Slav Grebe (at last!) & Ring Ouzel

Another before work trip this morning on Friday 7th October, only having time to look in the bowl at Oulton Broad, just east of the Mutford Lock Bridge, the Slavonian Grebe was seen over the far side, diving frequently it swam towards the jetty and then into the patch of water nearer the bridge. But as I made my way around it swam back past the jetty and over to the far side again (losing its previously confiding nature) I managed a few record shots in extremely poor light the camera was registering ISO 5000! Also send was a Kingfisher flying left and a posse of 15 Long- tailed Tits flew by. After work a look at Gunton Cliffs revealed few birds other than calling Goldcrests, seeing Nick B, I gave him a lift back to his home and I was rewarded for my good deed with reasonable views of a Ring Ouzel feeding on Mountain Ash berries on a Rowan tree in the back garden of Rembrandt Close. We watched it for 15 minutes before it flew at 6.15pm low and left presumably going to roost? Matt G drew up and saw it too plus a colleagues from the JPH who lived nearby.

Red- eyed Vireo 6 Oct 1991: 25th anniversary!!!

Twenty- five years ago on the 6th October 1991, Rob Wil and I found a Red- eyed Vireo in Sparrow's Nest Park, Lowestoft. Seems like an eternity ago, but I remember as if it were yesterday. It was a sunny morning with a light westerly wind and the area had seen recent good birds including Siberian Stonechat and Icterine Warbler. Rob will and I were walking through the Sparrow's Nest Park, didn't seem to a lot about we passed the restaurant and was approaching the bowling green as we passed the large stand of Holm oaks the last one had a long hanging branch, a bird flitting about there bathed in sunshine was a Spotted Flycatcher, first spotted by Rob, but the bird next to it I picked up on and said to Rob, "Good grief, its a Vireo, a Red-eyed Vireo!" In an era long before mobile yet alone smart phones, Rob wanted, commendably, to rush off and phone everyone from the public call box then situated between Belle Vue Park and the High Street Surgery. But I advised Rob to stay and look at the bird and get as much details, so we could get a detailed description. Notebook out the details were duly compiled (albeit with very shaky hands trembling with excitement!) and then the bird disappeared after 10 minutes. Rob then went off running to Warren House wood where he knew several birders would be trying to look for an Icterine Warbler found there the day before. With people arriving from all directions within 30 minutes, we had an anxious hour wait before the bird reappeared at the top loop track in Sparrows Nest showing well for everyone except JHG and a certain Mr Brown who was yet to move into the area. I remember having lunch with all my family around the table (Mum, Dad, brother & sister) and then coming back in the afternoon for more views of the bird which was now being seen in Arnold's walk, but then I had to get a train in the evening back to London, where I was living and working, after graduating.

Missed the Slav again

Early morning Little Grebe on Lake Lothing and heard a Grey Wagtail, no sign of the Slav along Lake Lothing no time to check Oulton Broad and guess what it was at the basin at Mutford Lock at 5.15pm. After work at Baker's score saw more Lowestoft birders than birds with Rob Will, James B, Rob H, Craig S and Paul & Jane F. However, we did see a smart male Common Scoter that flew flew south under the radar and conversely a Brent Goose flew north.

Redstart 1 Slav Grebe 0 (2nd night running)

On Tuesday 4th October, just after 6pm I rushed down after work to to Oulton Broad checking round the Mutford Lock rail bridge and Oulton Broad itself around the Wherry all I saw where 5 Mallard in the basin, a Rat on the Jetty and a Devil's Coach Horse Beetle on the pavement, no chance to check the rest of Lake Lothing as dusk had fallen. On Wednesday 5th October, having to be in at work at 7.45am no chance for a pre-work look & with no news on the Slav by the late afternoon at 4pm when I left work, I checked Corton OSW & ORT, plus Gunton Woods and ORT first, saw a Redstart fly out from the bushes and dive into a tree a third of the way down from the south end. Presumably the same bird Rob Win had seen earlier. Also a group of LT Tits, 2 Goldcrests, Chiff- Chaff & Robin. I also checked lake Lothing from 6-6.30pm it was getting dusk and all I saw was a wp Little Grebe. I will try again tomorrow morning (don't have to be in work until 9am again giving more training).

A trio of Redwings over

A Redwing flew low & W over the Burrage Centre behind the James Paget Hospital, calling twice at 3.15pm as I was walking over for a meeting. After work I had about half an hour in fading light checking Corton old SW, no sign of the Sibe Chiff but 2 Redwings fl W over Corton OSW 5.50pm nothing else there except the usual chap throwing his ball for his dog, he comes from the new campsite, on the north side of the OSW so nothing on the fence or the compound due to disturbance. A couple of Rats still surviving the deadly bait too.

Yellow- browed Warbler in Corton woods

Looking around Gunton this morning saw Rob, Andew & Rob M and his wife along a path by the tree line north of Dip Farm playing fields. Andrew & Rob had just seen a brief Ybw fly in to the thick copse but try as we might Rob M and later James W and myself couldn'tt see it! I decided to check Corton woods and by the pond, I thought I heard a distant Ybw call twice but couldn't be sure. I joined Rob M and his wife and we struggled to see anything. We parted company at 1pm. At around 1.15pm, just north of the pond, I was suddenly surrounded by a LT Tit flock and I heard the distinctive "tsuip" call of a Yellow- Browed Warbler, a small warbler with silky white underparts flew and then called again where it alighted just right of its original position then disappeared. I sorted through around 20 LT Tits, 4 4 Great & 3 Blue Tits and then just west of the pond, I heard the "tsuip" call of the Yellow- browed Warbler then I saw it fly, a vision of olive green above and a plethora of wingbars with cream supercilia, 2 white wing- bars then it disappeared as abruptly as it had first appeared. Also seen in the Tit flock were 2 Coal Tits and by the vegetation by the pond, a Chiff- Chaff. Whilst walking along the northern section of Gunton ORT, first 1, then 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 small Thrushes flew up individually and then all started calling "tseeet" 7 Redwings.

Birdless Scores & Gunton

On Saturday October 1st, I looked around the Lowestoft Scores this afternoon, one female Sparrowhawk flew up the steps of Mariner's Score, I also heard a Goldcrest and that was it, nothing else! October has continued in September's vein. After the rain I checked Gunton Woods and ORT apart from seeing Paul W, the highlight was a flock of 8 Greenfinch along Gunton ORT, no sign of the Tit flock or YBW seen earlier.