Skuas and Family

Well no birding done this past couple of days because I've had family over but when has that really ever stopped me. So sat by the Outdoor Swimming pool which I have, ok that I have as part of my communal pool where I'm stopping, posh bugger me,  ;-). I was able to watch a flock of 50ish Gulls mainly Black headed with 8 Med Gulls catching flying ants, then 1 Little Gull too.

Anyway the family left and I was shatterd, kids are tiring, so here I was nodding on the sofa about 18-15 when Rob called from up the coast, Juvenile Long-tailed skua heading my way so out the door and within 60 seconds I'm watching a Juvenile Long-tailed Skua, Tern like and flying around in circles as it lingered for a short while before heading off North. Also here were again loads of Med Gulls, Little Gulls and common Terns. 3 Gannet past too.

 

Today 31st met me facebook buddy Baz hoping to get him the Red-backed Shrike but it had gone over night, and the other one at the Turbine had done a bunk too. But whilst searching we had 3 Spotted flycatcher, 1 Male Redstart and a Lesser Whitethroat, plus a few Blackcaps and the commoner stuff. 

Local stuff...

A good Morning on the patch mainly common migrants such as 2 Redstart, 3 Whinchat, Pied Fly at least 10 Wheatears a few Yellow Wagtail including a showy one, a Grey Wagtail over was a patch tick, as was a Spotted Flycatcher and 8 Shelduck. Lastly 28 Redshank and a few Common Sandpipers.

 

After a bite to eat I headed for North Denes for another look at the Red Backed Shrike.

Adult Med Gull in the car park again.

 

 

 

 

Shrike

So I was walking towards the patch this morning a little later than normal when a message came through from Rob, he had just found a Red Backed Shrike, a cracker too. So a brisk walk back home to pick up the van and I was onsite watching it in no time at all. Stonker.

The rest of the day was spent on chores and a brief visit to the patch which was quiet.
I did take a quick opportunity of a showy Wheatear.

Crooked Neck

Well gave the local patch a rest today... no I tell a lie I did cover the patch early this morning but just Yellow Wagtail over and a Lesser Whitethroat.

So I moved onto Gunton Beach where another Wryneck was found, great birds.

Then spent pretty much all day here meeting my good friend Paul Hackett. Whinchats and Wheatears were the birds for the day really.

Green with envy

Did I tell ya I LOVE Suffolk and being here, my eyes has been opened to the potential of UK Wildlife. So what happened today, you don't know! well ill tell ya.
Started at half 5 as usual checking my local patch, (Corton) Pied Fly was my first bird of the day once again in the Churchyard, it went down hill a bit after this, I honestly think it was too early. By about 10 am birds were starting to turn up A couple of Common Redstarts but that was about it until a twitch was on at North Denes for a Quail but we couldn't find it again. Then a Greenish was found 100 yards away missed that too Doh! Did find this Clouded Yellow though AND I managed to photograph it woohoo ;-)

 

So back to Corton Old Sewage Works, Redstarts again and then I re-found the Wryneck mini twitch followed. 2 Whinchat here also. Then the Greenish at North Denes was re-found but this time I managed to see it and heard it calling many times, what a bird, I was now very happy. Garden Warbler was a new bird. Back to Corton and missed a Greenish again but it felt bad cos it was on the patch. Had a good wander around but didn't see much until another Greenish Warbler was found and after a bit of searching I re-found it in the caravan park so made my day again awesome place finally Willow Warbler came in off sea... by now it was getting late and time for home.

Large White

Migrant Hawker

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Falling over

Another super day in Suffolk but this time it was time to try some new sites. First though I made sure I covered my own patch, the rain was here and the birds were dropping in, mainly a Pied Fly in the Church yard, Yellow Wagtail over and then Wheatears and Whinchats with the odd Lesser Whitethroat and 6 Blackcap together. I covered the Old Sewage works again.

I moved onto Gunton Beach from which I walked up n down 4 times looking for some really decent migrants, what I found were Whinchats, Wheatears, Reed Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs.

James then found a Wryneck up on the old railway at Gunton but I dipped Doh!!! now I was feeling down so went home had lunch re grouped and took the challenge of the local patch again..
Nothing new in but 2 more Whinchat and a Willow Warbler, so moved onto another new area the Radar road, here birds were Willow Warbler and finally a Redstart.
By now it was tea time but I managed to fit in an hours sea watch but just a few Med Gulls, Little Gulls and 2 Dark Arctic Skuas. So I nipped back for my tea and once id finished a message came through WRYNECK Corton old sewage works my bloody patch the one id done 3 times today noooooooo but when I got there at least I saw it so mixed emotions but hey it just shows what a wonderful patch this is. After the bird went into hiding it really was time for home. a pic of yesterday Hoodie hybrid.

Great Finish to another superb day. What will tomorrow bring?

 

This morning and this afternoon!

This mornings tally was still very good Started again around the Old Sewage Works picking up just a few common species, but then my first Fulmar flew low over the cliffs. I moved onto the old Radar Station where I was able to look over the fence into the compound, best birds here were Whinchat and a Lesser Whitethroat. Now over to the Disused railway but only bird of note was another Lesser Whitethroat and a new Chiffchaff. Onto a seawatch and immediately picked up 2 Juv Black Terns together and a Little Gull. Then over the next 10 minuets another 12 Little Gull flew south and in total 18 went south. I then picked up 3 dark skuas bulky and direct 3 juvenile Poms 1 intermediate and 2 dark forms, my first here this year. Finally a load of ducks went through lots of Teal totalling 75 and 2 Eider.
So not bad at all. Tomorrow the winds look good for a fall. Maybe an iky or Wryneck or a Greenish Warbler, watch this space.

Edit and update, I should have wrote this blog tonight. I went out again after lunch just into the back garden for some seawatchin, amazin it was too.  best bird of the day a Sooty Shearwater Bingo woohooo yeeeeehaaaaa etc. also past were 5 Juv Black tern South and then 3 North. Also double figure Little Gull and Med Gulls. a hand full of Arctic Tern and Sandwich terns as well as hundreds of Common Tern. 6 Arctic Skua went through too and missed a possible Long-tailed Skua.
Had me tea and went back out to the Old Sewage works as birds are turning up all the time, unfortunately not there but 21 Golden Plover flew over with a Ruff. Patch tick Brilliant!!!!

Super Corton.

Now then being from Cumbria it was a case of having to leave the county to go see some decent birds, here in Suffolk I don't even need to leave my own friggin VILLAGE, I started at 7 and got back home for 12-30 all on foot picking up all self found juv Black Tern, 3 Pied Fly, Lesser Whitethroat and a Whinchat as well as 15 Med Gulls 3 Gannet and 2 Little Gulls. Finished with a Northern Wheatear. Amazing place, and its only gonna get better.. Juv Black Tern was a bit distant.

Corton

Stayed local again today, so much to see and do and explore so did a good circular walk spotting my first Wheatear, a fly over Yellow Wagtail and the Sparrowhawks again.

Got home for a bite to eat then moved onto Links Hill, here I had a wander around the sycamores but it was pretty quiet. On the prom 3 Wheatear and a Clouded Yellow, a butterfly im desperate to photograph but no luck today just a flyby. In the car park a second summer/winter Med Gull and out to sea a Gannet and an Arctic Skua.

Job

Well after 3 weeks searching and applying hard for jobs today I finally got one and a job I actually wanted and not just applied for cos I needed to. Orwell Housing is an organisation specialising in large occupancy flats, ill be basically maintaining cleaning and Gardening the communal areas of these properties so a nice varied job. Start date 23 of September a nice birthday present.
Anyway away from the boring stuff and back to birding. Yesterday I was out early around Corton but it was quiet, Sparrowhawks didn't really help and I felt very guilty when I flushed a family of Red-legged Partridge of the path and into the claws of the waiting Sparrowhawk. The best bird though was a Cuckoo. Then a flock of 12 Barnacle Geese flew North, cant be winter yet surely.

Now to today I was due an interview for the Sugar Beet factory, now a wasted day really but had to go incase I didn't get the Orwell job.. No harm done.. So out early before this around Corton now my local patch as I walk it from home. Today migrants finally coming in with at least 3 Pied Flys and 1 Lesser Whitethroat as well as some Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.
At Cantly Beet factory outside the offices this Brimstone Butterfly on Buddleia.

 

After the interview I was allowed on site to watch the cracking Red Necked Phalarope, also here good numbers of Yellow Wagtail, Ruff, Green Sandpiper and Greenshank. a really really good site.

 

So a Cracking end to a great Day, don't say that often ;-)