Badgers n stuff.

A little exploring was done from home and i was able to find myself a Badger set hidden away. I decided to set up my motion camera just before dark and returned in the morning to a nice short bit of footage. I was delighted to say the least.

March 18th
Hollesley tonight 5 Caspian Gulls 1 1st winter, 2 3rd winter and 2 adults. 3 Yellow legged Gulls, first 2 White Wagtails of the year, also first Chiffchaff of the year but i have heard several whilst at work. A Bar tailed Godwit was another nice surprise. it was now getting dark and 3 Bat species started to appear.  2 Large bats had to be Noctule smaller ones looked like Pips but maybe ill get myself a bat detector..

March 19th 

2 Chiffchaff in the Garden calling to each other, probably fresh in.

March 20th

Checked the Gull roost from the screen again 8 Caspian Gulls and 6 Yellow Legged Gulls. 1 Great White Egret had returned to winter flood.

March 21st

A Circular around the patch hosted 5 White Wagtail, 85 Whitefronts, 2 Barnacle geese 18 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe. Must have been a fall in Snipe. 

March 22nd

Patch was quiet except for 9 Avocets so had a walk to Shingle street where i was hoping for Corn Bunting and Black Redstart. I found the Black Redstart easily enough around the tennis court.

I then got wind of another Black Redstart typically just a street away from home so after a walk around Sutton Heath and spotting a Red Kite i went and had a look for that. 2 Black Redstarts in the same day...

Hopefully the Avocets will be back to breed soon. 

Last couple of day and today were now on lock down but my daily walk will still take in the patch luckily even though the carpark and screen are closed.  65 Whitefronts still, more Common Snipe 18 and 2 Ruff are new in. The ducks were showing nicely in the bright sunlight.

Sparrowhawk is visiting the garden more regular now and today (24th) a female sat nicely for a time. 3 House Sparrows was a new garden tick. 

Patching

Working in Woodbridge my lads dug up a couple of Adult Cockchafers and a Stag Beetle Larve.

Walks over fields behind the house had 3 Singing Yellow Hammers.

Had the moth trap out and i could hear the movement of Redwings when checking.

Saturday
On Patch a Firecrest opposite Shelbys Cafe sign again, and down on the marsh a Great White Egret with 6 Little Egret.

The Avocets have started returning with 17 during the week according to reports but i had just the 5. Patch tick Ruff was great with 9 Dunlin and 6 Snipe.

Back on the scrape 2 Whoopers and a 2nd Winter Med Gull flew down the river.

The White-fronts (123) had moved North slightly so i went around to see them close up, they did show nicely.

Whilst watching the geese 2 Firecrest moved along the hedge, obviously a small fall.

Back in the Garden 5 Redpolls, Jay and a Sparrowhawk were putting in a daily show.

Sunday started off great, a walk over the back field and a nice Red Kite flew over the house and landed in the hedge eating something.

The rest of the patch was much like Saturday but i think theres now 2 Great White Egrets. one on the Winter Flood  and one opposite Warren Prison.
Lastly the Fallow Deer group were hanging about by the end of my road.

The End......

Patching and a weekend in North Norfolk

29th of Feb i took a different part of the patch on board as it was pouring down again. Upper Hollesley common was my destination in full waterproofs. It was great to hear Woodlark everywhere, probably at least 8 pairs probably 10. A pair of Dartford Warblers too made an appearance when the rain subsided. Cant wait for Summer, got to be a site for Nightjar Surely.

1st March from the screen at Hollesley, 2 Pink footed geese was the only notable birds for the day.

Its getting light in the morning and evening before and after work now giving me the opportunity for more birding and to find out potentially whats going to breed close-by. 2 Pairs of Yellowhammer at least 200m from the house.

6th March after work 2 Pink Footed Geese showed well by the carpark at Hollesley, White fronted geese numbers were still increasing.

Gull numbers were increasing too 4 Caspian Gulls and 3 Yellow Legged Gulls of various ages.
A Barn Owl put in an appearance too again.

7th March it was time to get away even just for the night. We headed for North Norfolk booking in at the Blakeney Manor Hotel. On the way a Red Kite at Sidestrand and another at Stiffkey. Stiffkey was good as a Great White Egret was feeding on the flood by the road here and as we passed the Highland Cattle an Egret was sat on a cows back, now it was facing away and theirs no where to stop to fully check immediately but it had to be a Cattle Egret doing that. by the time we had turned around to check, it had hoped of its back into long grass.
We walked Cleys east bank and along the shingle to North Hide, 2 Snow Buntings flew West. An adult Pale Bellied Brent goose was with Dark Bellied by the Road to Cley beach, scoped from North Hide. Out to sea many Guillemots, Great Crested Grebes and Red throated divers. Unfortunately my camera didn't get the opportunity to leave my bag by this point except for a feeding Ruff.

Wells on sea had the usual large flock of Brent Geese with a Black Brant or Hybrid mixed in with them.

Not a bad day at all.
Today it was a bit of what Rach wanted to do but i did get a 2nd summer/Winter Med Gull from Cromer Pier and then 22 Cranes from Clippesby barns.

Finally last bit of birding for today, i was going in search of Waxwings at Rendelsham Forest but on realizing they were in the forest its self i decided just to take the scenic route home hoping maybe some had moved somewhere more visible... You couldn't make it up really but not far from home in Butley i only went and found a flock of 8 in someones garden... Boooom how lucky is that. Downside was i missed a Black Redstart on my roof back home or most likely it had at some point during the day been on my roof and seen by other birders. Oh well ill get it back. 4 Redpoll when i returned home though.

Another weekend gone in a blink of an eye.