Confiding Wheatears at Lowestoft Net posts

On Sunday 29th April, I thought it was going to be another dismal walk around the patch with little reward, 2 Linnets seen at Corton OSW, where a brisk north- easterly wind blew. At the OSW compound where a ditch has been dug out bordering the western side and around 30% of the scrub and dead trees taken away. A crying shame as this area was used to hold photogenic Flycatchers and Redstarts from time to time. The ditch was already littered wdetritus and rubbish. A cold north- easterly wind meant my visit for Sand martins would prove fruitless. A look around the Oval, even more wall has gone and the "temporary fence" has now been up for over 2 years, 2 Stock Dove seen near the wall before being inevitably disturbed by dog walkers. A look around the net posts initially revealed nothing except more travellers encamped on the parking area. Ness Point the area by the gas compound looks just like a breakers yard and cans strewn all over the Turbine yard, welcome to the sunrise coast and the photogenic Ness Point, I think not! I bumped into Paul & Jane and there had just seen 2 Wheatears I looked again and walked around the northern posts, the male Wheatear popped up from a rabbit hole and was just 3 feet away from me. I retrieved my camera and by the northern edge, by a rusty bit of metal the male and female Wheatear perched up, the female soon flew off but the male Wheatear was particularly confiding and I left him in situ. At Riverside no Wheatears seen as I didn't want to disturb the 5 birds.

Very, very elusive American Bittern

I reached Carlton Marshes on Tuesday didn't see the bird at all. With 2 Swift seen plus Swallow and House Martin.on Wednesday 25th April, the American Bittern seen with Rob Wil and James Wr just after 5.30pm flew from the dyke and flew east for 5 seconds. It started to tip down with rain and I had to put my camera away. Of course 20 minutes later, I picked up the American Bittern really close, my closest view yet barely 20 metres away but only seen for 5 seconds! by the juncos before it had dived behind reeds and flew when the camera came out. 5 Avocets seen on the scrape. On Thursday at 7.30pm the American Bittern seen for 3 seconds when it swam across the dyke. Justin spotted an excellent Short- eared Owl flying over the main part of the reserve looking back towards the centre and 22 Whimbrel flying in. Also a fine Green Sandpiper flew east. On Saturday 28th April I arrived at 4.30pm and the AB flew out (seen for 3 seconds) and into the meadow, Rob Will rang and we went round the eastern section of Share Marsh as soon as we got there we heard the AB was showing in the meadow but when we got back I just couldn't see it. I next saw the bird at 7.30pm when it flew west back to the dyke. Great to see 7 Avocets on the scrape. A Hobby flew over the main part of the reserve the Scrape and disappeared over Peto's Marsh at 7.40pm 20 Whimbrel flew in, another 7 joined them. 2 Cuckoos heard too and Cetti's & 3 Grasshopper Warblers heard but not seen as we walked back. Total of viewing the AB 113 seconds, after 33 hours and 8 visits!

Prague birds

Just returned from an excellent trip to Prague, Black Redstarts heard singing from the hotel, heard and seen around Charles Bridge the far end and one showed quite well singing in the Jewish cemetery. On Charles Bridge, 2 Jackdaws were very obliging. A trip to an ecological park revealed a showy Nuthatch and obliging male Blackcap. A trip up Petrin Hill revealed a singing and an obliging Great - spotted Woodpecker, a Red Squirrel seen around the base of the tree then it scampered up the tree trunk, it was more dark brown than red but the ear tufts seen clearly. A Green Woodpecker called and near the bottom of the hill an obliging Lesser Whitethroat scolded from the middle of a bush and Green Woodpecker showed really well on the trunk of a tree pity I didn't have my big lenses with me! Swallows seen flying around the bridge area. Funny that no dogs seen and the birds were obliging.

Local & work wildlife

A Chiff- Chaff singing over the fence at Fallowfields this am, a Peacock butterfly & showy Dunnock just outside Burrage Centre, JPUH Hospital (alas no camera) & saw a Muntjac deer on Fallowfields this evening walking just past the vegetation just past the back garden fence.

American Bittern in flight

On Monday April 16th, the American Bittern seen for the first time today at Share Marsh, Carlton Marshes, at 7.15pm (15 second view), 7.20pm and 7.23pm it flew out of the usual area flew to reeds behind cleared area where it had been displaying last Saturday.

Male Redstart at Gunton Memorial field

On Sunday 15th April, thick fog happened birding in the morning, but I went out to Gunton ORT to twitch James' Redstart and in the memorial are I briefly saw it before it flew to the ORT. A Redwing flew in. The fine male Redstart popped out and was seen on the track before it flew back to the ORT. Later on it flew out and was seen using the plastic coiled tree protector coverings to hunt for food. Further along the rail track, I heard a Firecrest and Jake G and gang had seen a Hawfinch but alas we didn't see it.

American Bittern again

A trip down Carlton Marshes on Saturday 14th April and I eventually saw the American Bittern emerging amongst the Juncus in the cleared area just east of the dye usual area, it stick its head and breast up and the snuck down and slunk amongst the Juncus and then into the reeds all for a magnificent 5 seconds. It showed a brown head a white super cilia and dark thick stripes down its breast. I shouted it out as I was the only one to see it but it did later emerge amongst the edge of the reeds slightly further east by the clear field.