brograve Farm and walked down Penny Lane), around 24 Redpolls flew north west calling as they flew over, over the Dunes then inland to the area formerly known as the pipe dump, around 150 Pink- footed Geese seen in the field. The grass was flooded and we (5 other birders photographers present) looked back into the bushes and it wasn't long before the excellent Red- flanked Bluetail was seen flitting around in the trees and then it preceded to hunt for food from the fence giving good views albeit in poor light. It would occasionally disappear and iour attention shifted to the up to 5 Goldcrests flying down to the ground feeding on insects from the ground giving really confiding views. The Red- flanked Bluetail was then perched on the fence further north and as the photographers moved the bird moved further along. Having heard the amazing news that a Rufous Bush Chat had been seen at 7.28am at Stiffkey Campsite path by the salt marshes, I was in a dilemma of what to do. I decided to check out the Church and a chap was there, the magnificent well marked male Black Redstart was seen on the Church tower then the church roof and when he left, he flew down to the gravestones to feed. It was joined by a female Black Redstart by the tower. When 3 very loud talking toggers with 400mm lens turned up very noisily both birds flew up to the top of the tower, I decided to leave and as I approached the car 50 yards east of the church a female Black Redstart was seen on the fence opposite. I then drove up to North Norfolk and approaching Stiffkey I was unsure where to park or where to go but luckily Lee Evans was standing by the second road heading seawards at Stiffkey and I asked him where to park, he indicated 300 yards further along on the A149 on the left, another birder said some cars had left and I found a spot to park completely off the road but it was a tight fit, luckily birder directed me in and I walked back and down the road to the campsite, cars parked all along the side all sensibly and walked out onto a very and very muddy saltmarsh, luckily Carl B. had tweeted to take Wellingtons which I had on and I very nervously joined (with a mask on) a crowd of some 300 strong, 200 the seaward end and a 100 along another creek. I saw Gerald J. and Matthew D. and they directed to to be big clump or island of Sueda and bushes amongst the saltmarsh. After 20 minutes still no sign but excitement from left of where we were were I walked over and saw Jeremy G who had the bird in a dark hole on the ground along the right side of the island from where he was looking at, I got onto the bird straight away, a magnificent Rufous Bush Chat, one of my most wanted European birds having missed them in Lesvos (too early and Rhodes (too late) and also in other parts of Europe. It was initially stood on the ground facing left the dark eye- stripe and crown seen and longish bill, it appeared to be a pale creamish colour but when it moved round it showed its long rufous raggedy tail which was held low then characteristically cocked (RB Fly like) the whole bird could be seen facing right then it moved right and only the back and tail could be seen, before it moved around again and the head bill and mantle could be seen, after about 4 minutes it flew up showing a riot of rufous colouring specifically its long tail and it perched out on the open in vegtation if full view for an all too short 10 seconds before it flew over and left over the bushes and out of sight. An amazing sighting all seen through the scope, a little too far away for the camera. On the walk back I was joined by Richard from Bungay who had memorably found the calling Corncrake one summer and Jeremy G joined us. We met Matthew S and we walked the mile or so back past Stiffkey campside woods and to the far end just around the corner. In the wood hear, I immediately got onto the fine Pallas's Warbler that was immidiately above me, it helpfully called around 10X during the period of observation making easier to pick again away from the foraging 5 or so Golcrests also feeding in the wood. When I moved out to the field edge looking into the wood, it helpfully stopped and preened on a branch enabling some oictures to be taken. Walking back really good to see Justin L out and about, I told him so and then I bade my farewell to Matthew S and drove back to Waxham but the very sunny weather I had encountered back at Sheringham and all the way to North Walsham and Stalham led to incresing cloud and poorer light as I travelled through Sea Palling then Waxham so a return trip to the RFB was ruled out and I headed to Corton Churchyard where I saw Tim B. we had a female Sparrowhawk fly past and west. Around 3 Blackbirds were in the hedge and I thought heard some brief Ouzel like chacking, Tim left and by 5.15pm, a 4th Thrush was in the bush feeding albeit heavily obscured it a pale buffish crescent on its chest it was the fine female Ring Ouzel although always buried deep in the bush. Driving back along Station road by the playing field I heard a Grey Wagtail which appeared to be travelling south and last memorable encounter was an old American Police car (straight out of the "Dukes of Hazzard!") driving east half way down Corton Long Lane then turning down a rough track/ lane heading north!) FIRST PIC BY KIND COURTESY OF JOHN H (too far away when I saw it!)

Fall of birds around Corton

With rain and north- easterly winds and the rain easing off Wednesday afternoon just nicely for me to have a quick look around the area, I started at Link's Road car park, no sign of the Brent Goose so I decided to go to the only area where news hadn't been forthcoming, Corton. It turned out to be a good choice but as drew into Corton Church carpark I could see both Rob M & his wife and Richard S looking in the far hedge they had beaten me to it! They had seen a LW and Goldcrests but little else, I decided to check the old sewage works where sadly the field just north of there was rapidly being developed, a flock of Herring Gulls in the field and little else so I walked back and in the hedge bordering the dyke. I was pleased to see a Lesser Redpoll (cabaret) moving about in the bush albeit heavily obscured. Back in the Churchyard, I saw the Lesser Whitethroat fly diagonally across the churchyard and it showed reasonably well in the back hedge. I could only see the head and the mantle, it was quite a sandy brown individual with no clear distinction between the crown and the mantle, from the picture afterwards I could see white in the tail, so James B's suggestion that it was a blythii Siberian Lesser Whitethroat seems entirely feasible, although I couldn't see any pale lores, the bird didn't call while I watched it moving about in the hedge and I only saw the head and mantle. Several Goldcrests were seen around 8. A tweet from Richard S. he struck the jackpot with finding a super Pallas's warbler along the western path of the new SW. Northing along the old Corton rail track, so I walked along the path heading west by the road and then took the western path south and joined Richard S in the south- west corner of the complex and LT Tits moved through and loosely associating with them I refound the excellent Pallas's Warbler with thick yellow supercilia, wing bars and lemon yellow rump, as I alaways a real gem of a bird. It moved wuickly right, around half way up the tree then see in the next tree then it disappeared. James B and Chris A arrived. I decided to check radar lodge road and the wooded walk along the edge of the Potters' field. Lots of Goldcrests seen including a flock of 8 flying in and several chacking Thrushes and "tseeping" Redwings, a mystery white underparted Warbler seen distantly along the north-west edge of Radar Lodge but it disappeared quickly.

Redwings calling over the garden

On Monday- Tuesday 12 & 13 October Redwings were heard a group of 4 one night and then 8 flew over during the early morning of the 13th all over the garden.

Pink-footed Geese over the Paget

On Monday 12th October 54 Pink- footed Geese flew in a "V" formation calling as they flew WNW low over the Burrage Centre at James Paget Hospital where I was sitting outside by the new picnic tables having my lunch.

Really disappointing weekend

On Saturday 10th October, I was hoping to twitch the Lammergeier in Lincolnshire but not sure exactly where to go I opted to leave it to Sunday and travel with John H, it showed really well so that was a big mistake that I bitterly regret as the bird had gone Saturday. Instead, I travelled to Southwold campsite and saw the Radde's Warbler briefly in the low right- hand branch of a pine tree for all of 5 seconds at 10.40am that's all I saw and no pics, which was very disappointing. Twitchers standing in the area where it frequented didn't help. A Redpoll flew over calling too. Little seen on Sunday.

Second try to photograph the Steppe Grey Shrike

On Wednesday 7 October, at 4pm I parked again at Kessingland Caravan park and walked through although no sign of the GGS Shrike on the levels by the JVC digger, it wasn't showing as I walked past. Likewise for the SGS viewing from the cliff top, I was staring into the sun, so I took the track leading inland from Beach farm. 3 birders were intently staring at the bush line running south past 2 pillboxes either side. Trouble was that they were too far away to ask and when I saw a female Sparrowhawk fly down the line of bushes, I feared the worst and they immediately turned and started walking back down the road and inland, I couldn't ask them if they had seen the Shrike fly off, hide up or been caught by the Hawk? I went back to the cliff top and viewing from a safe area, I still couldn't see the Shrike, so again I went back inland. This time I heard a familiar voice greet me, and ace field birder, James B turned up and another birder was there too. Immediatelt, James B called a calling Lapland Bunting that flew north west over a field, a heavier bunting seen, a great spot! 10 Redpolls were also calling flew south too. Matthew D then arrived and informed us he had bumped into the birders as they were walking back along the track and the Shrike had flown up high and flown north. Armed with this info, we walked north along the back of Benacre Pit and at 5.28pm, Matthew D brilliantly relocated the superb Steppe Grey Shrike just on top of some bushes at the back of the Pit, bordering the field to the west (where the GGS had been seen on Monday). A more buff tinged grey bird with noticably horn coloured (ie. not black bill as in GGS). It stayed here for a while and the best views were had standing just inside the field (just west of the pillbox) to the south west of the bird, where I managed to obrtain the following shot (see below), tricky light conditions so I had to use an exposure of +1. After 20 minutes it hopped and sat on top of the bush for a further 5 minutes before it flew up and flew over the thicket/ large area of scrub to the south west of the pit presumably flying ack to its favoured area. On the Pit, 2 Little Grebe were seen constantly diving. A flock of 12 Linnet were seen also. Mission accomplished, reasonably pleased with the record shot obtained, albeit in difficult light.