Covehithe

A Day of Crappy record shots was the theme ;-)
Started at Breydon Bridge looking through the 10s of thousands of ducks and Waders incredible scenes but nothing special. Couldn't find the Lesser Yellow legs this time.
Danny then rang seeing if I wanted to nip to Covehithe for the Slav Grebe, there was no hesitation.
On Arriving we checked the pig fields were we picked up a nice Adult Yellow Legged Gull and Adult Med Gull. Onto the broad the Slavonian Grebe was giving nice scope views as were 7 Bewick Swans.

We then checked the feral Barnacle Geese flock where it was nice to see 2 Brent Geese 2 Red Breasted Geese, a Cackling type Canada Goose which I think is probably a Barnacle x Canada Hybrid and a Ross's x Barnacle goose hybrid a nice mix of unusual geese.

Finished off with a Seawatch but just 4 Common Scoter of note.
Cheers to Danny for the day out.

Gulls saved the day.

Left Rachel and her mother to sort the house and do the last minute food shop whilst I visited Minsmere for the day. It was pretty rubbish to be fair, I sat at East hide waiting for some gulls to visit but very few did and what did were mainly GBB Gulls.
The rest of the reserve was too pretty quiet, just a Brent goose of any real note.

So after visiting all the hides I decided to leave for home early. I got to Blythburgh where there was a stack of larger gulls, I had hope that there would be a good gull or 2 here. I wasn't to be disappointed with at least 4 Yellow Legged Gulls and 3 Caspian Gulls, this was the count until they all flushed and landed in a field I couldn't see but impressive all the same.

Below centre Caspian gull 3rd Winters with 2 birds in the bottom 2 pictures.

Yellow Legged and Caspian gulls in bottom pictures.

Just yellow legged in bottom pictures with at least 3 birds in one of the pics. 3 Adults and a 3rd Winter.

Gulls saved the Day.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Red Rumped Swallow in December!

What the hell, so today ive just been watching a Red Rumped Swallow in the UK in December in Norfolk. Rach the mother in law and I headed to North Norfolk for a day put before the festivities start. A lovely sunny day although bitter cold and the wonderful sounds of Geese everywhere.

So started at Holkham for the Red Rumped Swallow which gave great scope views. shame about the picture.

I checked all the Pink Footed Geese but could only find a couple of Brent Geese. A Red Kite was nice over the woods.

A few touristy things with the family inbetween birding. I did find the regular Black Brant at Cley.

Last bird of the day was a nice Red Necked Grebe at Brancaster distant but nice.

Took a pic of a boat too, dunno why ;-).

Finished at the wonderful Thursford Christmas area, magical and brings Christmas joy joy ;-)

 

 

Incase this is my last blog before Christmas, thanks for reading and have a very Merry Christmas Everyone

Brugge

Had a lovely Christmas break over to Brugge with the family. A spectacular place with great Architecture and a wonderful Christmas feeling with great Christmas shops and music all around the streets.