Winterton Early start

An early start at Winterton, had me meeting Peter C, having first heard a Coal Tit in his garden, we made our way onto the Dunes and in a dip close to the houses just north of Beach road and we soon saw the fine adult male Red- backed Shrike that showed quite well in bushes around here perching in a rosehip bushes and on top of a bramble bush. A fine bird with grey head, black mask and reddish brown back and a slight pink flush on its breast. Occasionally the Shrike would disappear amongst the brambles behaving more like a Warbler, before finally showing again and I managed to retrace my steps and crawl up the top of the ridge and take a few pics where the Shrike posed quite nicely for me, although I would have prefered to have been a little closer.

Meanwhile along Beach road, a Tree Sparrow showed well briefly amongst some House Sparrows. walking south along the Dunes, near the beach we saw lots of hirundines, swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins flew around both south and north. It reminded me that they were on the move the House Martins have left the nests under out house eaves (sad to see them disappear but all 3 nests were used and were very successful raising several broods and just 2 chicks were lost found dead on the drive during the summer) on Thursday 16th and just 2 House Martins were seen flying over the garden on Friday 17th We didn't see the hoped for Laplands, but a fine Hobby whizzed past and north and out of sight.

In the dunes, a Wheatear flew past us and south rounded off a fine early morning trip to Winterton today.

Later in the morning a look around the North Denes revealed nothing.

In the afternoon, I looked around the Hen reedbeds not seeing anything or the hoped for Wasp spiders so I took pics of Grasshoppers.

At Southwold harbour (where I saw several confiding young Starlings were moulting from their immature plumage to adult winter plumage) Dunwich beach car park, I couldn't see the hoped for King Eider, but there was a raft of 21 Common Scoter on the sea just south of Dunwich Beach car park. In the distance through my telescope looking south, I could see a crowd of birders standing on the cliff of Dunwich Beach car park and arriving at Dunwich NT, I joined the crowd including Roy M & saw the rather distant King Eider just south of their on the sea probably directly out from the entrance to Minsmere East hide.

On Blythburgh estuary, I saw a few waders, as well as the usual Redshank, Curlew & including 7 closer Knot (all winter plumage), many Dunlin and more distant singletons of both Avocet & Spotted Redshank.

Two Garganey

Two female Garganey were seen at Leathes Ham early this morning at around 8.30am. 

They were just in front of the island in the middle. Initially separated the two females joined each other on the water. Whether they are wild birds are not is debatable, i didn't see the legs to check for rings and the situation is clouded by the release of captive birds around the Flixton gravel pits area near Bungay. A Teal was seen also.

Greylag Geese

Hearing the distinctive calls of Greylag Geese had me leaping out of bed this morning and I was just in time to see the classic "V" formation of 35 Greylag Geese flying south- west over Fallowfields and the Parkhill Hotel grounds another new species seen from the present garden. 

"K"racking King Eider

After a disappointing look around Kessingland beach and Benacre Pits where the only birds seen were 3 Wheatear, around the sluice area plus 5 Meadow Pipits, 10 Pied Wagtails, 2 Skylark and 2 Little Grbe on the pit. There was no Lap Bunting & the waders at the pool on the North Beach had been flushed by a dog and I scoped some waders flying off, so no chance of seeing the hoped for Little Stint.

A small Copper butterfly on the beach played very "hard to get" and escaped the hoped for obligatory photograph. 2 singleton Sky Lark flew up from my feet. It was especially disappointing to get a message at 12 noon to say a King Eider had been seen off Kessingland that morning. An hour and a half of looking at Kessingland & Benacre revealed nothing.

All this was turned on its head when I received a BINS message to say a King Eider had been seen off the Minsmere North Wall late afternoon and I received a lift from OFB. We headed for Dunwich National Trust cliff and as we entered we saw birders running across the road to the northern cliff area. Parking in a small car park, I ran across the heather and saw a few birders non the cliff scoping the bird, I quickly set up my scope and saw the bird, a cracking eclipse plumaged 1st summer drake King Eider, complete with orange knob at base of the bill bill, dark back with distinctive black scapular "sails" and paler breast. 

6 Pintail also flew south over the sea.

I also noticed that the bird was drifting initially south (then later north) therefore staying in the same area the whole time and incredibly it was close inshore. I was keen to get pictures but I was confronted by a  fairly steep cliff but I carefully made my way down without losing my footing and I ran across the beach to reach the throng of birders including Nick B, Jon E, Andrew E, Rob Wil & Rob Win amongst others. Steve P, Dick W & Ali R also arrived. I rattled other many shots before realising that I needed to plus the exposure by at least 1 1/2 or all the way as advised by pro photographers present to make out any colouration on the plumage and avoid silhouette shots only. The bird drifted and preened and then finally fell asleep. The sun came out briefly illuminating the bird proving better for photography. A splendid addition to my Suffolk list, the bird being an addition to the Suffolk list. Making my way back (to avoid the steep cliff climb) up some steps through the confusing and seemingly exitless Cliff House caravan park, I saw and photographed an immature Wood Pigeon. 

This is the 4th King Eider I have seen following sighting off Scolt Head, Titchwell in Norfolk and an adult male in stunning plumage on the Ythan estuary near Aberdeen in Scotland.

A good day at Minsmere

Today I drove to Minsmere hoping the goodies that had been there most of the week would stay. The Wryneck was seen straight away at the North bushes feeding by a patch of bell heather at the back of the grassy area. A Redstart was also seen perched in a small tree here too.

Walking east down the path, just past the bend we looked south and saw the excellent immature Red- backed Shrike perched in a small triangular bush, it did several flying sorties and later on caught a beetle and flew back to the bush to devour it.

Walking along the beach, I saw 3 Whimbrel and a Bar- tailed Godwit flying south just south of the Public hide, I saw Matthew D photographing something and walking slowly and carefully up to him, he pointed out the 2 Lapland Buntings just in front of him barely 15 feet away! This is the sort of birding I really like; walking up to the birds seeing them instantly and even getting close to some for a chance of a spot of photography. 

The birds were feeding around some small sea Cabbage and I was able to obtain several shots as the birds were most confiding, as is sometimes the case with this species.

walking to the sluice bushes, surely the Barred wouldn't be this easy? It wasn't.

After an hour looking, in the pleasant company of Chris M & Peter N, we didn't see it and I joined Roy H and his wife as we had a look within the Sluice bushes again no luck, but as Roy played a recording of the Barred warbler song at the back of the sluice bushes, we caught a glimpse of a large warbler (I didn't get any colouration or plumage on it) which flew over and into the bush just south of where we were needless to say we didn't see it again, it may have been the Barred Warbler?

My luck was running out, as a look on the east Scrape following a male Sparrowhawk whizzing through low and heading in a north- westerly direction "spooked" the birds and I failed to spot the Little Stint that had been showing earlier although we did see Avocet, 2 Common sandpiper and 4 winter- plumaged Knot that flew south. A walk back enabled us to see the Red- backed Shrike again and the Wryneck from the concessionary path running though the North bushes where I also saw a very tame pheasant, Rabbit, Speckled Wood and a Lesser Whitethroat.

In the garden late afternoon we heard and saw 2 Chiff- Chaffs, a female Common Darter rested on a towel on the washing line and later in the evening a Migrant Hawker briefly whizzed around the garden.

Not a lot at Corton!

A walk around Corton new sewage works on Thursday 9th September after work revealed no migrants whatsoever. At Corton old Sewage works, a Redstart seen very briefly as was a calling Chiff- Chaff by the fence perimeter, a Pied Flycatcher seen for a split second fling around the base of a Pine. 

A Snipe flew out of the field stubble and flew high west as I walked down the path to look out to sea. Whilst 2 flying Common Sandpipers flew north, stopping briefly to alight on one off the groynes.

Up to 32 House Martins flying over the garden perhaps their preparing to leave?

Kefalonia Turtles & Insects

Tuesday 7th September

Just back from a week's holiday on the Greek island of Kefalonia, next door to Zakynthos (or Zante) and South of Corfu, it forms part of the Ionian islands. Kefalonia is perhaps best known for the novel and movie; Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

We experienced changeable weather conditions with strong north- west winds on the first 2 days and stormy weather and a rainstorm on the day, Saturday  of our boat trip looking for Dolphins, needless to say we didn't see any. The rest of the week was fine and sunny.

On Wednesday 1st September, a trip to Old Scala revealed 2 fine Red- rumped swallows flying overhead and an Icterine Warbler flying to an Olive tree. An eastern Rock Grayling posed well on the rocks. At Katelios by the newly constructed harbour 3 Red- rumped Swallows flew over as did a House Martin. Around the bush a Hummingbird Hawk moth probed the flowers. Round the back of the village, 3 Two- tailed Pashas, stunning butterflies flew round a garden and a fig tree.

Finally locating the Katelios Turtle Conservation project group on Mounda Beach, I was able to witness them excavating a recently erupted Turtle nest. They found many opened egg cases (proof that the Turtles had broken out of the nest and hopefully reached the sea), sadly 4 dead baby Turtles and 1 hatchling which was still alive and it eventually made its way down to the sea.

On Thursday 2nd September, a trip to Avithos lake revealead a singing Cetti's warbler (heard only), 2 Silver washed Fritillaries flying around the fence-bushes and a few Clouded yellows, bathed in sunshine and 6 Brown Argos, Sooty Coppers by the short grass where I had parked the car.

At Sami, along the seafront as we were having lunch we counted 6 Two-tailed Pashas flying south past us. At the bushes area, a further 3 Two-tailed Pashas seen, plus a Sage Skipper and Lesser Purple Emperors. Whilst overhead a flock of 12 Alpine Swifts flew north.

At antisami beach, by the wasp traps (drink bottles filled with a small amount of Honey), they attracted 3 Two- tailed Pashas using the long probiscuses to drink the honey.

On Friday 3rd September, a trip to the capital Argostoli, included an early morning trip to the harbour, the fishermen were in harbour on the boars gutting the fish they had caught which in turn famously attracts Loggerhead turtles and we saw 2 full grown adults, 1 male (with a curled tail!) and a female. watching these Turtles at close range (within a few feet!) was the highlight of the holiday and it was wonderful to watch these glorious creatures swim so gracefully in the sea and break the surface to breathe and eat fish titbits. Both were seen together on several occasions.

A trip back to Mounda beach, Jenny went swimming and I looked around the watery outlet by the Marina Bay hotel and saw a very obliging Wall Lizard, 4 Southern skimmers and by the bushes on the beach, 5 Lang's Short- tailed Blue, 2 Long-tailed Blue, 3 Painted Ladies, a Skipper sp and a Marbled White flew briefly into a bush. Whilst a Spotted Flycatcher perched on top a bush briefly.

On Saturday 4th September, the boat trip revealed very little save for a Turtle in the harbour again and 2 Grey Herons. Afterwards a large eagle seen over distant mountains looked like a Golden Eagle.

On Sunday 5th September, a trip up to the highest point of the island Mount Einos, was so far the most productive birding of the trip, it revealed a Cirl Bunting flying over the road and a Wheatear by the circular concrete martello tower type constuction. Taking the track to the radar station revealed a further wheatear, a pair of striking Black- eared Wheatears and a male Stonechat. Travelling down I heard a Firecrest.

Back at Antisami, Jenny going swimming again, I saw a female Woodchat Shrike on a fence as we were driving in, Two-tailed Pashas again by the wasp traps and several Grasshoppers and a Lesser Purple Emperor. That night walking back to the Crystal Palace hotel at Scala, on the steps up to the hotel I saw a big Bush Cricket sp.

On Monday 6th September, looking from the balcony of the hotel, we saw up to 5 calling Crested larks, 2 Wheatear on a sand spoil. At the back field of Katelios, a Red- backed Shrike flew from the wire to distant bushes, an Olivaceous warbler flew into an olive tree. 2 Blue- headed Yellow wagtails flew out of the field and there were 2 Yellow- legged gulls in the harbour.

At Mounda beach, a Mediterranean Skipper, 2 Clouded Yellows, a Grasshopper sp on a back track and a Buzzard seen.

Back at Scala in the early evening, 2 separate Cory's shearwaters seen flying out to sea, 11 Yellow wagtails flew out of a field and a male Woodchat Shrike seen perched on top of a mound in a field. Walking back to the hotel, a fine Preying mantis was seen on one of the light posts by the path leading back to the hotel. 

Our last day Tuesday 7th September, an early morning walk around the maquis around the hotel revealed 5 swallow flying past, then a female Sparrowhawk, a Hare that almost ran up to me before scampering off,

Sardinian warbler, Spotted flycatcher and a gunshot revealed 1 flying Chukar and I was sprayed by stones (I was being shot at!!!) walking away, a further gunshot revealed another flying Chukar, further stones spraying past me (shot again, pellets!!!) and a male Blue Rock Thrush that flew away. a female Red- backed Shrike perched on a distant bush. Crested Lark and Whinchat also seen.

Back at the hotel, a Bush Cricket sp seen on the door jamb, it was well photo'd!

Driving back to the airport near Katelios we saw a further Woodchat Shrike by the roadside.