Whoopers at Barsham

On Wednesday afternoon 24th February following an after work trip to Beccles as I was passing Barsham marshes and stopped for a few minutes, an obvious large flooded area west of the road eventually revealed at least 8 fine Whooper Swans (and about 15 Mute Swans) although observation was obscured by trees, in the short time I was scanning I also saw a male Pintail.

"Thicker than Water": Another visit to the Ness Point Park pool

On Wednesday 17th February, another afternoon visit to the Ness Point park pool, which has now reduced by about 10% from Monday. The Bar-tailed Godwit was still about, as was 1 Knot, just 1 Dunlin and 7 Redshank. feeding mainly at the back of the pool. Returning home on the roof of the house opposite a male Sparrowhawk perched for a few minutes face on and then he turned facing right.

"Brats or Scram!": Too many people!

Keeping up the Laurel and Hardy analogy, I had an A/L day on Monday 15th february, to use up today as we won't allowed to carry over 5 days into the next leave year, surprisingly. So I ambled around on my exercise walk at Oulton Broad this morning, best was a Kingfisher that alighted on the cruise boat in front of the cream & red liveried one that had seen better days, the Kingfisher stayed several minutes but alas no camera. From the Yacht club, a Great- crested Grebe was seen. Going back for lunch as soon as the sun came out just after 2pm, I went down to Ness Point park to photograph the waders. Sadly children were playing by the waters edge by the path and the pool appeared deserted but on close inspection all the waders, well, the Bar- tailed Godwit, joined by a Knot, 7 Dunlin and 10 Redshank were down along the far southern end. Eventually they flew out onto the pool again and I obtained a few pictures. Next stop, Hamilton Dock, nothing there and at Ness Point it appeared birdless as well, except for an Oystercatcher that was on the "finger" so I retrieved the camera and the Oystercatcher fed on whelks and Oysters chiselling them off the ground and eating the juicy morsel inside. A huge wave had it running almost down to the beginning of the finger where I was and showed really well (at times too close for the camera) before walking back. I decided to return to the Ness Point park and as I got out I was dismayed to see a photographer (standard lens) walking around the edge of the pool flushing everything in sight. I suddenly saw a magnificent pair of Pintail, resplendent in the sun, fly around and settle on the pool. No sooner had they done so that the photographer marched off towards them and seconds later they flew off. She also flushed the Bar- tailed Godwit which flew to the north end of the pool but another "adult" walked into the pool wading about in the middle and flushed the Godwit to the southern section of the Pool again. The Knot was still there feeding by the fence but I had had enough of the crass and sheer stupidity of the people so I left (hence the title of this post).

"Perfect Day": Fisher Row & Ness Point park pool

On Sunday 14th February, keeping up the Laurel and Hardy featurette names- was a perfect day. A calling Bullfinch flew over the front garden (heard only) early morning. I was keen to go back to Fisher Row and with my dysfunctional backup camera, get a better shot of a Water Rail as the wintry weather was due to end within 24 hours. With a relatively early start back on my exercise walk at Fisher Row, taking the main camera (sans 1.4X converter) and lens, I gingerly made my way down the lethally icy entrance hill and went back to the dyke just beyond the dumped cycle in the dyke. 2 Water Rails were showing reasonably well although they were mostly in the shadier areas or were obscured, Rob H, Paul and Sara arrived and Sara imemdiately spotted a Water Rail right out in the open by the snowy bank, needless to say it soon sprinted off before I had set up. Rob, Paul and Sara left to check Ness Point park pool but they showed me the formerly very obliging Water Rail(my third of the day) by the dyke near the entrance hill, it say by the blue pipe but dog walkeres forced into running back into vegeation and I didn't see it again. Returning to the original dyke, one Water Rail fed again and then went way out "south" (pity it wasn't "west" with the cutrrent Lauerl and Hardy theme!) and fed out in the open albeit in poor light, it then andered further south where the dyke ran out andina wet area just beyond it disturbed and flushed a Jack Snipe that got up and flew off west! I then tracked it back to the northern edge of the dyke and incrediby this time it flushed a Woodcock that did indeed fly "way out west!" I then went to the Ness Point park to continue my exercise walk and saw Rob, Paul & Sara again. The area immediately east of the net posts was flooded with a big pool and amongst the Gulls in the middle of the flooded were 2 elegant adult Caspian Gulls , amongst immature Herring Gulls and later 1 adult Mediterranean Gull. An impressive array of waders were present pick of the bunch was a winter- plumaged Bar- tailed Godwit feeding along the watery edge of the pool, also present was a Grey Plover feeding onb the grassy perimeter. There were also 17 Dunlin, Oystercatcher and a Redshank. Whilst in the now fenced off Net Posts compound was a Lapwing. By the northern edge of the pool was 1 immature Brent Goose, whilsy around 6 Meadow Pipits. Back home, a calling Meadow Pipit (not seen) flew south.

"Below Zero": a fine afternoon at Fisher Row

On Friday 19th February is the terrestrial television Freeview of the film on BBC1, "Stan & Ollie" which is an excellent film (I thoroughly recommend watching it, if you hacven't ssen it you in for a real treat!) telling the story of the archetypal and original and in my opinion, the finest comedy double act; Laurel and Hardy. In one of the best films I've seen in recent years with stunning stand out performances from both Steve Coogan and John O'Reilly in the title roles. So in tribute to them and the film I am naming each blog post in the immediate future after either one of Laurel and Hardy's films or shorts starting with "Below Zero"! Having been kindly told by Rob H, of obliging Water Rails at Fisher Row, On Saturday 13th February, I headed down at 3pm and along one of the few dykes with free flowing water along the western edge of the path, 1 showy Water Rail was seen and amazingly another 3 so 4 Water Rails in all. Particularly pleased to see them as I haven't seen Water Rail for several years. The Water Rail was usually in the darker or more obscured sections of the dyke and together with the back up camera/100-400mm lens malfunctioning, I'll need to pop down again tomorrow with my 7DMk2 and my trusty 500mm lens. 2 Barn Owls were hunting in the field just north west of the dyke where the Rails were. Walking on just over the railway line I looked in a good wooded area for Woodcock (determined to get in on the Woodcock action in the Beast from the East 2)and saw 4 Woodcocks fly out. In addition walking to the bowl I saw another Woodcock fly out. Walking past the rea gardens I heared another Water Rail so 5 Water Rails in all. Walking along the path along the river, a Wren flew from reed to reed and I spied a group of 6 Greylag Geese and 30 Greylag Geese flew in from across the river. Finally, another Wren seen by the small alder wood.

"The handsomest Pheasant in all Christendon"

On Sunday 7th February, to paraphrase the Venetian ambassador on the assent of Henry VIII to the English throne, I saw what maybe the "The handsomest Pheasant in all Christendon" during the blizzard conditions last weekend (Sunday). It was particularly gratifying to see this virile Male Pheasant fly over (while we can see part of the western part of the building site near the Parkhill hotel grounds, (before another 2 "Empire State Building" style/ "Tower of Babel" vile and hideous recreations completely block our view) Where were the planned bungalows that was in the planning applications?) from Parkhill grounds onto the building site. He's still about and I was very pleased to see him. Sadly, the monstrous artifical edifices completely blocked any further view of him. Also, very gratifying to see a charm of 18 gold, red and fawn spangled Goldfinches, fly in and they took full advantage of the recently replenished bird feeders. This is my highest tally of this species in the garden to date. Also, seen was the now, sadly, rare sighting of 3 Chaffinces (1 male & 2 females) and the now equally rare sighting of a female Greenfinch too. (Library pic of the virile Pheasant from last summer 2020 when he spent much of his time in the now sadly eradicated grassland habitat just "a stone's throw" from the back garden fence).

Buzzard flying past the garden

On Wednesday 3rd February at 7.10am, a Buzzard flew south- west close by past the front garden just as day was breaking. With birding deemed an illegal activity (despite angling and shooting judged as exercise) I can only get out exercising on my bike (with a pair of bins around my neck of course!) on nice days when I can cycle around, sadly there haven't been any (when I have been off work) over the past few weeks.

Really poor RSPB garden birdwatch

On Sunday 31st January, the garden was virtually birdless all day, but we did manage a Wood Pigeon which is usually hanging around usually on the back kgence or the garden pagoda and a foraging Blue Tit prospecting our nest boxes (offering hope for a nesting pair in the spring). Despite the plethora of food put out sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, fatballs, dried mealworms, peanuts and alder seeds the bird were probably put off by all the buidling work which with 3 great big houses being worked Monday- Friday just over the fence. No sign of the Robin, or Blackbirds or Dunnock which was very disappointing. A far cry from a year or two ago when we would get Bullfinches plus Greenfinches, Goldfinches & Chaffinches. Several Black- headed Gulls seen flying over the garden though.