No sign of Dolphins

On Thursday 23rd April, a nice bright evening with a cold north-easterly wind, following Rob Wil tweeting about Dolphins seen in the sea viewed from Gunton Cliffs, I tried my luck from the cliffs above the Oval but had my usual seawatching success this century ie. nothing no sign whatsover, but I did see 2 adult Gannets flying north, which were my first of the year.

Single Arctic Tern still at Peto's Marsh

On Wednesday afternoon of the 21st April, a sunny afternoon but with a biting cold NE wind had me walking down to Peto's Marsh at Carlton Marshes, a male Marsh Harrier was seen flying east over Whitecast marshes. I also heard a Sedge Warbler singing and 2 Chiff- Chaffs by the Barn Owl bushes. OFB was behind me and catching me up as my left had been strapped and special padded footware put in my left boot to enable to undertake this walk leaving the camera & bag behind so sans large camera lens. Much kinder on both my lower back and foot which have been complaining loudly recently! Walking around past the first hide, around 30 Black- tailed Godwits (approaching summer plumage) feeding in the water. Walking onto and past the North hide we joined Maurice B and he only one (the former magnificent seven now reduced to just one!) of the Arctic Terns was still present and it was flying around at the back, a very white bird with black trailing edge to the wings and white translucent wings and very long tail streamers and a very bouncy "marsh tern- like" flight. At one stage a BH Gull chased it and it crazily spiralled up and down attempting to escape the Gull. A little later it was just left of a closer sandy spit, standing in the water showing a blood red bill, tiny shot legs and long white tail streamers. I also spotted first a pair of Pochard, the male respelendant and then another pair nearby, totalling 4 Pochards in all (2 males and 2 females). When we walked back, amongst the grassy area beyond the first hide, I spotted a fine male Yellow Wagtail which both Maurice and OFB observed too. On the grassy area dyke just before the original scrape as we walking back we saw the almost now obligatory Great White Egret still sporting a yellow bill and first Sedge Warbler and then a distant Willow Warbler heard too. By now my foot was hurting, hardly surprising after a 3 mile walk!

Ring Ouzel duo at Hinton the obvious highlight

On Sunday 18th April, mid afternoon, I drove to Hinton crossroad and parked by the adjacent car park taking the track running east, I could hear and see a fine male Yellowhammer singing but it wasn't photogenic at all, a species I would love to photo. Looking out to the field to the north, no sign of the Ouzels for the first hour but on my last look before giving us, 2 fine male Ring Ouzels were out together along the distant sloping grassy area about 800 metres away. Chiff- Chaff also heard. I went to Southwold no sign of the Garganey at either Buss Creek on the Town marshes and I eventually reached Kessingland Sewage works at 7.20pm the sun was going down fast despite scanning the western fence I couldn't see the Redstart probably, a little too late. I heard at least 3 "hwet" calling Chiff- Chaffs and a calling Firecrest too in the thicket to the east of the path but no sighting alas. I barely managed to hobble back to the car at the heel was really sore, too much walking!

Stock Dove first over the garden since building works began

On Tuesday 13th April, hot on the heels of the LT Tit, early morning at about 7.50am, a Stock Dove flew right ober the house in a north- westerly direction the first garden airpsace records since building works began, Stock Dove used to be a bird we would see everyday from the garden (the wall of 5 houses built at the back blocking our view/ light/ no privacy- to the left of us, behind us and to the right of us/ what sort of planning, an absymal abomination that I call claustrophobia building).

Long-tailed Tit in garden first since the building works

On Monday 12th April, I heard the familiar call of a Long- tailed Tit when I arrive home after work at 5.25pm, it sat in the bush at the back on the right for a good 20 minutes, my first since the building works started last July (used to be a bird seen in the garden several times a week).

More Eagle woe

Belatedly hearing of a twitchable WTE yesterday, I drove to Horsey on Sunday 11th August and from 8.30to 12.20am I sttod vigil along the Horsey strait, with another 2 birders we saw a Peregrine mob a Marsh harrier behind us and above the line of hedge again behind us I saw a flying adult Crane fly up and then down again, after hearing several Crane hooping calls earlier. But bitterly disappointing not to see sight nor sound of WTE missed over 20 now in this 21st century.

A Two Phalarope day is always a good day!

On Saturday 10th April, I drove over to Southwold and walking to the flooded area flash in the north-east section of the Town Marsh, I soon saw the fine Grey Phalarope at 9.45am, busy feeding along the north edge of the flash, it was busy feeding all the time, meanwhile in the long grass along the eastern edge a fine male White Wagtail was seen and it fed from the edge of the flash. Also 4 Tundra race Ringed Plovers seen too. Next stop Minsmere, where I had to sign in and give contact details (just in case they had an outbreak of Coronavirus they could contact me to isolate or get tested. No sign ogf any Stonies on the North field, so walking/ hobbling along to the ridge by the beach, just left of the East Scrape hide (no access due to Covid) just abbove the reeds, my second Grey Phalarope of the day was also seen busy feeding around a Canada Goose. Whilst at the back a fine immature Little Gull seen flying around the scrape immediately in front of the West hide (Wildlife lookout). 2 Black- tailed Godwit seen on South Scrape plus up to 8 Sandwich Terns seen on several sand spits. Plus 2 very pale white Bar- headed Geese perched on another ridge spied again just above some reeds.