We have lost our beloved boy, Cosmo

Very sad to report we have suddenly lost our beloved boy, Cosmo, our Tabby Cat this morning. We are devastated. He sometimes runs around in a crazy state, we called it his "horse-y cat" state as he ran around like a thoroughbred emitting a deep 'yowl' and he did this again today but this time, fatally and tragically he suddenly keeled over in the hall by the entrance to the kitchen and emitted a terrible cry & suddenly died, we think from a heart attack. This was totally and beyond awful & happened at 8.10am this morning 1st February, both Jenny & I were with him at the end. Our beautiful and handsome boy was only 10.7 years old having been born in July 2013. As a young Kitten, barely weeks old, he had initially featured in the Lowestoft Journal as a consignment of kittens that had been brought to the vets as the 'person' in question was considering putting them into a sack and throwing them in the river. The vet refused to do this & we adopted him from the RSPCA. We had visited an address in Malvern Rise, Lowestoft and the lady there had her bungalow set up for rescue cats and kittens, when she showed us into a room, there was a big ball of black and white cats, a tortoiseshell and 1 Tabby, which suddenly I said could we have that one please, pointing at our future cat, Cosmo- we were in luck as he was available. I was so pleased. We named him Cosmo. When he was a kitten, he was a real bundle of fun and would cosy up with Comet our other Kitten (black and white) that we adopted also at that time. They really were the dream team as pets as they had totally different personalities, but often cuddled up together. As a kitten cat and indeed as a young cat too for up to 2.5 years old he would suck my fingers, an indication that he had been parted from his mother far too soon, but it was an endearing bond between him and me, he was still sucking my fingers even after he had grown out of kittenhood. Cosmo was a real character who in his prime, would go missing for up to 4 hours at a time (and consequently get me worried for his safety) usually at the back of the house in what was the wilderness beyond. One time, in searching for him, I saw him playing with a Wood Mouse, 'growling' in hunter mode. He always emitted a growling sound when he had a prey item (usually a mouse or vole) in his mouth. Early on in his life, he liked to go and visit the neighbours wandering in any open windows left open in the summer and our neighbours were constantly saying that they had visits from Cosmo and I think they very much enjoyed his company, too. He was such a character and we loved him dearly. One time, when he was just over 1 year old he went missing for a day and a half in August 2014 and I took leave from work in order to search for him, I leafletted around a 100 houses and knocked on the doors of the immediate neighbours several times. That afternoon, a neighbour next door (but one) rang to say they had just freed him as he had been trapped in their car all this time. Highly unlikely, for a day and a half in those temperatures, I think not, also I went up to this car and called his name and I knew he would have responded as he always did when he was nearby when I called his name. I don't believe this, we think he called in to their house and they were looking at taking him perhaps thinking he was a friendly stray, only with me ringing the door bell and leafletting the property appealed to their conscience perhaps and let him go. I don't believe he was trapped in their car & if this was the case (and we have our doubts) he would have been very lucky to survive as it was during baking temeratures in August. We were so pleased to get him back. After that, he appeared to stopp visiting the neighbours homes in this way settling for either wondering outside at the front, sometimes sitting underneath cars or sitting on the window sill. If I went outside, at the front I had to be careful, if he was over the road he would always pop across to see me regardless of any traffic and we feared for him being hit, but fortunately he never was. I also had to be careful taking the bins out down the side passage as he would always follow me to the front, even I I closed the gate as he would leap onto the fence and walk along that to join me at the front. Another of his nine lives used up was when he came back one night completely salivating (with small pools of saliva on the duvet that night- we suspect he had ingested a small amount of poison/ insecticide) and I stayed up all night with him encouraging him to take water. Now, I would have rushed him to the night vets (not available then). Fortunately, he was as right as rain the next morning and we had him fully checked over by the vet on his annual check up the following week. He used to hate having his temperature at the vets and his hissing would only stop if I petted him and said "it's alright my boy" In his younger days, he would often get into fearful scraps with neighbouring cats and several times he had massive bumps on his face/ body which amassed due to an infection and we had to whisk him over to the vets for curative anti-biotic injections. One time, he came back from the back with 3 great bumps on his face a torn claw and we rushed him to the vets where he had an anti-biotic injections, we believe he was either attacked by a Fox or a dog and was lucky to survive this, he made a full recovery. I soon got attuned to listening any cat scraps, with terrible screeching noises as I knew it would involve Cossie and I would run outside and he would come running back to me, when I called his name. He loved a stick game outside in the back garden where I would run around the garden with a trailing stick and he would launch himself like an exocet missile from one side of the garden to another ending up attacking the stick! He often seemed to go outside when it was wet and when he came back in again his coat of fur was matted just like an otter and I used to say "you're all wet!" and he loved being towelled dry. He also loved playing with cat toys and sometimes these furry balls would roll underneath the book case and it was quite funny when I produced a torch out to seek out where the ball was in the dark crevice, he would lie down too and look for it with me (see pic below- now a much treasured possession). He was above all such a loving cat, he loved being rubbed at the side of his head, having his ears rubbed and under his chin and he would purr quite loudly, obviously very contented, this would often lead to a lovely 'tribble' purr and he would often sit on your lap too. He would come around the back of you and head butt from the left side and then the right and then the left and he loved being made a fuss off. He had several cries, cat language that I could easily interprete including a kitten cry usually emitted when he wanted a special fuss, which of course he always received. Another cry for food (usually emitted everyday as he loved his food. In particular when I was making ham and cheese toasties, he always came down for a little titbit of ham which he loved, which he wolfed down. He loved pieces of freshly cooked chicken he'd be there in flash when I said "chicken or "fish" for and fish. If you threw a small piece of ham, his party tryck was to catch it like an alligator and wolf it down! We shared a very special bond together, when I returned from work, or from elsewhere if he was outside at the front he was nearly always be there or I'd see him come running back to go back into the house from the front door. Cossie would always jump through the cat flap to go outside. When I took the bins out from the back garden down to the side passage to the front garden, he would always follow me. When he was on the outside kitchen window ledge, I would let him in and I would say "I help, I help" and he would always pause to let me lift him down onto the kitchen floor as he was quite a heavy cat and didn't want him to jar his legs. If he was inside when I returned home he would always come down the stairs to greet me. Cosmo had a very good appetite and loved his food. When it was bedtime he would leap on the bed and I would put my arm outside the duvet and he would flop onto the whole length of my arm for me to tickle his chin and enjoy the warmth. There was nothing better that a Cossie cuddle, I used to say. It was so soothing for me I always quickly drifted off to sleep, a great cure for insomnia. He was a wonderful great big cuddle/ teddy cat. He was so lovely. When I called him from the back door if he was around he would come running back to me crying 'meeoow- meeooww- meooww' and be so pleased to see me. He had a penchant for tiger bread rolls and loved licking them. When we bought anything new contained within a box he loved to sit in it for the next few days, which was quite comical. He was a constant presence in our lives, a perfect boy, an ideal pet and companion, a much loved member of the family and we shall miss him dreadfully. RIP Cosmo, our beautiful tiger boy, you enriched our lives so much, you will always be loved in our hearts and remembered, forever.

No Owls or wild Swans but nice Egret find

On Wednesday 31st January, I took a few hours leave to look for Swans in East Norfolk and Short- eared Owls at St. Benet's Abbey near Ludham. I arrived at about 1.30pm, unfortunately, it was quite windy and no Owls were seen. This is the first time this has occurred this winter, zero Owls, typical. No Swans either (apart from the odd Mute). A Red Kite flew over (south of the car park) and that or a different bird was seen to the north of the car park later. Around 5 Marsh Harriers seen, mostly males, one had red tags and 2 juveniles seen too. I did see 3 Cranes flying over (south of the car park) from the far left to the back. Surprise of the trip when I was travelling along the Marsh Road back to Ludham Johnson Street, I saw a Cattle Egret seen over the far side of the field. Stood out a mile, I saw it whilst driving back down the road. With a yellow bill and white jowl. It then flew left, yet another nice find!

American Black Scoter at Holkham

Later on Sunday 28th January, John H informed me that the ABS had been sighted 'close in' off Holkham, so I picked John up around 10am and drove to Holkham. The car park fee was a costly £6.50 for 4 hours so we walked past the Pines along the dunes and into the Marram dunes affording some height over the bay and sea. Joining agroup of some 40 birders. It was immediately apparent thaty the Scoter flock was quite a way out to sea. We initially thought we stood little chance of picking out the ABS. We moved from the left to the right of the group and people were having glimses of the bird. Indeed I saw the occasional flash of yellow on the bill of a bird. Probably it. It was only when a kind birder let me have a look through his 60X Swarovski scope that I could clearly see the Scoter, a fantastic American Black Scoter, all black with an obvious swollen yellow bill, this was the American Black Scoter, a first for Norfolk and only the second one I have seen seeing one a few years back at Berwick Upon Tweed, after seeing the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeen a few years ago.

Normal service is resumed!

On Sunday 28th January, after the magic of yesterday with a showy LT Duck and finding/ re-finding Waxwings and joint finding a WT Eagle, normal service was resumed & I was at Halvergate, Norfolk around the Marsh road/ Branch road area but I couldn't see any Cattle Egrets or Cranes in nearby broadland. I did see a couple of Little Egrets and c100 Pink- footed Geese.

Benacre magic then Eaglefest at Langstagtoft

On Saturday 27th January, I drove down to Benacre just after first light, I was determined to get some pics of the LT Duck. A sharp "tick" revealed a Yellowhammer perched up in a trees by the long bush-lined track to the cliffs. Walking down, I saw 2 Ringed Plovers again on the broad edge and a Lapwing on the shoreline further north. Initially, there was no sign of the LT Duck, but then I spotted it again, the far side of the Broad but it was swimming this way! Within minutes it was in the middle of the Broad then minutes later it was right over to the Broad edge close to the beach. The bird was frequently diving and I was able to get into position during its dives and this fine Long- tailed Duck was totally at ease & sometimes surfaced barely 5 metres from me! There were also 5 Goldeneye on the Broad, 3 males and 2 females. The bird regularly fished along the south and middle eastern edges of the Broad. 3 Dunlin suddenly flew from the Broad over the beach and seawards. After a tweet from David W., I left & I was walking back and then driving back along Mill Road, just 1000 metres west of Covehithe itself by the wood by the Pig field, I stopped by the wood for a call of nature! As I walked back to the car, I heard the rattling calls of Mistle Thrushes, and then the very distinctive trilling of Waxwings! By the road side, I could initially see 6 Waxwings perched up in a tree very high up, 2 were further up in the next tree along flew back and joined the aforementioned 6, making 8 Waxwings in total. I had a few moments to savour these birds before suddenly they took to flight and flew north over the wood. I turned my attention to the ploughed field north of the wood, the other side of the road and I was pleased to see 2 Mistle Thrushes in the field. An hour and 15 minutes later, I was driving along Kiln Lane, Langstagtoft (a great name sounds Germanic to me!) and I saw Nick M by the side of the road, I stopped and he informed me the Eagle had flown, but as I walked back to the car he said he had it. I rushed back and saw the excellent White- tailed Eagle flying left and then right where it wheeld around turned and then flew up into a tree! It sait in this tree for about an hour, sometimes obscured, sometimes almost in full view. It was memorably mobbed by a Buzzard on 2 occasions and was accompanied by some corvids, mostly Carrions Crows up to 8 but also 4 Jackdaws too. 2 Red Kite were also seen flying around too. The first 2nd year White-tailed eagle 3X had a fly to the right of the tree before flying back. Thn after about an hour it flew left and Rene B who joined us together with Jeremy G and Matthew S, we drove parked just off the road and incredibly saw the fine Eagle perched on top a large dead tree at the back of a field. It sat here for a further hour and 15 minutes. Incredibly during that time, I saw a massive bird flying, over a wood over to the right of the field, I looked at it with my bins and scope and thought this another White- tailed Eagle! I then switched to my camera to get as many pictues as I could. It was flying over the wood to the right. An incredible find, as I switched to the camera taking shots I heard Rene yelling out "There's a 2nd White- tailed Eagle!" The Eagle, it was obviously an immature bird flew over the wood disappeared, then a minute later reappeared and finally flew north.

Sandblasted at Benacre then back to Lake Lothing at Lowestoft

On Friday 26th January I had a day's A/L, we were hoping to go to Cley for the RB Goose but as that hadn't been seen recently I was keen to see the LT Duck on Benacre Broad but decided to arrive around 9.30am as there was a very strong westerly wind. As I walked along the clifftop path I met first Ali R and David B and his wife who said the bird was showing well on the Broad edge close to the beach. There was a strong blustery wind coming from the west and whipping up the sand, ideal conditions for optics/ camera gear. I hunkered down by the fallen tree trunk, I saw 2 Ringed Plovers by the Broad edge and a nice flock of 80+ Lapwing on the beach. They eventually flew off and south. Dick W came along the beach and I had to inform him he I couldn't see the Duck, so we decided to retreat to the hide. No sooner had we entered then Dick picked up the Long-tailed Duck swimming in the middle of the Broad, by some BH Gulls and it seemed to be swimming for the far north- west corner. It frequently dived but could be easily picked out by the sun glinting on its white head. Also on the Broad were 6 Goldeneye, 3 males and 3 females, around 30 Wigeon and 40 Gadwall as well as around 55 Teal with a nice group of 15 close in to the hide, with several displaying males calling and throwing their heads back a little. Walking back I was fortunate to first hear (betrayed by their distinctive "peuuu" calls) and then see 15 Siskins flying north over the Benacre cliffs approach track. Hard to think we used to drive down and park our cars here, decades ago! (Or probably we parked 100 metres out to sea, given the rate of cliff erosion! Following a tweet from Jane F, I drove straight to Oulton Broad and parked by the riverside car park and I walked out to the concrete jetty, I immediately saw the adult Shag showing close to the jetty, I squeezed through the railings and managed a few shots of the Shag, bathing then swimming in the water, before an orange rib boat came motoring through from the east and flushed the Shag which was performing well right in front of the concrete jetty, as it took to flight and flew further south along Lake Lothing. No sooner had this happened when the immature Great Northern Diver came swimming by (right to left) and I obtained a few shots before it disappeared down and east along the channel. I looked from the beach near the railway bridge and by the measuring stick post, I saw the adult Great Northern Diver and then the 2 Great Northern Divers came together, both circling each other with bills raised and circling in ever decreasing circles. Barely a body's width away! An incredible sight and then the immature bird suddenly turned away and swam away, spoils to the adult bird, the victor! Later, being joined by Paul & Jane F, on the immature bird came swimming back and showed well. 6 Oystercatchers flew south along Lake Lothing. 3 Little Grebe seen.

Back to the Northern Water Thrush

On Sunday 14th January, having missed out on pics durung the frantic rugby scrum on Friday 5th January's visit sacrificing the use of camera scope & tripod just to get a glimpse with bins, I was keen to go back to the NWT and I promptly took up John H's kind offer of a trip back, so we could both get pics. John quite rightly was keen to get there at first light, so at 5.10am this morning he kindly picked me up from home and we eventually arrived at Daisy Meadows Car Park at Heybridge at around 7.10am and it was still dark as we had to use a torch to use the ticket machine, Justin L was there too. Half an hour later after a 1.2 mile walk along the river, through a house estate, we reached the creek where there was already around 40 people. It was only just starting to get light and the excellent Northern Water Thrush was feeding along the farside of the dyke and it was regularly feeding, moving all the time, lightly pumping its tail. When it flew we heard a Dipper like "twoc twoc" call was heard, very distinctive. It gradually made its way along the far side of the bank towards us and very close but in pre dawn light, it then flew back along the creek and and disappeared, we late learnt it flew across the road and over the houses. 7.34- 7.50am, At 8.21-8.25am we initially heard the "twoc twoc" call and flew to the middle of the dyke and was feeding from reed stems in the middle of the water, before flying off again. Finally at 11.20am- 11.24am it flew to the middle of the dyke again feeding from the reed stems in the water before flying to the farside appearing closer again but unfortunately a car travelling down the road jammed its horn on and the bird flushed and flew down the dyke. Whilst we waited between the second and third showings, it was amazing to see a Marsh Harrier fly over and toward the industial estate. Whilst in the bush near us, I spotted first 1 and the 2 Cetti's Warblers showing briefly out in the open mainly around the base of this bush. It was really good to see and chat with Justin L, Julie, Rob Win and Matthew D. Driving back in Suffolk in the field just west of the road, before Stratford St. Andrew, I saw 4+ Fieldfares in a stubble field. Thanks to John for the excellent driving.