Migrants on the North Denes

At 9.55am this morning a Hornet was seen on the flowers for a couple of minutes on the front floer bed, first spotted and identified by Jenny, she'll be needing a pair of bins next, she can have my old Zeiss Dialyts! Walking along the North Denes this morning included an excellent Spotted Flycatcher that flew to the top a bush, surrounded by 2 female Whitethroats. saw Big Steve & Norman and was able to put them onto the bird. It then flew down and perched a few feet down from the top for some 20 minutes first being face on and then hopping to be back on. It eventually flew out and flew north a way, but on the return journey it was back on the bush perched at the very top. Further along by the Links road car park, a Lesser Whitethroat flew to a elderberry bush and was joined by another Whitethroat. An excellent Garden Warbler flew to a Buddlea bush and perched for about a minute before flying off. An excellent Clouded Yellow flew to a yellow plant and perched before flying again. At Ness Point the juvenile Red- backed Shrike perched in a Buddlea bush on the western boundary of the Turbine compound, spending alot of time perched on the left hand side of the big buddlea. In the garden early evening was a male Common Darter preched on the tip of a runner bean caneand a female/ immature Migrant Hawker.

Curlew Sandpipers at Cley

Having to go to Cleyspey on Friday 30th August (TOIL from work!), OFB & I popped into Cley early afternoon, always a delight to come here but sadly we had very limited time. From checking the hide at Pats Pool, we saw a load of waders including 30 Black- tailed Godwit, up to 9 Curlew Sandpipers, in more winter or immature plumages, 10 Dunlin, 7 Ruff and 2 Common Sandpipers. The Curlew Sandpipers were bigger than the Dunlin, "cleaner" with brown above and white below or a peach flush on the upper flanks and of course longer down curved bills and more elongated shape, very elegant waders. Around 5 Little Egret and a Wigeon seen also, but no sign of the hoped for Little Stints. In the gadren in the evening 2 female/ immature Migrant Hawkers and a female Common Darter.

Shrike duo at Lowestoft this evening

A wonderfully sunny evening on Thursday 29th August just after work had me out on the North Denes and the Red- backed Shrike was sat on the middle of the west side of the usual big bramble bush just north of the Oval. The Shrike sat there dozing for a while before gently waking up looking around, up and to the side and then it eventually woke up and flew to a different bramble branch and promptly caught an insect. A little later, the Shrike could be seen coughing up a pellet in its throat. Some dog walkers made the bird even more alert and it flew to the top of the bramble standing sentinel. At Ness point seeing Andrew E and the Rob Wil, there was no initial sign of the other Red- backed Shrike eventually looking from the sunlite western side, the Red- baked Shrike was seen eventually perched along a line of elderberry bushes and sycamore in the middle of the yard just west of some orange metalwork in the yard. The Shrike was very active catching at least 3 insects sometimes perched at the side, top and back of the bushes, showing on and off.

Red- backed Shrike seen at Ness Point wind turbine yard

On Wednesday 28th August, Robert had done it again a found a second Red- backed Shrike in 2 days! I just had enough time (8am to 8.15am) to drive down to Ness Point seen within the wind turbine compound viewed on the far western side of the compound as we watched it from the seawall. and join him for some 15 minutes watching the bird. A paler individual compared to yesterdays one, it preched on top of a Buddlea bush and flew down caught something promptly devouring it and then flying back to the top of the bush again. In the evening a visit to Gorleston walking south from the cliffs, 2 Wheatear were seen on the fence of the first garden and later one was still there and one on the municipal grass. An adult winter plumaged Mediterranean Gull was on the beach later seen flying north along the beach & where I later saw a Common Gull. A male Linnet was een to fly into bushes by the bank. I'm still unable to upload any photo's from my new Macbook Pro (an otherwise excellent computer) from the iPhoto onto this blog, does anyone have any suggestions??

Red backed Shrike on the North Denes

On tuesday 27th August, the exceptional list of bank holiday migrants continued when Rob Wil found an RB Shrike on the bush by the lighthouse cafe on the North Denes. Not having enough time to twitch it in the morning, I patiently waited until after work and parked by the Oval, walking over to the first bramble bush north of the Oval I spotted Danny P and sure enough the excellent Red- backed Shrike was perched on the top of the bush showing very well. It was bathed in golden sunlight and occasionally caught foof from off the ground always flying back to the bush, ending up on its left hand side. It eventually flew to the next bush north of there (about half the size of this one) and again perched on the top of the right hand side of the bush where again it posed beautifully. I managed to obtain a few shots and left it perched there and was able to show a late arriving Peter N and his wife exactly where it was, even pointing out the bird on top of the bush!

Mon 26 September

Gunton beach- Wheatear and 1 Wheatear by Oval. At Carlton Marshes I met Rene by the first gate on the left just past the Spider dyke and he pointed out a Wall Brown perched in foliage just before the gate, Rene photographed it and the butterfly then flew into the field where I photographed it leaving it still perched there. At the Carlton marshes Scrape 1 then an 2 immature buff peach coloured breasted Ruff, 2 Black- tailed Godwit and 5 Greenshank seen, Sparrows Nest 1 Willow Warbler, Good to see Tony B and we both made our way to Gunton ORT. Really nice to see Chris M and together we had a female Blackcap & Pied Flycatcher seen in a small oak tree. The Flycatcher seemed to do a circuit and occasionally revisted the tree and seen perched on a branch. At Corton old SW, a Wryneck north side 7 posts from end really good clear view, plus a Black Redstart flew onto fence then perched in field then flew over cliff edge onto beach. At Gunton Warren, 2 Whinchat seen by the burnt gorse bushes but no sign of the sought after Wryneck. In the evening at 7.20pm and 7.30pm a Common Sandpiper flew south west heard calling twice over garden but not seen.

Winterton dragonflies & Cantley Phalarope

Tuesday 20th August a visit to Winterton after finishing work at 2pm, by the telephone exchange at 4pm, a Buddlea was covered in butterflies including 5 Graylings, a Painted Lady and numeous Small Tortoiseshells and Largw Whites. A walk to the northen most toad pool, included stopping at the secong northern most one where I saw several Emerald Damselflies. The northern most one included a confiding Dunlin in partial summer plumage and a Hawker dragonfly flying about which I carefully studied it was bigger than Migrant hawker with 2 yellow side stripes on the thorax, brown and yellow markings on the abdomen and clear wings with yellow costa clearly seen on at least 2 occasions, it was an excellent female Common Hawker, my first ever.on Wednesday 21st August at Cantley Sugar Beet factory a juvenile Red- necked Phalarope was seen I walked down and it was seen by the big pool by islands. Spending much of its time over the far side it would occasionally swim out and feed in its distinctive "knitting nachine style" as always an utterly charming bird. A Green Sandpiper flew over and settled on the bank out of sight just 2 feet from where I was standing before it quickly flew south.