Best seawatch ever!

On Sunday 9th October, I will pre-empt this entry by explaining that the much missed, much lamented the late Ricky F used to often decry poor seawatches as "the worst seawatch ever!", Ricky did however later pick up some really good seabirds later on and in truth, he was an excellent seawatcher and his former mantle of not seeing much out to sea, I had inherited in recent years, but hopefully this has now changed, it certainly did today! a WhatsApp tweet from Brian S stating that a Pterodama Petrel species had just been seen off Southwold and heading north had me driving to Ness Point, rather an inconveniently a set of traffic lights had been added near the Foxburrow but despite this and the Ravine being closed I arrived at Ness Point at 9.20am and soon set up joining Rob H, no sooner had I done so, than Rob shouted he had it... reasonably close around 3/4 mile out just beyond the 2 yellow bouys. A distinctive bird, this Fea's type Petrel, it really flew quickly it was spiralling up and down one minute disappearing beneath the high waves next looping up and careering up with angled wings and then glding down again, generally dark (greyish above), dark underwings, greyish head and white belly with short dark stubby bill and obvious very pointed tail end and greyish upperparts to the tail (bigger than Leach's Petrel but smaller than a Sooty- I would guess midway inbetween), I saw it 3X but it was easy to lose it when under the high waves, I saw it for a total of around 2 minutes duration (between 9.30-9.32am) and finally lost it as it passed the green bouy further north. Rob then rang Rob Wil and I rang James B to get them onto it. I am very pleased to say James B then saw it at 9.37am, I rang John H who went to Scratby but alas both Rob Wil and John H missed it. Rob shouted Sooty and we saw a fine dark brown all dark Shearwater, a Sooty Shearwater. Another 2nd Sooty, also flew north, so 2 Sooty Shearwaters in all, with long and narrow wings Birds were passing including groups of Brent Geese flying south 5, 3, 8 etc. The Wigeon, 1, 3, 5 going south. Plus Dunlin going south 5, 8 etc. Divers, mostly RTs were sen flying south including 8 single birds with one bird really close in. A Grey Plover flew south, Black auxillaries (armpits! prominent). Gannets- 1, 3, 5, 1, 1 went south. Andrew E arrived just 10 minutes too late and later Peter N, too. Andrew soon spotted a bird flying north dark above, and pale whitish greyer below, smaller and slimmer than Arttic with long slender wings and the flight was bouncing up and down as it flew north, a fine probable Long- tailed Skua! About 10 minutes later, a much closer bird, also smaller and slimmer, with long slender wings dark above with noticable frosty barring on the underwings rump and attenuated tail with a blunt tip, it's flight was also typically "bouncy" and this really was it, a fine immature Long- tailed Skua, my first for many years and a personal first for Lowestoft,(I'd previously seen some off Southwold)! Further out for nice comparison I spotted a typical dark phase Arctic Skua flying low over the water going north then wheeling up to harry a Gull several times before continuing north. A little later on, Andrew E then shouted Pom and we picked up a heavier looking Skua fine dark, barrel chested a fine Pomarine Skua (just past the yellow bouys- and another Skua I haven't seen for a few years), with noticable primary patch white wing flash seen on the underwing. Flying steadily north. It was a real Skua ID masterclass today!

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.