Limosa's at Carlton Marshes

Rob H had seen a Limosa at Carlton, early evening Sun 19 July, I drove over and took the long walk up to Peto's, I met Rob H. half way who had found another Limosa on the Old scrape. I scanned initially I couldn't see it, jkust 2 Canadas. But standing on the bench, it had walked right and it walked left and I saw a large Godwit generally subdued with a flush on the chest but uniform buff colouring above and below with an eye stripe slightly longer bill, slightly bigger size and some dark feathers on the mantle. My first limosa and first Lowestoft Limsoa too. It was unringed. I then walked up to Peto's and by the Pool were around 40 Greylags with summer plumaged Black- tailed Godwit, 1 winter plumage and as Rob H had found a larger immature Limosa Godwit, with eye stripe slight flush on the breast and unform buff above and below, with rings on its upper leg but these were mostly not seen as it was in deep water.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Early evening Nick B. contacted me, he had caught a Roesel's Bush cricket in hius garden and he wanted to release it at Dip farm, so I drove him over, took a pic of the Cricket in the container then it crawled to the edge then suddenly it was gone!

Jersey Tiger Moth at Cattawade Picnic car park

On Sunday 19th July, after seeing the Godwit, I walked back to the car, I saw a big Moth fly out from a tree and settle on a white van parked right next to me, it was a striking and quite excellent Jersey Tiger Moth.

Hudsonian Godwit at Cattawade North Marsh

I left early on Sunday, but I fell asleep again after getting up really early 5.45am (bad mistake!) and left by 7.30am and just missed the HG from the White Bridge by just 15 minutes which would have been in very good light. I looked along the River Ouze from the north bank both west side (where Greenshank and Redshank seen) and the East side (where 2 Black- tailed Godwits seen togther feeding). Then Bird Guides said the HG was on North Marsh, I walked over but it wasn't on view, I did see a Green Sandpiper here though, suddenly a chap down the north path idicated he had it and we walked over and the fine Hudsonian Godwit feeding in the extreme north-east part of the marsh, but it soon walked out of view, later it walked out again. Before flying much closer towards us where it was feeding and it was reasonably close albeit totally against the light.

False alarm at Benacre

Again on Saturday 18th July, early evening, news of a possible Lesser Yellowlegs at Benacre Broad, as I was pulling up to park news came through and I saw Brian S. who said it was a misidentified immature Redshank. I saw Paul & Jane F. along the cliffs and had a good catch up. At the Hide, I looked to the back left just left of the Gull flock, at the back was a preening adult black- headed adult Little Gull. There were a lot of Black- tailed Godwits c40 and c10 Bar-tailed Godwits. By the beach, 2 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers seen.

Immature yellow Wagtail along the North Denes

On Saturday 18th July, in the afternoon, I was walking along the North Denes trying several paths when I was walking back along the middle path back to Links Road car park, I saw the fine immature Yellow Wagtail suddenly fly up and appeared further along the path, it was very flighty as it wouldn't tolerate any close approach and twice more it flew further along the path. Finally it perched on the bushes by the Links Road car park where I was able to get closer and took a few pics albeit slightly into the sun.

Hudsonian Godwit at Cattawade Creek, Suffolk

On Tuesday 15th July, I took a day's leave and together with John H. drove down to Cattawade and after an uneventful journey we turned off the roundabout and parked at Cattawade Picnic site car park which surprisingly only had around 5 cars parked up. We disembarked and with our gear walked towards the bridges, we couldn't see any birders initially so we carried on walking and 2 birders were walking towards us from the bridge and they said there was a group along the marsh behind us but they were shielded by a line of bushes. We turned around and took a path down to the edge of the marsh/ river wall, nice to see Will B. and then from the gate scoped the only wader along the right hand edge of the channel it was fine adult Hudsonian Godwit complete with grey head, striking white supercilia long slightly upturned bull and brick reddish -brown belly,. It was walking feeding along the edge of a channel, a BH Gull swam up to it and it walked even further back before flying over to a muddy area showing its excellent black underwing coverts. It later return to the channel before flying over to more distant pools where it contined to feed before it flew back to the channel which was rapidly filling up with water and we last saw it walk behind a muddy banl. apologies for the awful Hudwit pic (best I could get taken at distance and against the light).