Bits and bobs

On Saturday 8th October, at Asda, a Cormorant was seen on the post and a Peacock butterfly plus Blue Tit and Meadow Pipit flew over. Later on in the faternoon, a magnificent kettle of 8 Buzzards spiralling just north of Bosquet Close and 2 Buzzards flew low over the garden too.

Very late flowering Green- flowered Helleborine

On Tuesday 4th October 2022, I had a chance to leave early on a Tuesday as I am working Wednesday afternoon this week. Gavin D kindly offered to show me from 3.30pm, where the Green flowered Helleborine was which he had refound earlier this week. At a marsh in deepest Suffolk, This super plant was seen under a large bush by a river and was growing from the bush trunk a small plant of around 7 inches in length. Very difficult conditions for photography having to use flash and having to secure a very precarious foot hold.

Red- throated Diver close in off Gunton Beach

On Monday 3rd October, after tweets from Alison A, James W and a phone call very gratefully received from Nick B, I was advised of a very close Red- throated Diver in summer plumage off Gunton beach, just 200 metres north off Warren House Wood, immediately after work at 5pm. I drove to Marine Parade and ran as fast as I could to the aforementioned area. I knew the light would soon be going as the nights are drawing in. I saw Nick and another chap on the beach just 200 metres north off Warren House Wood, looking at the tidelines and the surf just beyond. The wonderfully near full summer plumaged Red- throated Diver very close in on the sea regularly feeding diving regularly and swimming first left and then right between the groynes. It repeatedly followed this process and I was able to run a few metres to position myself as it dived and be in position when it eventually resurfaced. Finally, it eventually swam out to sea a little.

Wall Browns, dipped Rustic & ringed Caspian

Feeling washed out due to receiving the Flu vaccine on Friday, on Saturday 1st October, I returned to Corton Old sewage works, after James B had seen the long staying YBW, early morning. No such luck but nice to see Rob & Kate M & a chap from Bungay way, we saw Chiff- Chaffs and several Hornets and when Rob H arrived a Queen Hornet buzzed past my face just inches away! We did see along the western hedge first a tatty Wall Brown on a flower, then a second Wall Brown on flowers, in much better condition and the finally one, a third Wall Brown, on flowers by the southern edge of the Corton Old sewage works. As we were leaving news of a Rustic Bunting (a very well deserved & superb find, of a super bird by Matt S) found along a path to brograve Mill from Horsey corner meant a walk of about a mile which beyond me, with my reaction to the jab. On Sunday, with the bird still there, I drove up to Horsey Corner, picking up John H and parking at Horsey Gap paying the £5 car parking charge, from Horsey corner we walked west with a Kingfisher flying over th epath and left in front of me and around 200 Pink- footed geese flying east. A crowd of people including Tony S, Dereham boys etc were in front of us but despite there sharp eyes we were out of luck and didn't see the Bunting. Returning home, late afternoon following a tweet, from Rob W, I drove to Swimming Pool road, parked up and first looking south no caspian Gull could be seen but 3 groynes north of the Oval, there it was a fine 1st winter Caspian Gull, with a yellow ring on its right leg stating P:XT6, it was perched on one of the groyne and spent most of its time wing stretching. Finally 42 Turnstones seen on or near the finger at Ness Point (still no Purple sand for me) nothing in Hamilton Dock.

Grey Wagtail over

On Monday XX September, as I was leaving for work, I heard a Grey Wagtail calling the house as it flew over.

Initial poor luck, but then a pop-up Yellow- brow

On Saturday 25th September, Andrew E had seen a Continental Coal Tit in Score, parking up I saw Andrew walking back and I did see a Holly Blue butterfly the north end of the score, but that's all I saw. I had left my phone at home and Andrew E had tweeted that he had seen a tired Mealy Redpoll, fly in off the sea at Ness Point, about the time I checked the Netposts area seeing nothing I hadn't continued onto the Point. So after returning home, I drove back down to Ness Point and couldn't find the Mealy Redpoll although rather ominously there was a Magpie in the compund where the Mealy had last been seen. On Sunday 26th September, I walked down the western hedge of Corton Old Sewage works, a Chiff- Chaff was singing and just a few metres past the NW corner, I saw the excellent Yellow- browed Warbler pop from the weeds and then into the Willow showed well briefly before disappearing, an hour later the bird called 3X in quick succession but we couldn't see it. I also saw a Hornet. I left to check a report of an LT Skua off Corton, (soon as I left James B relocated the YBW) all I saw on the sea was a Grey Seal, which was nice, it was popping its head from time to time, but I would have preferred to see the Skua. The sea was completely birdless, when I looked. Later on after Andrew E had a Caspian Gull along North Beach, it had gone by the time I arrived.

Benacre Shrike

On Sunday 11th September, a day after I had driven back from Wales, after a very welcome call from Jane F I had great difficulty parking but decided to park in the inland "Beach" car park and walked the mile and a half walk first to the Kessingland Sluice, I met David B and his wife coming back and we had a brief chat before I joined first Jane & Paul F and Clive. We saw a Wheatear here. later James B overlooking the corner section we soon saw the fine immature Red- backed Shrike perched on top of a Hawthorn and other bushes but it was fairly distant. Being by the bushes at the rear of the Sluice scrub corner. A message saying Jake G had an Osprey flying north from benacre and James B picked it up and we saw it, a fine Osprey circling fairly distantly before it flew , Jake G and I think Ben M arrived as did Dick and I made my exit. I was walking past by the caravan park. Along Kessingland levels bushes, I saw a male Stonechat and a female Reed Bunting,I received another tweet saying 2 Ravens were circling the Shrike and heading north-east exactly where I was! So I ran made up the sandy dunes to a notable high point and saw the pair of Ravens circling and then they flew south and west. They are certainly on my Benacre list but not quite in Lizardland!