Kessingland

Had a walk along the beach at Kessingland past Kessingland sluice to almost Benacre Broad. Never saw anything good but 3 Gadwall flew south out to sea. At Kessingland Sewage Works it was a little better with no less than 5 Chiffchaffs, (1 had a ring on its leg) and at least 1 or 2 Firecrest. 2 Reed Bunting was just about it really. Roll on Spring.

Purple Meds!

Had a walk from home to Lowestoft via Corton Woods and the beach. Firecrest in the woods then 3 Med Gulls in the car park, 2 Adults one in almost summer plumage and a Second Winter. Love them in Summer Plum.
Remember to click on pics to enlarge to offer there full potential.

Carried on our walk to Ness point where 9 or 10 Purple Sandpipers were present, didn't count em.

Then back home as a circular past the lighthouse wood where the Crocus's were looking lovely. No new birds however. 2 Queen White tailed Bumble Bee were feeding on the Crocus's.
What will tomorrow bring, hope the days just as nice.

Birds, What Birds

Well today was a nice sunny day but pretty dismal on the bird front. Early morning on the patch produced bugger all. Then a day around Santon Downham and Thetford was just as  poor. Couldn't find Lesser Pecker, Manderin Duck or Hawfinch. Hawfinch were seen at the feeders at Thetford but not whilst I waited.. A cracking Crossbill came down to drink all too briefly.
Couple of year ticks I suppose in the form of Nuthatch, Marsh Tit and Stock Dove.

So packed it in and went home...

Dip Doh!

During the week I had Tawny Owl and Firecrest in Corton Woods.
The Cliff top to Cortson Old Sewage Works (COSW) hosted no less than 50 Common Snipe, most ive seen here.
From Radar Road were 32 Dark Bellied Brent geese and 7 Shelduck sat on the sea.
On the way home one night I nipped in to see the 3 Bewick Swans on Beccles Marsh as viewed from the main road bridge.
Today however I was up fairly early, where I did a bit of a seawatch from the garden.
 2 Fulmar, 12 Common Scoter, 7 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon 5 Teal, lots Kitts, Gannets and Cormorant, otherwise disappointingly quiet for anything decent.
Then Rach n I had a drive south to explore more of the area. We ended up at Sizewell Beach where we had a walk to Minsmere. Here I managed to spot the Red Headed Smew that had been about. On the way back sharp eyed Shaw here spotted a female Black Redstart in Sizewell compound but very distant, I did take a pic but didn't check my settings and it turned out Black n White. ooops

I then got wind of my first lifer of the yeat, an Olive Backed Pipit in Leiston so rushed to go see this but bloody dipped, couldn't believe it!!! So disheartened we packed it in and came home, there's always tomorrow.

Black tailed Godwit

Heres the results back for the Female Black tailed Godwit I found at Titchwell couple weeks back.

 

Adult, female

RO-RZ 13.06.12 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 24.06.12 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 26.04.13 Leighton Moss, Lancashire, NW England

RO-RZ 09.05.13 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 17.05.13 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 22.05.13 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 22.05.13 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 15.06.13 Bakkar, Laugarás, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

RO-RZ 15.07.13 East Flood, Oare Marshes, Kent, SE England

RO-RZ 18.07.13 East Flood, Oare Marshes, Kent, SE England

RO-RZ 23.07.13 East Flood, Oare Marshes, Kent, SE England

RO-RZ 14.09.13 Frampton Marsh, the Wash estuary, Lincolnshire, E England

RO-RZ 14.09.13 Frampton Marsh, the Wash estuary, Lincolnshire, E England

RO-RZ 2.02.14 Titchwell, Norfolk, E England

RO-RZ 2.02.14 Titchwell, Norfolk, E England

RO-RZ 4.02.14 Titchwell, Norfolk, E England

Meds

So a week at work was quiet, Peacock Butterfly on the one sunny day.
After work a walk through Corton Wood played host to 2 Firecrest.
Weathers been rubbish so I've not seen any birds on my walks with the dogs.
Mother n Father have been here  this weekend so no birding until today after they left but just 8 Med Gulls and a drake Red Breasted Merganser off Great Yarmouth.
Finally 24 Brent Geese on the Patch, feeding in fields.

Not enough daylight hours

Rach a friend Rich and I headed for North Norfolk today. We started on the A47 near Acle bridge where i wanted to check the 80 or so Swans i see distantly everyday on my way to work, bins arnt powerful enough, i was sure they were gonna be Whoopers or even better Bewicks, disappointingly they were ALL Mute Swan, at least its put that to bed!!!
So we made our way to Wolfreton Triangle where we waited for the male Golden Pheasant to appear and it wasn't more than 2 minuets before it made its way out the undergrowth and fed on the grass verge for 3 or 4 minuets, brilliant lifer for Rach.  Singing from the nearby fields were Woodlark, another year tick woohoo  
No Golden pheasent in this pic but it was there on the left ;-)

Moved onto Dudewell, ok Titchwell, here were a nice selection of birds 2 Red Kite, a Ring tailed Hen Harrier and 2 Scaup. A good selection of common stuff as well including a very fancy Golden Plover.A Color ring Black-tailed Godwit too.

Next onto Chosley Barns, no sign of any Corn Buntings at the barn so i had a walk down the hedgerow and picked up 6 Yellow Hammer and a nice Brambling. Then back at the barns 2 cracking Corn Buntings.

Nest stop was Burnham Staithe where there was a juv Spotted Redshank, got camera out but it vanished, weird!
Lunch at Wells, good old Frenchies Fish Chips n Curry yum yum...  2 Shag in the Harbour, lots of Dark Bellied Brent Geese and a Red Kite flew over....

Onto Cley and a quick stop for Glossy Ibis just before it flew out of sight and then onto the beach car park here was the Black Brant and a Pale Bellied Brent Goose, so got all three today, didn't get the camera out it was a tick n run this one. Onto Gramborough Hill Salthouse for fly over views and 5 second deck views of the Richards Pipit.
It was now getting late so a trip around Holt was going to be our last stop, didn't see anything significant here. We wanted to visit Horsey for the Smew and Aylmerton for the Bean goose but just ran out of light, still a great day shouldn't be too greedy ;-)

King

Started at Oulton Broad where we found a Kingfisher,  otherwise quiet here.

Onto Great Yarmouth where the Shorlarks were illusive but 7 Snow Buntings instead briefly.
Finished at Asda in Great Yarmouth where i watched from the bridge again there were thousands of birds, Pintails, Wigeon, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk and plenty of gulls but nothing really of note. 8 Medgulls came in to roost.
It was a lovely finish to the day.