Finally, the Ring Ouzel

Having to wait 25 minutes for breakfast, I was slower getting to Kessingland Beach car park than anticipated, I rang Jane F. for precise directions of the RO and she said her and Paul were watching it now. I said I would be 20 minutes and they kindly agreed to stay. the 2 previous nights I had failed to see the bird despite extensive searching. Twenty minutes later, I walked to the top of the Dunes and could see Paul & jane F & another chap watching the bird in the south- west corner, I couldn't see it. Inevitably it had gone by the time I joined them just minutes later. As we walked round Jane spotted it on the path ahead of us, I raised my bins to be greeted with the gloriuous sight of a resplendent male Ring Ouzel, an elongated black bird with silvery wings, a gorget of white on its breast and lemon- yellow bill. Before I could take this all in the bird flew left and out of sight. TBC

Early Purple Orchids

On Saturday 25th April in the morning, I drove over to Wex, on the way I stopped off at a roadside location and spotted the fine Early Purple Orchids there were 9 spikes in a clump and a separte plant with a single spike so 10 in all. I couldn't park where I usually park as the farmer was ploughing the field so had to park elsewhere and walk the 0.4 of a mile to the spot, as I did so, I noticed a dead Mustelid, almost certainly a Ferret on the other side of the road, opposite a sign. I also heard at least 3 Whiethroats singing and saw one fly down.When I walked back there was a kettle of 4 Buzzard and a Red Kite circling overhead. An evening trip to Kessingland sluice revealed little save for 2 Wheatears, a Sand Martin, a Swallow and around 50 Linnets, no RO in sight.

First Lesser Whitethroat back

On Friday 24th April again parking up at 8.25am, at the gravel overflow staff car park at the back of James Paget Hospital I heard the scolding call of a Lesser Whitethroat in the only scrubby area remaining. My first of 2026 of this species.

Back to the Iberian Chiff- Chaff

On Sunday April, I headed back to the Iberian Chiff- Chaff and as I walked up I saw the excellent Nightingale moving in the roadside bushes. I walked up to the spit and the Iberian Chiff- Chaff was again singing again by the 3 trees by the track and again difficult to see, it even moved into the wood further south, where a Great- spotted Woodpecker seen and heard bu the Iberian Chiff- Chaff flew to the 3 trees where I saw it singing near the top of the 3 trees but once again the best and photographable views were from the northernmost tree where it sang near the very top right of the tree and good views were obtained. again, Wood Lark, Nightingale and another call heard here before I took the track east and over the field I saw 3 Wheatears2 males and a female and a pair of Stonechat. PHOTOS TBA

Iberian Chiff- Chaff at Westleton Heath

After work on Friday 17th April, I drove down to Westleton Heath parked in the car park. Some birders had parked just after me but there would have given Usain Bolt a good race as I thought I followed them out and they had completely disappeared disorienated I had great trouble finding the right location for the IBC, I tried the first metal swing gate (a swing gate was described in the rather vague directions) but it didn't look right. Fortunately Jane F. was able to literally direct me onto the right track, I walked up east along the road, hearing Nightingale from the roadside bushes and then found the wooden gate and the kissing gate beside it, so I walked directly south nearing the end of the southerly path at a crossroads heading either east or west, I took the path as directed west by some trees along the edge of a track and I immediately heard the song of the Iberian Chiff- Chaff. There were 3 trees in a line and the aforementioned birders were standing just south of the southernmost one looking in the tree but I couldn't see it at all. I walked over the short bracken area to join them but theree were off in Usain Bolt mode so there were no help whatsoever. Two other birders and a lady birder arrived and I saw a Warbler fly to the northern most tree. It was singing it was the fantastic Iberian Chiff- Chaff. With a supercilia yellower before the eye and thinner cream white after. It had a slight breast band and longer primaries. A Chiff- Chaff was also singing from this tree but I managed to get pictures of the super Iberian Chiff- Chaff too. I also heard Wood Lark and another call. PHOTOS TBA

First Whitethroat back

On Friday 17th April, whilst parking my car at the back of the Hospital, the first Whitethroat was heard singing at the back of the gravel overflow car park.

Two Shelduck over the garden

On Wednesday 15th April at 4pm, 2 Shelduck flew south- west directly over our back garden.