Review of 2024: Farewell old friend

2024 foremost for me will always be remembered very sadly for the sudden and shocking and totally unexpected loss of our much loved Tabby cat Cosmo who died suddenly on 1st February and he is greatly missed by us both, he was a wonderful boy, a fantastic companion and we still miss him dreadfully. He was a real character, an integral part of the family and we still mourn his loss very deeply. On a much better note, we welcomed Misty another rescue cat, a beautiful blue and cream Tortie who has settled in so well and with Whitby, our other black cat who we welcomed in 2023. Also a mixed year on the wildlife front. It was amazing how much bad weather we had during weekends and days off particularly towards the end of the year. Also on the debit front a very poor year for butterflies. In January, it was a great start to the year on the 1st with a duo of Divers in Lowestoft, Great Northern and Red- throated and a nip over to an incrediby crowded Southwold to see the Lesser Yellowlegs. on the 5th and 14th January a nip across the border into Essex revealed an American warbler species (a family I have had a recent 2024 run of dips) a fine Northern Water Thrush, which was an excellent trip on both occasions. Unfortunately we lost poor Cossie on the 1st February and the year went downhill from that point on. TBC

Thorpeness Meare goodies

On Monday 30th December, I drove down to Thorpeness Meare, parking was very tight but I maaged to reverse park in a tight space (glad I had the rear parking sensors fitted!) I walked down to the Meare and immediately saw a group of 9 Goosanders (6 males and 3 females)swimming at the back in front of of the island, whilst just right of them was the splendid male Ring- necked Duck, which was constantly diving it raised up on its haunches wobbled from side to side before diving. It repeated this feeding motion constantly and was on view all the time save when it was underwater of course! It was typically bobble crowned and in very smart plumage. The Goosanders swam right and out of sight round the side. A male Pochard seen too.

Ness Point recuperation

After being totally exhausted from the ill fated trip down to Kent, it wasn't until Monday 30th December that I ventured out after a suitably refreshing rest, I walked down to Ness Point and there were 5 Oystercatchers asleep fairly close in on the finger promontary, the flew over to the rocks by the compass when the inevitable dog walker walked past. I walked north and by the Ting Dene Caravan park ledge and I saw a group of 5 Purple Sandpipers together and on the ledge 1 closer too, I saw a further 2 closer Purple Sandpipers so 7 in all, my highest tally this winter. I also heard a Rock Pipt calling too.

Double dip

On a Saturday 28th December it was very, very disappointing to dip out on Yellow Warbler and Scops Owl in Kent. As we walked down we saw a fine Firecrest in the bushes by the stream, we saw the famous alder trees, A Song Thrush seen. Later on at Boradstairs Cricket Club no sign of the Scops Owl. Even worse both birds were seen again.

Christmas at Ness Point

On Christmas Eve, at 4.30pm James Paget Hospital, a pre-roost gathering of some 38+ Pied Wagtails were attempting to settle in the bushes bordering the Burrage Centre garden. On Christmas day afternoon, I finally made it out after recovering from one of my greatest fears, the house alarm going off at 2am at night during th every early hours of Christmas Eve and fears of not being able to silence it. Fortunately, we were able to silence it after a few minutes, but I wasn't able to get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Later that morning from work at 9am I called the company that looked after it and after leaving a message they quickly got back to me issuing instructions on how to remedy it. Jenny & Matthew were able to do so, as I was waorking until 5pm that day. I visited Ness Point, just a few 5 Turnstones seen initially at the Point but wondering behind the Orbis Energy building a fine pristine male Black Redstart was seen in all his finery, orane red shivering tail black about with a flash of white on his wings. He perched briefly on the building just west of Orbis Energy and then he was off. Meanwhile, a calling Rock Pipit flew up and perched at the top of the Orbis Energy building. As I walked to the area, north of Ness Point, I looked at the inner ledge and saw 3 Oystercatchers but a group of people flushed some waders from the inner ledge further along including 8 Turnstone and a small flock of 4 Purple Sandpipers, the quartet of Sandpipers all alighted briefly on a triangualr rock in front of me, before using as a brief rest to fly over to the inner ledge. As I watched them a further Purple Sandpiper flew in from the south, making 5 Purple Sandpipers in all, this is my persona highest tally this winter and only one below the maximum count this winter so far! As I walked back, I saw a further Oystercatcher so 4 Oystercatchers in total. and Perched like a sentinel on a groyne was an adult winter- plumaged Mediterranean Gull which then later flew north. Checking Hamilton Dock, the new jetty from the north- east corner had extended and further fencing erected and access to the gravelly area will soon be totally restriced so photography here will be further away and severly limited sadly. Security is by the Port Authority so the lenient days of SLP are well and truly gone, sadly. By the old lighthouse square area, can be a productive spot & today a Goldfinch and a Meadow Pipit were sighted . On my arrival they flew from the weeds growing between the concrete ground slabs. My best visit to Ness Point so far this winter, fitting it should be Christmas Day, Happy Christmas!

Benacre & Covehithe

On Saturday 21st December, I walked down to Covehithe Broad and I first saw 1 then 2 Scaup like female Tufted Ducks in a group of Duck along the north side of the Broad, but then from the right first 1 then 2 genuine female Scaups were seen but were quite skittish and were shy of the camera. There was also a smart male Pochard too and together with the Goldeneye seen on the south side of the Broad 2 male and 3 female Goldeneye. Walking to Benacre Broad, the 7 Whooper Swans were mostly asleep along the Broad hide inlet, one bird was preening a lot. There was also 1 female Goldeneye on the Broad too. This was all very nice, but the atmosphere was ruined when I heard shooting coming from within the Beach Farm Covehithe complex, Pigeons and Jackdaws flew up and 1 Jackdaw was hit and plummeted to the ground, I then saw a freshly dead Pigeon on the grass by the pink cottage by the road and opposite St. Andrew's Church, not good.

Shopping Trollies!

On Sunday 15 December, no birds but I saw 21 shopping trollies on the riverbed of Lake Lothing, at very low tide by Asda, welcome to Lowestoft!

Velvet Scoter

On Saturday 14 December 2024, after several successive brief seawatches failing to see any Little Auks, only seing a Brent Goose which flew north, it was especially gratifying to see 3 Velvet Scoter at the front left of a flock of some 500+ strong Common Scoters off Gorleston Cliffs, still just south of Gorleston beach cafe where they had been seen by Rob M the previous day. Also one Grey Wagtail flew south over Gorleston cliffs calling as it went.

Bee Orchids

On 5 December, I was delighted to find 10 florettes of Bee Orchids which have sprung up in the Burrage Centre garden at the James Paget Hospital garden.