Tarzan Diver!

Just after 12.30pm on Wed 23rd September, a tweet from Dale that he had a BT Diver close in by the caravan park, had me driving down to the Lowestoft North Denes/ North Beach, parking at the Swimming Pool Road car park opposite the Sparrow's Nest and walking down to the sea wall. An initial sweep of the sea revealed nothing, but a couple I met said that the Diver had swum north, so we; Rob H. and I walked north as we did so we met up with Paul & Jane. Jane spotted a reasonably close Red- throated Diver which flew south. Just before we got to the Link's Road car park, we saw a Diver close in on the sea, not a Black- throated, but a nice summer plumaged Red- throated Diver. I went onto the beach and only moved into position when the bird had dived. I managed a few pics but the bird was regularly feeding and diving regularly resurfacing tens of metres away at first swimming north and then south where it had swum really fast, even faster than the Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller who had been a multiple Gold medal winner at both the 1924 Paris and 1928 Amsterdam Olympics! Running on the sandy beach, (completely laden with old 500mm lens on my back and a scope and tripod, whilst trying to avoid obstacles such as with shards of rock from the old seawall, was both an exhausting hot and hazardous business, I was trying to keep up with fast swimming Diver! A look at Ness Point afterwards the sea was quiet and it only revealed an Oystercatcher, 2 Turnstone on the Jetty/finger.

At last a decent seawatch!

On Sunday 20th September, just after 5pm I drove to Ness Point, Andrew E., Rob H., and Jon B. were by the funnel seawatching, over the course of a near 2 hour watch I saw a total of 15 Sooty Shearwaters, some singles but groups of 3, 4 and 3 also seen. Also a fine Razorbill was seen half way out on the sea, then a second more distant Razorbill. A fine but distant black/ white Manx Shearwater also sheared over the sea and north, my first since 2021. A couple of Gannets flew north an adult and an immature. Also several Mediterranean Gulls, 2 adults and an immature plus 3 Sandwich Tern flying south. No sign of the Redstart for me.

Benacre bound again!

On Sunday 20th September, I made my way down to the Broad, no Clouded Yellows were seen on the way down, but Rob H. had beaten me to it and already seen the Pec. By the time I got into the hide, Rob was there with Carl B. The Pec was again out of view and again the Scaup wasn't being seen but we made our way down to the Beach. Quickly we saw both the Pectoral Sandpiper and a Curlew Sandpiper on a small island with Gull and the odd Duck (Teal) on it. Meanwhile, we looked north and saw the fine female Scaup just beyond 2 Tufted Duck and a couple of Canada Geese. Carl went back to the Hide and Rob walked south, whilst I remained on the beach, 2 Sandwich Tern flew past over the beach and out to sea whilst 1 Sandwich Tern was on the far muddy bank, left of the hide. 2 Ruff were seen at the far west back of the Broad. I also saw the female Pintail and an eclipse male Pintail too. As I walked back in the grassy area just south of the Broad 2 Clouded Yellows were flying mostly constantly on the move. 1 would often disrupt the other more restful one and I eventually located this fine Butterfly and managed a few pics, albeit with the shadow of a grass stem on it. It was quite tatty on closer inspection.

Very humid at Benacre

I then drove to Benacre as a Scaup had been seen on the Braod. I joined Paul & Jane F. in the walk down, immediately by the top cliff we saw a Clouded Yellow. Walking further down by the grassy area just before the Broad which the path down dissects. We saw an incredible 3 Clouded Yellows, on the grassy area and we managed to get a few pics with the Nikon lens. In the hide, we saw Neville L. who had seen the Scaup and found a Pectoral Sand. but it had flown onto the closer bank, totally obscured by the reeds so it couldn't be seen. The humidity meant it was incredibly humid and very difficult to view anything. Chasing after the Clouded Yellows meant I was already hot & all I could see were around 300 Black- tailed Godwits and a female Pintail. Paul did well to pick up 2 Garganey which he kindly let me see through his scope. I had to leave to cool down and because I had to prepare to see the band King King at thge waterfront at Norwich.

Glossy Ibis at Peto's

On Saturday 19th September, I drove to Carlton Marshes and walked down and past the Moorings Hide, I saw Paul & Jane F. at the end, all I had seen so far was a Great White Egret by the pool. Suddenly Paul said the Glossy Ibis as flying and I soon spotted the Glossy Ibis flying left and it settled on the far muddy bank of the pool. It fed here for a while before flying slightly left and then out of sight.

Westleton Heath bound

I had heard that Westleton Heath the walk to the quarry had reopened at the weekend, so on Wednesday after leaving work at 1.15pm, I left it too late to visit as there were a lot of people about and unsurprisingly no Juvenile Cuckoos were seen despite a thorough search. A few Small Heath butterflies and several Graylings seen plus a reasonably obliging Grasshopper. A male Stonechat also seen.

Great-Spot 2nd Garden record

On Monday 14th September, late evening a Box tree Moth flew into the bathroom and I released it the following morning when I found it. evening Tuesday 15th September at 7.10am, I heard the chip of a fine Great- spotted Woodpecker from the back garden and I looked up and saw the aforementioned bird fly south-west directly over the back garden with its undulating flight, second garden record.

Wild Goose Chase

On Saturday 12th September, I took a look around Ness Point, Hamilton Dock, Net posts and nothing of note seen, when Paul G. What's Ap stated a lone PBBG had landed at Children's corner, I was about to leave but a child chased it off, it was only when Jeremy What's Ap saying they were on the South Beach that I went down, parking was very difficult but I finally managed to find a place then I hurried down to the Beach area just south of the South Pier and Jeremy was watching the 2 fine Pale-bellied Geese swimming close to the line of coastal defence rocks, there was an adult and an immature and the adult eventually swam north and settled on the beach as did the immature before they finally swam out onto the sea again. A What's Ap from Rob Wil. to say the remaining flock of 13 was back at Ness Point, I drove around no sign, then a What's Ap from James W. to say they were on the North beach by Link's Road car park again not there. But I could see Rob Hol standing half way along, so I drove to Swimming Pool road and parked by the Sparrow's Nest car park. The impressive 13 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were all perched on a single seaweed encrusted ledge (part of the old sea wall) But as soon as I set up and taken just 1 picture they flew north and settled in Link's Road car park. Again, I drove around but they had been disturbed and were back on the beach actively walking and feeding along the seaweed encrusted rock and Rob, Jeremy I watched themm as they slowly walked south and the finally tpook to flight heading south over the sea.

Pale- bellies back at Ness Point

On Friday 11th September, a What's App from Andrew E, that the Pale-bellies were back at ness Point at 7.20am, I immediately left and was down there by 7.30pm I could see the fine 15 Pale- bellied Brent Geese very close on the rocks right at the point right next to the Compass railings. Initially I joined Julie just north of there but we were looking a bit into the sun and a better position was just south, so I crawled on my knees by the railing inching forward carefully not disturbing the geese and most remained feeding very close to me just feet away!

Relocated Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Having not seen the PBBGs the previous evening as I had to leave as I had a talk for the Waveney Bird Club, they had returned mid- morning to Ness Point but departed before I could do a lunchtime switch reports stated they may have landed in Lowestoft harbour. I was particularly keen to see this form because I haven't had a chance to photograph one since January 2010 when I found one at Kessingland North Beach. Previously I had seen them way back at Langham in North Norfolk. So directly after work on Thursday 10th September. I drove to the Promenade along South Beach and I initially parked up and walking out with just binoculars for optical aids. As the sea came into view, I could see a line of Pale- bellied Brent Gesese swimming left just in front of the rocky defence reef, by Children's corner. So I quickly walked back to the car retrieved my tripod and 2 cameras with 500mm lens & 1.4X converter plus the 100-400mm lens and then went back. There were some metal steps down to a small beach area and I walked slowly down initially counting 14 and then finally all 15 of the fabulous Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a race of Brent Goose that hails from Svalbard in the high Arctic with a population of only about 6,000- 8,000. Sobering to think that just days ago they were trying to avoid hunting Polar bears! They were initially swimming in a line right by the defence rocks but then they swam right to the corner and then stepped out of the water. They kept going further out to the rocky reef and then returning to the beach at one point several birds were just feet from me. Rob H. and a couple arrived. The Geese again swam right up to us, a couple flapped their wings as they reached shore and then they swam to a more weedy area of rocks just right of us, where 3 birds fed on the seaweed.

Quick trip to Minsmere

On Wednesday 9th September, I left work and in the afternoon, I travelled to Minmere in the hope of seeing the Pec Sand, good to see Mick on the walk down. From the East scrape hide I initially saw 3 Dunlin at the back and then I soon spotted the excellent Pectoral Sandpiper wanding around a stone rocky spit. Its larger size more elongated shape sharp division on breast and Snipe like streaking on the back give aways to its ID. Just behind and left of there was first 1 and then up to 3 Green Sandpipers, there were 3 Ringed Plovers too and then first 1 and then up to 3 Ruff too. I saw JP and he mentioned about the Temminck's too and jusr right of then 2/3 of the way back, I also spotted the Excellent Temmick's Stint on the left hand edge of an isand and muddy shore.

Finally, a Clifden Nonpareil!

On Monday 7th September, a tweet from Howard V. who runs the excellent Blue-eyed birder blog, he and Anthony W. had captured a fine Clifden Nonpareil Moth ( moth I had long wanted to see ever since one had been captured in North Walsham in the early 2000's) and Howard had kindly offered people on our local Whats App group the chance to view and photograph it. So just after 6pm, I arrived at Howard's house and he took me through to an area at the back where he released the Moth, a real beast of a Moth being about the length of the palm of my hand, It's mottled plumage was quite subtle until the distinctive blue showed and when it flopped over as a defensive mechanism it showed alternate creamy buff and dark baring as striking as the underwing of a zoothera Thrush and equally as stunning!

Sunday seawatch

Sunday 6 September, late afternoon/ early evening 2 distant Gannet S, 9 Teal on sea then south, wp Knot- S, c15 Sandwich Terns south, 1 pale phase Artic Skua flying high then zoomed down falcon-like onto the sea, a Dunlin south then 3 small waders, 2 Dunlin with the middle bird being a Sanderling, a Whimbrel flew north and a Spitfire flew north.

Last time with the Red- foot

On my visit to see the Red- footed Falcon on Saturday 5th September, this time people were gathered the other side of the road and I saw the fine juvenile Red- footed Falcon perched on a small wooden fence bordering a grassy area and pool, it then flew low over the road and periously close to traffic before settling on the roof of the house with the Norfolk Hawker logo on it. I then flew down to the fence line and memorably flew down to the grassy area at times 2 feet away looking for natural insects and invertebrates, giving some superb pics. A chap asked if he could put crickets out and I asked him not to. He didn't. After a while the Falcon flew north and disappeared, my cue to leave.

Red- foot 3

On

Back at the Red-foot

On Wednesday 2nd September, in the early afternoonn, I went back to see the fine juvenile Red- footed Falcon that was now being tempted down from the fence with birders buying crickets from Pets at Home, releasing them in the grass and the Falcon frequently flew down to feast on them. We were warned when it was about to fly down as this bird would bob its head up and down, then shuffle about ansd then launch itself into the grass to catch the crickets and then eat them before returning to the fence perch. It was flying to within 2 feet of us. Clearly there are ethical issues for supplementary feeding of birds, an argument may be made if the bird is exhausted and under weight but ultimately the welfare of the bird must always come first and being this tame can cause obvious issues.

Incredibly confiding Red- foot at Lowestoft

On Tuesday 1st September, incredibly on social media a bird resembling a RF Falcon had been photographed perched on the roof of Lake Lothing pub, we were alerted by Jake G. and Rob Wil went down and confirmed it was still there. I left work very promptly at 5pm, ran to get my gear which Jenny had kindly pout in the hall for me and running back to Fallowfields where I had parked the car I drove down to the area just north of the Gull- wing bridge and parked in Rotterdam Road. I then walked back to the pub and joined the throng of birders looking at the fine juvenile Red- footed Falcon perched on the right hand ledge of the Lake Lothing pub's roof. It then flew flew down to a fence just south of the pub, where it then promptly flew back to the roof. Later on, it flew back to the fence and from here it made several hunting sorties down to the ground to catch grasshoppers and devour them. Periodically it would fly back up to the roof. We were literally watching this incredible Falcon down to just a few feet away, it was incredibly confiding! (even more confiding than the ones at Carlton Marshes last year! Walking back past the garden of no. 81, Rotterdam road, where I had parked, I saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth fly in and nectar from the Fuchsia flowers! I later heard that Rene's daugher had photographed the bird, a few days earlier over the BH, so it had been present here for at least a few days! People seen included Paul and Jane F, Jake G, Rob Hol, John W, Chris D & Chris A, Howard V, Phil D, Derek M & his wife etc. Parking up, at home incredibly I heard the call of a Tree Pipit flying over! (a new record for the garden)!

Wangford and Westleton

On Monday 31st August, a look around Wangford Quarry and I saw the Hornets again in the dead tree at the extreme NE corner of the quarry. At Westleton Heath, signs were up prohibiting acess to any paths south of the road, a firebreak of 15 metres seen the other side of the road and when i took some heathland shots, I walked past the closed car park and saw an immature Cuckoo flying east. Over the otherside a male Stonechat perched on top a bush.