American Golden Plover.

After yesterdays disappointed dip of the AGP i decided after a quick visit to the patch id head up to Burgh Castle and hoped I bump into the AGP. As I was at Burgh castle and not Breydon bridge I knew there wasn't much chance but id walk the wall anyway at high tide just to see if there was anything about. There wasn't much really, lots of Bearded Tit activity also Marsh Harries and a Spotted Redshank.

 

After the walk it was lunch time so we headed to our regular Waxham barns café. Again the area was fairly quiet. A few pinks about was it.
On the way home news came out of the AGP which had just been re-found again at Breydon water from the Rugby club and this time I managed good Scope views, but not good for photos. So missing it yesterday by 15 min wasn't important anymore :-).

Whilst scanning the other birds as the plover wasn't very active I managed to find another good gull, Adult Yellow Legged gull. There were a couple of bulky Argentatus Herring gulls on show too. A good site for gulls its seems. A Few Med gulls finished the days birding.

 

Been a great weekend of finding my own stuff, its just a shame it wasn't all on the patch.

Siberian Stonechat

During the week after work I managed to find a Black Redstart at cosw on the rocks whilst out running.

This morning started on the patch but it was very quiet so I nipped down to North denes to meet up with Danny, Baz, Emma and Gary.  They had a nice Purple Sandpiper on show. Returning to the cars at Ness point a very brief view of a Black Redstart and a couple of Rock Pipits.

We then all headed to Caister and a superb Siberian Stonechat, a very smart bird.

 



Common Stonechat was showing even better than the Siberian though ;-)

 

 

 

A Short eared Owl showed really nicely as it flew over our heads. A few Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins were still on the move today.
On the way back to the cars I spotted a Great Grey Shrike sat on a tv ariel but all too brief as it dropped out of sight.
Danny dropped me off and I decided to nip to Breydon water for an American Golden Plover. I arrived 15 min after it had flown, bugggger. I picked out a lovely 1st winter Caspian Gull so this made up for my AGP dip.

 

Other birds on show were a few Med Gulls and a single Spotted Redshank. Lots of waders about.

Local stuff and Fungi.

Today was an excellent day however it could have been so so much better. I started early on the patch which was blumming excellent. Birds were on the move with good numbers of Pink Footed Geese, Siskin, Redpoll, Thrush's and Goldcrests. Bramblings were passing in good numbers too. I then Found/refound a Great Grey Shrike back at the NSW but was then flushed by horse riders.

 

It was great to get 2 Ring Ouzel on the patch list for the year too. The Little Owl was still along the Dis Railtrack.  A SEO came in off the sea on my way back.
Arrived home for dinner but decided to have lunch over at Minsmere as I wanted to see the Birds Nest Fungi, an amazing tiny fungi what a little stunner.

 

 We then headed to Bittern hide and within about 15 min one came flying out the reeds showing really nicely in flight.
I wanted to get back to some local birding so we had lunch and a cake and then headed back to Lowestoft, now the phone went of Bloody Penduline Tit Minsmere ARGHHHHH damnit..
Back at North Denes I searched all the bush's, the GG Shrike flew south and there was a Fieldfare on the cricket pitch but the bush's were extremely quiet.

 

 

I moved onto the rough area of the denes picking out a Stonechat and then a Lapland Bunting flew over calling and eventually landed close by, unfortunately it was getting dark by now so pics were rubbish.

Light was now virtually gone so we headed home only to find a LEO had been spotting on the slopes about 10 min after we left, so as I say a great day but it could have been that slightly better had my luck been in.

Great Grey Shrike and LEO

Started at Lowestoft searching for a nice Great Grey Shrike in the rain and murk. It was very flighty but gave good scope views.

 

After this I headed for Radar Lodge, few birds here but a flock of Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle and Song Thrush's a possible Ring Ouzel too. Then I had a damn good ratch around at Great Yarmouth cemetery. The best birds were a cracking Long Eared Owl being harassed by gulls, 3 Brambling and a nice Ring Ouzel. I searched through the hundreds of Goldcrests but could only find Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and ive never seen so many Robins.

Awesome Birding day..

What a difference a day makes, its been a tough few weeks birding on the patch, so took the day off from work and headed for Norfolk and a very showy Isabelline Shrike. I Arrived at Beeston Common near Sherringham and immediately saw the bird perched up but fairly distant but good scope views. After a while I managed to move around a bit closer to the bird where I watched it eat wasps and store them, also a Frog.

 

After my fill off this wonderful bird I headed back to my van and could hear a Yellow Browed Warbler calling from somewhere in the car park.

I then headed to Wells Woods where I parked up and payed a ridiculous amount to park, but it was worth it with my first lifer in what seems like agesssss. Blyths Reed Warbler. YES! Not quite as good views as the Shrike though ;-).

 

I was in a bit of a rush really and wanted to try see the Red Flanked Bluetail at Holkham park before returning to the patch, so a mad rush had me watching the bird in the willows at the end of Holkham pines. No scope as i was in a rush. Quick look at the bird and i was off home and landed at Lowestoft North denes for a Seawatch.

It had been a good morning seawatching apparently so when it started quiet id regretted rushing, although it did improve with 2 nice Short Eared Owls in off. A few Guillemots were moving and so were the Red Throated Divers. Lesser black backed gulls on 2 occasions chased down a couple of thrush's one swallowing one whole and one getting away. Finally I managed to pick up a year tick which I had been craving for ages Sooty Shearwater, then soon after a second :-) Another Shortie passed north close by. I scoped a Stonechat down on the denes before heading back to the patch.

On the patch plenty of Goldcrests again, maybe 40-50 in the disused railtrack. Walking towards the NSW I watched a Great Grey Shrike fly from the hedge into the NSW area but the heavens opened and I couldn't relocate it. Hopefully ill find it back there tomorrow. Normally bird of the day but no :-).

Headed back to the Van and recorded 40 Goldcrest 3 Brambling 15 redwing. Great spotted woodpecker, 2 Chiffys and lots of robins.

What a Day best in a long long time. ..

 

 

 



Bad Weekend

Saturday
What a really disappointing weekend, it had so much promise with east winds and rain. It started so well with a patch tick, I flushed a Little Owl from the dis rail track, not the best way to get a patch tick. A Yellow Browed Warbler was another nice bird. Unfortunately it went down hill drastically after this. A couple of Corys Shearwater flew past Southwold so I stopped wasting my time looking for migrants in the bush's and headed straight to the coast.
News came out that the Corys was now of Lowestoft but it had now followed a fishing boat out to see and not past Corton where I was watching from. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
It Would have been a lifer. A little while later a Leach's petrel flew north past Lowestoft, again it never came past me or I bloody missed it, P*ss off, now I was getting cross.
Birds I did manage to see were plenty of Auks both Guillemots and Razorbills. Red Throated divers were the commonest sea bird. Common Scoter, Wigeon, Teal, 3 Red Breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe were the best birds on the watch. Id had enough so headed home checking the bush's on the way, a Redwing feeding North of Corton Church was it really.

Sunday had to be better, afraid not, Started at 7am still in the dark sea watching. Thought my luck had changed when an Eider Flew past thinking it was small and dumpy put news out of a possible Female King Eider so people further south could at least have a look. Luckily the guys in Lowestoft were sea watching but it was just a Common Eider (oh Bollocks) More Divers passed and more auks too. Skylarks were coming in off including a group of 12. Arctic Skua was the only other decent bird with many Brent Geese.
Rob then found a Great Grey shrike at Lowestoft so after another half hour sea watching I decided I would cut my loses and go take a look. so hurriedly walked home picking out a calling YB Warbler in the Vicarage garden. Picked up the car and headed for Lowestoft and yes you guessed it missed the shrike by a couple of Mins.  Had a good look around the industrial site but all I could find were many many Goldcrests and a Wheatear.

Headed for the caravan park for a long staying Snow bunting and yup couldn't find that either. Another Wheatear though. Headed back to patch to see nothing. So had lunch watched the Grand Prix then headed out hoping my luck would change just a little.
Many birds moving again now Redwings maybe 50+ Siskin and loads of Goldcrest. a Couple of flyover Bramblings finished off my day. I did do a short Seawatch but missed a Shortie going south so that was the last straw, I'm going home in a huff.  What a load of rubbish. Fruastrated and Disappointed...
Lets hope my next trip out is a better one....

Lapland Bunting

So I saw the parents off and then headed out onto the patch, unfortunately it was very quiet today. a Foggy Seawatch produced 3 Red throated Divers, Gannets, Pintails, Teal, Wigeon Common Scoter and a few passerines in off. Skylarks, Meadow pipits, Goldfinches and a couple of Pied and grey Wagtails. A Reed bunting was a patch year tick.
In  the bush's just Goldcrests really, so after lunch I headed to Gunton Beach for this very showy Lapland Bunting.

 

 

 

Back on patch and it was still very quiet so called it a day.