Nothing doing

On Saturday 20th November, the dull and gloomy day reflected the lack of birds with a look at Kessingland North beach no sign whatsoever of the Shore Lark or Snow Buntings anywhere along the North beach. A dog walking couple were continually lobbing a ball into the water for their Alsation dog, at the south end of the shore pool, so no chance there. The only birds seen were 3 Meadow Pipit and 18 Goldfinch flew south disturbed by a hunting Kestrel and a Little Egret that flew over to the large seaward shorepool and fished along the south- east corner. A look at North Quay Retail park, lots of Gulls on Morrisons roof accept the hoped for Caspian, no sign of Peregrines at the Grain Silo and nothing at Ness Point either, a very poor day, which really reflects this worst of all autumn's.

Birthday bonus: a fine afternoon out

On Sunday 14 November seawatching at Ness Point revealed very little I had received a puncture the day before. 15 November 2021, I had to work in the morning have to attend an important clinical skills MS Teams meeting. However by 12.30pm I was able to leave and I drove straight up to Waxham. Parking at the end of Penny Lane, I was fortunate to bump into Tony S. and he said he'd seen the Shrike all over! I walked down Penny Lane, no sign of it, but 2 Stonechats (first a male then joined by the female) seen on a line of bushes bordering the fields. So I walked north towards Waxham chuch along the path just east of the field. On walking back, I saw the excellent Great Grey Shrike fly across the field (oviously been inland somewhere) and it flew into a thicket half way along. No sign of it when I reached there, so I decided to look along the beach. In the far distance were around 30 adult Seals and 2 cream-white pups. Whilst out to sea, a Red- throated Diver sat fairly close in on the sea. Back at the car, I heard the contact call of a Yellowhammer and looking north-west along the road, I could see a fine male Yellowhammer perched atop of a tree and it was soon joined by a female Yellowhammer. I then heard about some Whoopers and parking near the farm shop at Inham, I looked east into a field, where there were aload of Mute Swans in a dip with a lake, just right of them were 6 fine Whooper Swans that swam left to join them. Driving back and parking back at Penny Lane looking due east and by the footpath to the Church, the fine Great Grey Shrike was seen very distantly in a bare spindly tree. Finally nearer, I stopped and counted 68 reasonably close Pink- footed Geese in the field just east of the road.

A trip out to Covehithe and Easton Broads

On Saturday 13th November, after a few really difficult weeks, I was really pleased to join Paul & Jane F over to Covehithe Broad where we saw first a female Marsh Harrier and then a male Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds at the back but very sadly, no sign of the hoped for Bewick's Swans. There were several Mute Swans, 5, 2 immatures and 3 adults. Out to sea, we saw first a flock of 123 Common Scoters far out to sea, they were joined by other Common Scoters and totalled 210 in all. Walking to Easton Broad by walking over the wooded cliff, no sign of hoped for Woodcock by a small field with Highland Cattle a Long- tailed Tit flock included 3 Marsh Tits and 1 of these birds regularly flew over to the trees along the cliff edge and fed on some seeds. By the Broad edge at Easton Broad, 2 Turnstone seen and walking back, an inquisitive Grey Seal stuck its head out of the water close several times. Several small groups of Starlings flew in off the sea (about 10 of groups c30 birds each). 2 Gannets flew North and a Red- throated Diver flew North as did 1 Dunlin too. Back at Covehithe Broad first a female Stonechat flew into the reeds at the back and then she was joined by a male Stonechat too.

At last finally some birds & a fine Merveille du Jour

On Sunday 24th October, a look around Gunton Warren revealed the Ring Ouzel, as I walked behind and aove the second Holm Oak copse just north of Warren House wood, the Ring Ouzel flew out and landed in bracken just behind. from here it flew into a Mountain Ash tree. It was later seen along the cliff top in flight at Gunton Warren before eventually returning back flying into the Holm Oak copse. A look out to see by Warren House wood revealed a fine mid distance Little Auk flying north, (my first for several yaers) which I was able to put a recently arrived Rob H onto. Meanwhile at Pakefield by Crazy Mary's Gulley, behind the lighthouse and assembled team of birders initilalay failed to find or see anything, until late on. We received a shout and Dick, Paul & Jane F, Maurice et al went to the southern end of a wooded shrub copse where we saw the excellent Pallas's Warbler that flitted up a tree then down again and then it flitted to the right hand side. It showed the array of broad yellow latteral crown stripes, yellow rump showed well when it briefly hovered in flight flycatching. A few minutes after we first saw it it disppaeraed lile a willo the wisp and was gone! On Wednesday 27th October, John H very kindly informed me he had caught a Merveille du Jour Moth and would I like to see it? A very pretty Moth that I'd always wanted to see. This was a very welcome diversion for me from recent travails and as I was off at 2.30pm from work that day it was perfect timing too. John lives at Hemsby in Norfolk and I arrived at John's and he took the Moth out of the fridge I managed a few pics with my 150mm Macro lens and managed the following shots on a piece of log then outside where it was left to eventually fly again back in the wild. A special very special afternoon, so big thanks to John.

Red- eyed Vireo at Sparrow's Nest, Lowestoft now the 30th anniversary!

I can't believe it is now (or it will be on the 6th October) 30 years since Rob Wilton & I found a Red- eyed Vireo in Sparrow's Nest, Lowestoft. Still my best ever find & with Vireos very much in the news currently with 3 on Shetland and 1 on Bardsey, it might be worth a look in the Sparrow's Nest tomorrow to see if history repeats itself (I wish). It doesn't seem like 5 minutes since I was writing about the 25th anniversary.

Benacre Merganser

On Sunday 3rd October, having stayed in over the last weekend due to the fuel crisis and I couldn't afford to waste any as I needed what I had in the tank for work. I was finally able to get out and decided to drive down to Covehithe. I walked down to the hide at Benacre Broad, the hide has had its shutters taken off (bit of a shame as the floor and seats were rather wet from yesterday's extreme rain storm and the wood will also rot much quicker too) and the introduction of a hand sanitiser! Looking out over the Broad, initially not a lot seen, save for 87 Greylag Geese resting on the broad edge by the beach and 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebes. But after several scans the female Red- breasted Merganser surfaced. At 10.56, a lone Barnacle Goose flew in and joined the Greylags on the beach. The bird was ringed with white lettering J19 on a blue ring (left leg) with double ring on the right leg silver below, yellow on top. At 11.21, a massive flock of 140+ Barnacle Geese flew in, about 70 continued west and around 70 settled on the beach. At least 6 of these were ringed and I was able to read the rings on a further 4; E or F44, H23, H27 & K07 white lettering on blue rings all on their left legs and all sported a double silver/ white on top on their right legs. I will get all of these sent off. Searching through these Geese, I saw 2 small Canada Geese types but on close inspection and a tip off from Rob H, they didn't look quite right and were in fact Canada X Barnacle Goose hybrids (probably 3X Canada & 1X Barnacle). Paul & Jane F arrived and the Merganser was showing a little better in the middle of the Broad, not quite Ferguson views, but better than before! A tweet of a Bonxie flying south and we quickly disembarked from the hide and an eventful seawatch revealed a fine Porpoise showing most of its body when it surfaced 3X rather than just the dorsal fin. I spotted a Red- throated Diver flying south on the horizon and another spotted flying south a little later. 2 Sandwich Terns flying south spotted by Paul and then another Sandwich Tern flying south. Finally, a Grey Seal spotted by Jane was swimming north. As I walked back up the cliff, I noticed a hairy caterpillar on a small oak leaf, thanks to Jane F for Id'ing it as a Vapourer Moth larvae from the phone pic (please note the pic is from the phone & not macro lens). Walking back along the entrance lane to Covehithe Church, I spotted 2 fine Ivy Bees taking nectar from Ivy flowers.

Golden Plover over garden

At 6.50pm on Tuesday 21st September, I was delighted to hear (but not see) a calling Golden Plover was heard calling several times over the back garden and from the calls it was heading NW.