Fruitless search

On Saturday 13th January, I searched for Waxwings around Lowestoft but no sign, no sign of the Diver for me around Mutford Lock and I went to the road just past Ellough Church saw Paul & Jane F but no sign of the Brambling they had seen earlier. I did however see a nice flock of 53 Fieldfare along the road just past the second bend south of the church along the east field. A single Redwing was in amongst them. As I parked up several Fieldfare was reasonably close to the car so I took some pictures from the car, as I did so a Hare hopped past. Later on I looked for a Finch flock around the Church and the Grey Partridges but no sign for me. I also checked the fields around Mutford and saw a single flock of 12 Lapwing off College Lane but that was it.

Trip to Covehithe

On Wednesday 10th January, taking A/L, I tried for the Waxwings along Mill Lane at Covehithe but sadly just missed them. As I drove back just past the wood, I heard a distinctive "mewing" sound and by the tight bend to the left driving back along Mill Lane, a fine low flying Red Kite flew directly over the car and quartered the field to the north of the road.

Shake Rattle and Roll!

On Sunday 7th January, I looked at Mutford Lock, Oulton Broad where 2 Little Grebes behind the Wherry, and Lake Lothing where it was nice to meet up with Rob Wil & his children. Driving to Hamilton Dock nothing there but I had a text to say Rob has seen the GND by the Lowestoft Cruising Club along Lake Lothing. Parking up, I saw Rob Wil & he said it was difficult but Andrew was down there I saw Andrew who siad it was heading for the railway bridge & he'd also seen an Otter by the wreck, I saw some ripples but no Otter for me, which I still need for Lowestoft. Better luck back at Mutford Lock, where the excellent immature Great Northern Diver swam straight towards me, it then raised itself on its haunches to flap its wings and had a good shake hence the Shake Rattle & Roll title (re: Bill Haley & the Comets Rock around the (Mutford) Lock anyone?!). Then again crouching low by the surface of the water. Sometimes when it dived it disappeared for a while before eventually resurfacing and heading back past the railway bridge.

Bird repellant?

On Saturday 6th January, I parked in Commodore road and walked up to the Mutford Lock Bridge, the fine immature Great Northern Diver was there but sitting very low in the water, holding its head just parallel to the water line. It dived and I didn't see it again! I lookeda t Lake Lothing and from Asda, nothing seen there either. I drove over to Ellough, checked the wrong area sandy Lane I then went to sandpit Lane from the Industrial Estate I took the road winding left from there which opened out into field and looking across a alrge field to the left looking back over the road to Beccles I immediately saw a very fine covey of 7 Grey Partridges sheltering near the telegraph pole. These were my first local ones for 8, yes EIGHT years! I drove to Kessingland checked the pools, the beach up to the Snow B feeding area and down to Pakefield Lighthouse nothing there checked the shore and shore pools and saw nothing except Mute Swans (3) seen and 1 Sky Lark. The reedy area I checked there nothing save for a female Reed Bunting.

Big twitch to Essex

On Friday 5th January, I took A/L from work and together with Paul & Jane F (needing the much needed luck as I have missed several big rarities recently) at 7am drove down to Heybridge, Maldon in Essex. Parking at the Daisy Meadows car park having negotiated several flooded roads. We walked right along the river path and through a few roads in surburbia before we saw an area to the side which had reeds bramble and a flooded ditch where the bird had been seen. We arrived on scene around 9.30am, where there was already a large crowd of around 100 people stood around the bank that curled around the flooded ditch. 3 and a half hours passed and no sign of the bird whatsoever we were joined by Jeremy G for an hour or so before he left. Suddenly at around 12 noon behind us in a bush covered ditch where there were only 3 gaps to look in the watery here, I had noticed 2 birders looking in these gaps several times. I heard a double sharp Dipper like call and there was a ripple in the crowd as the more knowledgable birders realised this was the flight call of the bird we were after. Suddenly, a chap had it perched in the bushes but it appeared to move right and we all moved into position, I opted for height but was restricted in a small concrete area with railings and other birders descened into a scrum up here. I abandoned the camera and scope and I knelt down as birders were now saying the bird could be seen in the base of the bush covered ditch. Jane F could could see it, but I couldn't even though I was just a few feet from her. I could'nt move and a voice beside me says just concentrate on the puddle rippkle and the bird will appear, a such enough it did, an absolutely fantastic Northern Water Thrush, Robin sized with cream supercilia, and markings below with thick dark streaking on white underbelly and bubble gum legs and pinkish bill. It walked right picking away at the puddle while its tail was pumped frequently it then quickly walked left again before taking its time constantly feeding around the edge of the puddle and then finally disappeared right of the gap in the hedge. Seen for around 3 minutes, sometime obscured views and sometimes showing completely in the gap and briefly well. The bird appaered to fly right and we decided to leave, I relieved to be out of the scrum, relieve my camera and scope. Next stop was Lodge road Abberton reservoir. We parked at the Community Centre and took the short walk over to the edge of the reservoir where intially we saw a flock of around 120 birds, mostly Tufted Duck, but also 3 Wigeon, 5 Pochard and briefly on thr right hand end a fine female Scaup. Along the back of the reservoir we could a 300+ flock of very distant Pochard, no hope of picking the Canvasback bfro there.

New Year's Day birding

On Monday 1st January 2024, a new year and first light I was down by Hamilton Dock, initially for 20 minutes I could not see the Diver but then it surfaced over the south- west side by the ships. I spent some time with the fine Great Northern Diver, although it was nearly always distant once swimming into the channel before swimming into the south- west corner of the harbour before fishing by the ships. I saw Andrew E, James B, Maurice B., Roger C. Andrew E kindly said he had seen the Black Redstart by the Bus station, but there was initially no sign for me. Wandering over to look for Purple Sands, I couldn't see any but Rog said there was one by the finger promentary and sure enough I saw a fine Purple Sandpiper perched on a reddish rock on the northern flank. I walked back to the Orbis Energy and Matthew D was watching the fine male Black Redstart . on the ground in the western section of Semblamarine SLP. I then drove to Asda, and initially saw a Peregrine perched on the eastern side of the Grain silo, I was joined by Matthew D and he spotted a second on the southern face preening and looking up at a Pigeon, the pair of Peregrines flew aound the Grain Silo then settled down again. I was scanning with my bins and I could see a distant Diver by the new Gullwing Bridge, Matthew D had his scope to hand and we could see it was a fine Red- throated Diver. This was the ideal Diver, to keep fit and get some exercise, as it was constantly on the move, a truly peripatetic Diver! We walked down to the back of Asda, but as soon as I got there it swam to the Gullwing Bridge dived and then was seen east of there and the bird swam very long distances underwater almost reaching the harbour bridge before resurfacing seen near the Grain Silo then dived and then was seen swimming by and under and west through the water underneath the Gullwing bridge, it swam so first underwater truly the Johnny Weissmuller (Champion Olympic swimmer and the best known for his role as Tarzan if the 1930s and 1940s) of Divers. I then drove down to Southwold by this time, by the outskirts of reydon, a Kestrel sen hovering, when I reached Southwold, it was just after 11am and it was truly hellish with cars and people everywhere. The road where cars park either side just before the water Tower was packed out and had to carefully negotiate all the cars and people, I saw Gus, Matthew D & other birders bu the side of th road half way down to the Harbour Inn, who had seen the legs but a Peregrine had spooked it and it had flown back. I managed to take Gus's parking space and I was very fortunately to pick up the super Lesser Yellowlegs, not great views but it was feeding beyond the reed fringes unfortunately directly against the light but the delicate bill, more slender proportions and yellow legs confirmed it was the bird. A quick look on the west side of the road, I saw 3 Curlew fly east, 15 Wigeon and Snipe, 2 Redshank on the marsh east of the road. That was enough for me, I needed to leave Southwold promptly. I then drove down to Thorpeness, saw some Ipswich birders, Matthew D again where walking down the road half way to the Golf Club, we looked out to the island by the Mere and saw a roosting redhead Goosander which later swam in the water and tucked in amongst the Mallard, the fine Ring- necked Duck was asleep, it woke up and the bill tip with the black and white band, bobble on head and greyish flanks preceded by the white side breast area was obvious. We also saw a Goldcrest in a tree in front of us and an overflying male Sparrowhawk flying north- east. Next stop was North Warren which was almost as bad as Southwold with cars and people everywhere, I had to drive down the road 3x before I could find somewhere to park but I did find at least 8 White- fronted Geese on the North marsh, together with 30 Greylag, 40 Canada and 120 Barnacle Geese in ever increasing numbers. After that again time to go. Would I brave the crowds with no doubt a packed hide at Minsmere for Hen H or go somewhere a lots less crowded, I plumped for the latter. So next stop, the Lower Waveney Valley, where before the Railway line, I parked and on the second field on the left 2 Short- eared Owls were hunting mostly at the far side of the field, they even grappled in flight briefly. A Barn Owl was also patrolling the field and nice to see a Great White Egret fly south- east and 2 single ton Little Egrets flying west and north.

New Year's Eve birding

On Sunday 31st December, the fine Great Northern Diver in Hamilton Dock initially close in by the east wall of the harbour but sadly it promptly dived then swam west in the dock then spent most of its time bu the boats. At the Orbis Energy building, a male Black Redstart flew from the building into the corner of the container yard. Later on, in the Lower Waveney Valley, a fine Short- eared Owl seen quartering a large field, once it came close flying along the edge of the field near the river then towards us and away.