Last visit for 2020

On the afternoon of Thursday 31st December, I went back to Lake Lothing, the omens didn't look too good, as there was no initial sign of the RBM and 3 'fishermen' were walking about on the concrete pier, but I saw a close Redshank on the rocks just north of the wooden posts that just eluded the camera and a more distant Little Grebe. Suddenly, I spotted the female Red- breasted Merganser swimming left and near the channel, she then swam back and a boat coming in flushed it again and it flew towards the channel before settling down just beyond the wooden posts, reasonably close where I managed a few pics and there were now 2 Little Grebes together. As the sun became enveloped by cloud, the now silhouetted RBM came even closer, why is it more confiding when it gets cloudy?

Hooded Merganser and record tally of Goosanders

On Tuesday 29th December, a very grey and murky day but very enjoyable and rewarding day I took my exercise walk in a lovely part of the world (but still within our local council area), firstly driving past Blythburgh I saw the Bean Geese from the road, the usual group of 25. I headed for Butley and just NW of there was Wantisden corner (and Staverton Park area) and parking down a road just left of there, I parked by a a group of 4 cars parked (surely birders cars?), I phoned Craig the finder and got great directions from him. A group of 8 Crossbills chipping at they flew over my head and towards a group of Pines where I lost them. another birder walking back also gave me great directions and I bumped into gerald J who also gave me directions (always very handy for a new place visited plus told me to look out for the field full of Fieldfares) walking down the road through the flooded part and then opposite Wantisden Corner farm, I took the track left down to a red parked tractor and then walked over top a concrete building and then left again down to an area looking over an area of reed fringed water bordered by trees, where 3 birders were looking including Dick. The bird had just gone out of view, but in a pattern which was repeated 5X, it, the fantastic female Hooded Merganser swam out from a treed island, bigger than Smew but smaller than a RBM, obscuring the left hand of the mere. Its tufted fanned head and thin bill immediately noticeable. It then swam out to the middle of the lake and was very successful in catching fish, it caught at least 10 fish during the hour or so I was there. We were then joined by Paul & Jane walking down the track towards us from the other direction, a very convivial 45 minutes or so as we all watched the fine Hooded Merganser swimming out fishing then swimming left again (at its closest point, always the best place for photography against the dark water) befoire it disappeared for some 10 minutes before swimming right again and repeating the whole process. It flapped its wings 3X and was also very wary when a female Marsh Harrier flew over. A group of around 40 calling Siskins flew left over the Mere, a fine Great White Egret was at the back and flew up and flew back again. After around hour and a half the cold was getting to my feet so we all decided to walk back by the turnip field, the Fieldfares were back, an incredible flock of exactly 90 Fieldfares counted, plus a Mistle Thrush perched on a mole hill and 2 Redwings counted amongst their number, all these Thrushes gave off a wonderful winter vista, sadly all too rarely seen these days. The Thrushes were at the back of the field and in poor light so not suitable for photography but a wonderful winter vision to take in and marvel at. We also heard a Water Rail squealing. Bidding farewell to Dick and the Fergusons I decided to call in at Minsmere, driving in at 2.40pm I didn't expect to follow 4 cars driving in! All were non birders but I headed for the public hide and looking over to the East Scrape, I counted an incredible tally of 20 Goosanders, with 7 respendent males and 13 more subtle but still elegant & beautiful female Goosanders. My highest ever tally of this species in East Anglia, an incredible total. Walking back, I decided to check the pools just NW of the North Hide from the mound and was surprised and dismayed to see a totally selfish togger with a 400mm lens creeping to the edge of the scrape presumably to photograph some birds. I went back to the centre and spoke to staff including Ian B. who were going to take immediate action. UPDATE" Chris went over and spoke to the guy who claimed he wanted to photograph a Kingfisher! (My advice wait til island Mere or Bittern hides are open again or go to Lackford Pits SWT or Oultton Broad and don't disturb the birds on the Scrape at Minsmere or anywhere else for that matter!

Local again

On Monday 28th December, another look down Lake Lothing initially no sign, but the Shag was perched on the floating orange rig again. but I saw Paul & Jane F walk out to wards the concrete ship with intent and the female Red- breasted Merganser was present again, she swam to the back and didn'yt come closer until after Paul & Jane left preferring instead to swim around at the back swimming as far as the 'Excelsior.' After Paul & Jane had departed, the merganser swam a lot closer past the concrete jetty and into the corner just past the wooden groyne but by this time the light was fading fast.

Another local walkabout

As soon as they sun poked its head out of the clouds at lunchtime I was out and I saw Richard from the rail bridge and we saw the female Red- breasted Merganser this time way down in the channel looking east, the Little Grebe was also present. I then travelled to hamilton Dock, nothing there but at Ness Point by the finger I saw Rob H and we spied initially 10 Purple Sandpipers and around 8 Turnstones, most of the Sandpipers were feeding at the end of the finger, but 2 were a little closer, one hopped over to the rocks just south of the finger and was giving very close views in shade and another came closer the other side sometimes in sunlight, but our best views were of 2 feeding on the seaweed encrusted rocks near the compass, 2 were here and then Rob said we had a "Baker's dozen" ie. 13 Purple Sandpipers, because we could clearly count 11 at the tip of the finger. My highest tally of the winter so far! We left to the sound of feral young children being 'marshalled' by slightly older ones by the funnel, throwing a mint condition motorcycle helmet onto the ground repeatedly, with the visor coming off, so time to leave!

Festive walkabout

Early on Christmas day, I drove to Covehithe, going down the lane, 8 Fieldfares flew out of a close bush by the right hand side of the road. Parking at the end, I walked down to Covehithe Broad, an initial look and I failed to see the LT Duck but another scanned revealed with Mallard at the back edge of the northern section of the Broad, then the excellent Long- tailed Duck swam a little closer and at one point flapped its wings but unfortunately not captured on film. Also along the south section of the Broad was a female Goldeneye. A look out to sea revealed a constant stream of Divers flying north, most readily identified as Red- throated Divers with an amazing tally of 3,500+ Red- throated Divers counted (all flying north) in around a 40 minute watch. One ot two candidates looked interesting but were too far out to safely ID. However, on the sea mid distance was a flock of 14 Scoter (13 Common Scoter) swimming on the sea and the white- wing clip revealed a fine Velvet Scoter almongst their number, as if to confirm this, they all flew south with the white in the wings clearly seen on the Velvet. A female Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds at the back of the Broad. I then drove just past Blythburgh and took the first road to Wenhaston, overlooking the field between the village and the A12, initially no sign of the Beans but first 12 Fieldfares and then another 2 Fieldfares flew over my head and inland, but 22 Bean Geese first heard calling and then they flew over my head wheeled around and then settled in the field. When I scoped thenm there were definitely 25 Bean Geese in the field, I wonder where the other 3 had been? A look around the back roads of Benacre village was soon cut short because of flooding, indeed much of Kessingland levels was flooded on a scale I hadn't seen before. A look at Lake Lothing from the railway bridge I spotted the fine female Red- breasted Merganser swimming towards the concrete jetty, I waited until it dived and then ran into prome position on the jetty. But unfortunately a couple walking towards the waters edge pushed it further back and I hid by the wooden groyne but again it didn't surface very closely, it then swam towards the concrete jetty again and then went close to the waters edge I got really close but a thick black cloud meant it was apalling light (ISO 6400) on camera meant no pics (or silhouette only) despite how close I was to the bird, very frustrating, but nevertheless a great birding, but lousy photography day! No sign of either the Dabchick or the Shags! Merry Christmas and Season's greeting to all my readers, lets hope 2021 is a better year, a healthy one for evryone and lots of good birding, wildlife watching and photography!

Lake Lothing walkabout

On Saturday 19th December, I drove to the edge of Normanston Park and bumped into Rob Wil & his son Joel, he said the RBM was still there swimming between the concrete jetty and the boatyard waters, but when I walked over the bridge to the shore of Lake Lothing it had disappeared and there was no sign. I saw Paul & Jane F and we spotted, what is fast becoming a Christmas tradition,(!), the super sharp Jane who spotted 2 Shags perched on the edge of a concrete jetty, but one soon flew off. Whilst we were watching them, Paul picked up the fine female Red- breasted Merganser, shen than swam in along the northern edge of the water. We also saw 1 Little Grebe. Sadly a arer sight on these waters this winter. On Sunday 20th December, I visited again and the female Red- breasted Merganser was in the same area and the 2 Shags were on a bright orange floating jetty that occasionally drifted a little. Nice to finally meet Wildlifetog and Kevin C. again toggers on a rare visit from their Carlton Marshes habitat!

Very quiet at Oulton Marshes

On Wednesday 16 December, an afternoon trip to Fisher Row revealed very little, no sign of the EWFG flock, I did see around 20 Canada & a Greylag/ Snow Goose hybrid on Camps Heath marshes, a trek around the very muddy river path revealed Kestrel and a Grey Heron flying off from a dyke, plus 2 Meadow Pipits in a flooded field by the track. Absolutely nothing at all on Oulton Marshes no birds at all. In contrast, Peto's Marsh over the river was packed with birds with Wigeon, Teal, Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets and the red- tagged female Marsh Harrier flying over.