Greater Yellowlegs still in poor light

On Wednesday 11th November, I had a half day and I immediately headed back to Walbersw at 1.30pm, but dismayed to see dark cloud. The wind was increasing too, so no chance on the EYW's so I walked straight to the Yellowlegs pool, a hard mile slog south on the shingle. I bumped into B and he said it was still there by the Little Egret at the back there. When I arrived the excellent Greater Yellowlegs was fortunately much closer, sheltering against the wind by a muddy bank on the right where there was an opening and it would occasionally walk to the back and out of sight before walking back again. It then spent a lot of time sheltering here. Nice to see aidan fro m CEFAS and amazingly a London birder wanted a lift to the nearest rail station, I politely declined, but absolutely no way illegal given the latest COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and a high chance of possible infection!

Dusky Warbler along the North Denes

On Tuesday 10th November, at first light I was down on Lowestoft's North Denes following Robert Wil's tweet from yesterday having found a Dusky on North Denes, I made my way to the first shelter belt north of the Oval and initially no sign, I looked around the Oval seeing very little but a tweet from Andrew E and I joined him looking in the scrub and bracken at the base of the North Denes slope opposite the first shelter belt north of the Oval. The chakking could be heard immediately and the bird was elusive but the excellent Dusky Warbler showed well briefly at 8.05am, I saw the bird back on in the bracken and it flew back into a tree and the distinct supercilia could be seen in glimpses. We moved toward the second shelter belt and a Tit flock moved through and Andrew E spotted a Firecrest, obviously not doubting this at all, but inconclusive views for me, so I still await my first 2020 Firecrest in Lowestoft.

Hume's Warbler at Gunton & North Denes

at 10.30am on Sunday 8th November, I joined both James W (the finder)and Andew E walking behind the Gunton Meadow SWT (same side as Tesco's Petrol station) and walked at the back bordering the Artists estate, I saw James W who explained the bird had flown further west, Andrew was there and had just heard it, then I heard it, the excellent Hume's Warbler, its distinctive lost chick call and saw the bird, a greyer version of YBW with buff supercilia (rather than yellow) and buff on flanks as it moved quickly through the trees moving west the whole time, showed reasonably well for seconds before it over the path and into some large trees bordering the Artists residential estate. Around the North Denes, no sign of the YBW in warren House wood, little along the North denes. The area of the North Denes had been mown with the middle area left. Behind the Links Road car park, both the male and female Stonechats were showing well and I managed a few pics, as were a Common Gull, 1st winter Mediterranean Gull and adult winter Mediterranean Gull (all unringed) amongst the BH Gull flock (3o birds).

Migrating Thrushes again

On Saturday 7th November, at 10.15 pm, 2 calling Redwings and a "chacking" Fieldfare flew over outr house at Parkhill.

A Walberswick "most excellent adventure"

On Saturday 7th November, for my exercise walk I decided to visit Walberswick in the hope of seeing the Eastern Yellow Wagtails and maybe see erupting Bearded Tits and Snow Buntings. I parked by the side of the road at Hoist Covert, with 3 cars already parked there and walked through the rather wonderful scene of Hoist Covert woods, the reedbeds were alive with tpinging Bearded Tits although I didn't see any until I got to the shore pools. A female Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds behind the mill. Taking the path to join the beach, immediately soth of the path, was a pool and I could see the excellent 1st winter Eastern Yellow Wagtail along the near edge showing well until I set the camera and then it disappeared, joining a few birders on the beach (less than 6 and socially distanced) including Matthew D and Craig F, we eventually saw the very grey looking 1st winter Eastern Yellow Wagtail (only a little yellow on its belly) around the near edge before it flew. We then saw it again by the same pool on viewed from the beach and it flew much nearer on the shingle beach, other birders (including Lee W and Dave F) ran by shouting Adams Rowlands had just found a Greater Yellowlegs on Dunwich shore pools! I stayed to photograph the presumed 1st winter Eastern Yellow Wagtail which was showing really nicely with just 2 of us in attendance! I then traipsed the mile along the beach further south and we joined a small group of birders scoping 1 of 2 birds on the pool at mid distance. The first bird was a Redshank, but the second was a magnificent 1st winter Greater Yellowlegs. A rare American visitor, stockier and slightly large than Lesser, with straw yellow legs and speckled brown above it was walking behind an island and then flew a short way to the northern side of the pool, where it continued to feed well, although 1 or 2 presumed Sticklebacks provided a swallowing problem on 2 occasions. This was the 3rd bird I have seen of this species, all in Suffolk having seen the Minsmere bird in 1985, the Southwold and Burgh Castle (Watsonian Suffolk but deemed in Norfolk) bird in 1995. My second Yellowlegs species in 4 days and probable 3rd (in number) of the autumn with the Runham bird being so shy an secretive unlike the Cley bird! A Great White Egret flew north along the reedbed and 2 Little Egret seen. Then the fine adult Eastern Yellow Wagtail, basically grey above and yellow below. It walked towards me then flew north. Walking back to the pool just south of the Dingle hills path, both the 1st winter and adult Eastern Yellow Wagtails feeding together, often flying up together and spiralling up then down again. I saw the adult Eastern Yellow Wagtail feeding along the edge of the beach it then went down into a dyke I was going to follow it when it suddenly appeared o the beach right in front of me, unfortunately as I spun round to get these pics, the ground gave way and the noise flushed the bird and I didn't get the close pictures I was hoping for. Walking 50 metres north, by the fedding area, 4 fine Snow Buntings seen. Walking back Matthew D had 2 fine looking moths, both Oak Rustic (brown moth with a white spot on each wing) and Olive Tree Pearl (white micro moth although quite big, with brown leading edge) and released them on Oak tree leaves.

Viz or audible mig at the Paget, out shopping & at home

On Friday 6th November, as I was having my lunch outside at 1pm, I heard a Grey Wagtail flying around the Burrage centre at the James Paget Hospital. Shopping at Aldi at 9pm I heard several Redwings flying over and then completing my shop at Tesco's Gunton between 9.30- 9.40pm I could heard the regualr hooting of a Tawny Owl from Gunton wood somwwhere behind Tesco's petrol station and Redwings again flying over both Gunton Tesco's superstore and our home at Parkhill whilst I was unloading all the shopping.

The ultra showy Lesser Yellowlegs at Cley

On Wednesday 4th November, I caved in and finally went for the Lesser Yellowlegs at Cley because a) reports were saying it was really showy and b) for once it would be a nice sunny day finally c) also it was the last day before lockdown, so it was today or bust. Having booked a morning's leave off work, I left at 6am in the morning and by 7.30am I was drawing into Cley NWT car park. Lesser Yellowlegs is a rare visitor to the UK from across the "pond" usually blown over by westerly gales. After receving excellent directions from John H I walked left and past the entrance to the hides but couldn't see it in the flooded fields, walking down towards the hides no sign there either so back on the footpath near the road, I saw a chap scurrying by, I followed him and saw another 5 toggers looking just over the fence at the excellent Lesser Yellowlegs, which was this side of a puddle barely 5 metres away, it was incredibly confiding even walking to within 2 metres of me, but it was constanly on the move, initally in shadow but later as the sun rose it shone on the bird as it was continally walking around feeding giving superlative views. A dog walker with 2 dogs off leads spooked it and it flew over to the next field where it was further away and it settled the far side of the puddle where it stood for a while and preened. A male Stonechat flew by and perched briefly on the fence further down. At this point I left, no chance of enetring the hides before 10am (which was very disappointing as I knew I wouldn't get a chance to look for a long overdue Norfolk tick Caspian Gulls which had been seen on the reserve recently. A walk down the east bank only revealed 3 Pintail on the far pool and no sign of the Scaup, although Wigeons were calling on the marsh the other side. No sign of any Otters either.