Suffolk

Exploring much more of Suffolk at present heading out with Danny, Gary and Emma, all digiscoping gurus...
Started at Wrentham Church where there had been Hawfinch sightings. It wasn't long before we were watching 3 birds. Never close though unfortunately.

Next stop Dunwich beach where a Glaucous gull gave us a run around, mainly due to walkers having no clue to what we were looking at and so pushing it further and further down the beach. It did return to show well eventually.

Whilst waiting for the Gull, we managed views of 2 Great White Egrets and 8 Snow Buntings. A Long-tailed Duck was with the 10 Common Scoter on the sea.

We then headed for Thorpness where there were 100+ European White-fronted Geese with many Barnacles and few Greylags, Canadas and 3 Pink-Footed Geese.

Next onto Slaughden for a brief view of a possible Lapland Bunting and 10 more Snow Bunting.

Another look at the Coue's Arctic Redpoll at Hazelwood Marsh but it didn't show as well as last week.

Lastly another look at the magnificent Glossy Ibis at Eastbridge, light was a little better but it was still too distant for any pics other than record Shots.

Finished with a cracking meal in the Eels Foot pub.... great day!

A Video of this months birds. im going to attempt a short vid of the birds ive seen during the month.

Purple Sandpipers

Had a walk around Ness point this morning to try find some Purple Sandpipers, there were just 2 on rocks. not a lot else after a walk up and down checking Hamilton Docks for the Eider and Black Redstart, couldn't find either.

Moths wise ive trapped half a dozen times this year and drew a blank until last night with a lifer Spring Usher. What a start.

Hawfinch

Sotterly park has been for many years one of the few places that hold Hawfinch in the winter but over the last 3 years they have been very hard to track down. This year there has been a big movement of Hawfinch all over the UK which has been good for Sotterly as they have now returned with up-to 18 birds present.
Anyway today we planned our first tip here and what a very nice place it is too. You have to park on the side of the road and walk the mile or so to the church but its a lovely walk.
Arriving at the church we stood for a short time before our first of many flyovers until eventually a flock of 5 settled for a short time.
Great birds and just a shame they didn't come down of the tops. the light made photography almost impossible but i got some record shots at least.
The Church is lovely too.

Suffolk Birding

Rach n I headed through Suffolk picking up a few really nice birds. Firstly heading towards Westelton where Some winter Swans had been reported over new year. Sure enough we finally found 10 birds feeding fairly close to the road although they were a bit wary due to the amount of shooting going on.

Took a few quick shots of a few Red Legged Partridge.

Continued onto Thorpness where i was hoping for some White-fronted Geese and luckily there were at least 12 European White-fronts mixed in with the Greylag geese and 6 reasonably close to the road, it was my lucky day.

Headed then to Hazelwood Common for the long staying Coue's Arctic Redpoll. My second visit to this bird but first this year and it did show much better today, but only cus it was pouring down and there was only me there.

 

At least 1 Common Redpoll with the many Lessers. Lesser Redpoll below.

Finally i remembered there was a Glossy Ibis near Minsmere. I thought it would have been tucked in long grass and hard to see but when i arrived it was immediately visible feeding around the flash and showing well although a little distant.

The Weather hadn't been kind to us today so we called it time and headed home, Very happy though. Wish all birds were as easy as today.