Evening visit to Fisher Row, Oulton Marshes

On Thursday 15th May, I drove down to Fisher Row at 6.20pm, walking down the path, I heard a Blackcap singing, I saw a singing Sedge Warbler and heard a Chiff- Chaff calling too. It was immediately apparent that the former horse fields have been acquired by SWT, which is great news. By the sloping field, there were several Rooks and Carrion Crows, past the railway line little seen. As I reached the river and I followed the path round by the stretch of reeds by the river, I heard 2 Reed Warblers singing but not seen, I also heard and briefly saw a Sedge Warbler. Looking over the marsh, I first saw a Hobby perched up in a tree and then spied a second Hobby perched up too. Both Falcons soon flew off. Walking around, I saw another falcon around 300 metres east of the Dutch Tea garden area, in a dead possible Cricket Bat Willow, it was a fine adult female Red- footed Falcon. I managed to get a few shots before a male Marsh Harrier flew straioght at it and she flew north- east and disappeared behind a bush, she flew around and alighted on the same branch for several seconds before she flew north-=east again.

Wednesday evening

On Wednesday evening I again drove to Carlton Marshes, this time there was a Lesser Whitethroat scolding from the bushes opposite the old Visitor's centre, again the 1st year male Red-footed Falcon was roosting in the usual place, I saw Nick B. I saw a Barn Owl fly past and down the Whitecast marsh, later it was hunting on Share marsh and flew into the Owl box. There was also a Hobby perched up further back on more distant trees. Also seen was a Bittern flying over and dropped down onto Peto's Marsh. Several Swifts seen.

Monday evening

On Monday evening, on 12th May, after work, I drove to Carlton Marshes, again I heard the Lesser Whitethroat from the car park and saw it briefly before it flew left again. Walking back down, I saw the 1st year Red- footed Falcon male roosting on Jenson's island at the usual place. Walking back I saw 5 youth in the Tower Hide smoking, tried to warn people at the Visitor's centre no reply.

Sunday birding

On Sunday 11th May at Corton there was nothing, then a message saying Chris M had just seen the Booted E flying over CM I drove to Castle Marshes- I first heard and then saw a Garden Warbler, my first for 2 years. At Worlingham Marshes, I saw Paul & Jane F, we saw a Hobby fly past.

Red- foots still showing reasonably well

On Saturday 10th May, in the morning 3 excellent House Martins flew over Fallowfields road. at just after 5pm, I parked up and in the tree just north of us a fine Lesser Whitethroat could be heard constantly scolding and we saw it briefly on some foliage before it dropped left. I walked down to Peto's Marsh, Carlton Marshes again and this time on the path to the Moorings Hide there were around 30 observers including Gavin, John H and Peter N. Later on Rob H and Paul & Sara joined us. One 1st year male was perched close up but a little frustrating for me it flew just as I was setting the camera up. I needn't have worried as a further 3 (immature 1st year male and 2 females were seen nearby). Finally all 5 Red- footed Falcons seen, 1 ad female, 1 immature female and 3 males. Also seen was a Bittern that flew a brief way on the middle area of Peto's and settled in reeds. A Cuckoo flew from Jenson's island acoss and north over Peto's. A brief Barn Owl over Share Marsh fields and a Great White Egret that flew into roost.

Showy Red- foot

On Thursday 8th May, after work, I headed down to Carlton Marshes, but was delayed for 20 minutes as there had just been a road traffic accident near the Esso Garage (beware there is still a load of glass still scattered on the road travelling north on the way back). I walked down the main path to the edge of Peto's Marshes. It was quite a struggle carring 2 camera set ups, plus scope, tripod and bins especially as I am suffering from tennis elbow at the moment. I walked down to the end (arriving at 6.20pm & the light was perfect!) and took the track down to the Moorings Hide, only walking a third of the way down and incredibly an immature male Red- footed Falcon was perched up really close to the path just past the dyke just on Jenson's island. I saw Tom and Les C. who were busy photographing this very obliging Falcon, giving triple Ferguson views! Tom said a further 3 Red- footed Falcons were roosting further back along he island, so we both walked a further hundred metres further down the path where we saw an adult male and 2 female Red- footed Falcons, totalling roosting 4 Red- footed Falcons this evening. Other birds seen was a single Carrion Crow perched up, whilst we heard Bittern booming. A female Peregrine was seen flying north over Peto's Marsh too. Later on at around 8pm, 2 Great White Egrets flew from Peto's to roost on Jenson's Island soon following by a single Great White Egret, totalling 3 in all. From the direction of Share Marsh, 2 Little Egrets flew over to Jenson's island. Finally a Barn Owl was seen hunting over Share Marsh fields, as I walked back, laden down but elated.

No Eagle

On Wednesday 7th May, directly after work at 2.45pm, I was planning to go and look at the Carlton Red- footed Falcons again immediately after work but amazingly the Booted Eagle had been seen flying north and west directly over Carlton Marshes and was last seen dropping down towards Burgh St Peter. I immediately drove over there, making the mistake of turning down towards Waterloo, this is a single track road with very few areas to turn the car around and I had to reverse several 1000 metres wasting around 20 minutes. I finally got to the village of Burgh St Peter and a small Falcon, a Hobby whizzed past to the left of me seen really well if briefly. I met a well known Norfolk birder and we had a good chat but no sign of the BE. We suddenly got a message to say the BE perched in a tree on the road from Burgh St. Peter to Haddiscoe, I went down 3 roads which all led to Haddiscoe and I finally saw a group of people with tripods peering intently a something in the distance, I parked up and sprinted down to them set the scope up and was told there was a very pale a very white looking Buzzard, one of the palest I have ever seen, it was perched on the left hand edge in a copse of trees in the middle of a field. Apparently the Buzzard had been mistaken for the BE, an easy mistake to make but it was good to call it out just in case it was the Eagle and equally good to correct an honest mistake. Good also to see a range of people.

Typical seawatch and Orange Tip

On Monday, after an unscheduled visit to the JPH, I rushed to Baker's Score, Corton after several Manxies were seen flying north of Ness Pt, despite a 20 minute seawatch I didn't see any, after a phone call I had to return back to JPH, before that all I saw were 2 groups of 3 Common Terns heading north. I haven't sen any Manxies off Suffolk for yonks, the last ones I have seen were actually off Tenby, west Wales in 2021. Late afternoon a fine male Orange Tip flew around the back garden but didn't settle and quickly flew north. Finally a look around Gunton revealed a fine Early Purple Orchid flowering, my first in Lowestoft for several years (thanks to Paul and Jane for the info). No GWs nearby and the Bee Orchid rosette had had its wings clipped sadly (over zealous mowing and totally ignoring my pleas not to this area of grass).

Red- footed Falcons again

On Sunday 4th May, I walked down early morning and saw the 5 Red- footed Falcons perched up in trees on Jensons's Island, just at the western edge of the Whitecast Marsh path, this time there were 2 female Red- footed Falcons and Chris D pointed out there was an adult male Red- foot perched up too, so personally another 2 different Falcons, totalling a personal tally of 7 RFFS! Tried some pics but the diostance was a slight too far for me. A shou went up and wheeling round 4 Spoonbills were seen flying eastwards in the sky over the far southern part of the reserve. As it was mostly cloudy with occasional breaks of sunshine, the group of 5 spent a long time perched up, but 2 males broke cover and flew off. later along the western bank, I spotted Chris D by the bench and I had already spotted the 2 males perched up in trees along the Norfolk side of the river bank. Sadly these were flushed by a big river cruiser that chugged past. Hereafter, the male Red- foots were seen hunting over Peto's. Also by Turnpike scrape by the 3rd pool back, a circular one I finally saw one of Jake G's birds (all the previous ones of his I had twitched I missed) a fine Greenshank stood in the middle of the pool. I walked back to the Whitecast marsh track where 3 Falcons were stood perched in trees, 2 female and the adult male, the adult male flew and flew close by us where Chris D took his incredible pic, 'I have nailed the shot', he said sadly for me my big lens was on oits tripod and I missed it. Not being able to carry an additional bag as I have tennis elbow on my left arm, the only spare one I could use carring all the other optical aids.

Red Admiral in garden

Early morning on Sat 3 May, saw a Red Admiral in the centre circular flowerbed of the back garden.

5 RFFS

On the evening of Friday 2nd May, I dashed down to Carlton Marshes, I eventually saw the incredible quintet of 5 Red- footed Falcons flying and hunting over Peto's Marsh, 4 males all immatures and 1 female Red- footed Falcon, I also saw 2 Garganey the male and the female in the pool half way down walking back along the main bund just north of the path. Also Walking along the path reaching out to the Moorings path, I saw 4 Red- footed Falcons perched in trees.

Minsmere Magic

On the evening of Thurs 1st May, I dashed down to minsmere, straight to North Hide saw Matt D who kindly showed me the exquisite female summer Red-necked Phalarope, plus an additonal gorgeous full summer plumaged dusky Spotted Redshank in full sp, also 3 LRPs and RPs, about 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, several Blk T Godwits, 2 Dunlin, 1 full summer p and 1 still in winter plumage, bigger and longer billed individual Alpina race? On the island at the back (straight out from east hide) was stood a Spoonbill. Finally along the eastern hedge 6 Red Deer was seen standing on the eastern beach side. Walking back Nightigale just outside the North hide and 1 near the old car park and another 3 heard driving back down the entrance track, also heard Wood Lark here too.

Carlton Marshes

On the evening of Wed 30th April at Carlton, a calling Cuckoo flew ahead of me at the North path of Peto's it originally flew over calling from Peto's and perched in the tree just beyond the hide. I met Andrew we saw 2 Ruff and 1 Common Sandpiper, no sign of PH.