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October 11th

Took the VW T4 out for a run. Weekend at Kelling heath to be precise. There wasn't much about bird wise and i didn't try too hard but Woodlark Singing on the heath and a trip to Cley east bank has us watching Curlew Sand and plenty of Sea birds such as Razorbills, guillemots and Gannets. Vis mig and birds through the night were the start of the Redwing and Song Thrush invasion. Brambling and Redpoll around the site.  

October 14th

Back home and a walk around the fields to the back of my house 4 Woodlark Flew over. On the reserve 5 Grey Heron in off and a single Grey plover flew over.  Another 10 Grey Heron in off then found a a cracking Ring Ouzel, had the camera for once. 

 October 16th 

Was Owl day dark nights drawing in fast so dont have much light after work so usually walking the dogs in the dark which draws in the owls. 3 Little Owl seen. 4 or 5 Tawny Owl heard, Barn Owl and Short eared Owl out hunting the Reserve. 

October 17th

Checking the garden moth trap to 3 Crossbill over and a Grey Heron. On the reserve Little Owl again, movement of Swallows, House Martins, Siskin, Redpoll and Mipits. Walked to Boyton and back saved by birds such as fly over Merlin, Great White egret and Bittern. Not seen the latter until now, only heard. Bearded Tits are a scarce bird for the area, seens theres had been a fall as they were moving in  umbers between Hollesley and Boyton, maybe 18 seen. 

October 18th

TWITCH ON. I dont twitch these days but i cracked after a Rufous Bushcat had been found on Stiffkey marsh, i left it a day to let the crowds die down before nipping across to see it. Saw it almost immediately on arriving at the crowd but it didn't want to show its self too well as it tucked itself in the long grass for most of the time. I did get lucky with a couple of record shots. 4 Lapland Buntings flew over as did 4 Red Kite, groups of Brent and Pink-footed Geese.. A Dusky warbler (heard only) at Weybourn was the best of the rest.  

October 21st

No birds but Fungi and a Minotaur Beetle.

23rd October

Brambling in the garden. Patch tick Great Grey Shrike on Upper Hollesley Common along with a possible Parrot Crossbill although i put it down as Crossbill Sp just too far to be 100%, 5 Dartford Warblers and about 8 Woodlarks. 

25th October 

Watched the Hippodrome Halloween circus at Gt Yarmouth last night and stopped in a hotel for the night so was able to have a walk through the North Denes and the dunes at Yarmouth today. Dogs flushed a large pipit out the grass and i had the fortune to pick up on its call 3 times as it flew off North. RICHARDS PIPIT. Its great when the do finally call. See a few large pipits during migration but most refuse to call which then makes id impossible. Not this time. 20 Sanderling and 30 Med Gulls n the beach were great, as was a close Red Throated Diver. 

On the way home nipped into Ness point where there were 2 nice Black Redstarts. 

Back on patch water was starting to appear as were the gulls. 1 nice Adult Caspian Gull was first of the season. 

Now the dark nights are really here due to the clocks change there will be little after work birding... So see you next weekend.

More Migrants

 4th October 

Slowly getting better on the patch with a Snow Bunting and 4 Wheatear Simpsons Saltings which is on the river wall at Hollesley

5th October

Took the road to Warren bay Prison today as the small sycamores look idea for a decent migrant, lots of Goldcrest and a few Chiffchaffs felt promising, Little owl really close giving me the eye, then last small sycamore to check and Boom 1st winter RED BREASTED FLYCATCHER only ever found 1 in the past. It steadily moved south along the tree line and out of site. The same trees help Brambling and Redpolls. Carried on slowly checking all the suitable habitat and it still felt like there was more to be found, I was right Got to the last bit of hedgerow by the footpath path Boyton Hall farm and a Ring Ouzel was calling away, could see it tucked away in the thick hedge. A Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were calling all the time and then bang a YELLOW BROWED WARBLER started calling too. I was really chuffed and wanted more but the light was fading fast and I was a fair way from home at this point, 4 Wheatear still was it on the route home.   

6th I had now booked the rest of the week off so took a very unusual for me trip off the path and headed to Kessingland for a Steppe Shrike. Parked up in Kessingland and walked the sluice hoping for the reported Great Grey Shrike too but no luck. Loads of Wheatears though. Arrived at the Steppe Shrike which gave distant views but good scope views. Had my fill so headed back towards to sluice where i found the Great Grey shrike this time, it flew up onto the power lines with a Robin of all things....Poor Robin. The Beach held a nice Yellow Wagtail. Got back to the car and had a mooch around north deans and ness point but nothing of note found. 6 Med Gulls. 

Today was nice, nothing on the patch but a Yellow Browed Warbler turned up in the garden. A very nice surprise. I waited in the garden hoping it would show well enough for pictures but it wouldn't show. A Raven flew over cronking.

Spent the evening at Boyton, great hour or so, Short Eared Owl and a Barn Owl had a tussle for food, 2 More Barn Owls on another scan and a patch tick Merlin tried to take out a Linnet. 

Teal with a Nassel ring from Portugal on the river bank.

Migrants Hollesley

 3rd October 

Again its been a while since i reported anything decent, just been so busy. 

Today however i had the chance to get out all day and it was looking very good. The wind was right and the rain was dropping lots of bird in all along the east coast. It was a frustrating day that had great potential but for me it just didn't really happen Started just before 8 am as i had to see a family member off home first but after that i headed straight out with the dogs to have a good mooch around. As soon as i left the house a Redwing and a Song Thrush flew over and the further towards the patch i could tell every tree was covered in Song Thrush's. The Little Owl was in its usual tree. Onto Hollesley Rspb and again Song Thrush was everywhere and Goldcrest too. Black caps were common and there had been a big fall of Robins. Still no water from the screen so headed for the river bank where 15 Grey Herons flew in off the sea. I was hoping they were cranes when i first picked em up. Headed south towards shingle st and a dark Warbler flew out a single small bush made a tack sound and disappeared into the reads. My thoughts lead me to Raddes Warbler which im sure was what it was but i waited to see if it would show itself again but frustratingly it didn't. Whilst waiting a large flock of 17 Pintail flew south of shore and smaller numbers of Wigeon and teal did the same. Brents were on the move too. I carried onto shingle street but nothing caught my eye. On the return to the main reserve 5 Pochard flew over, patch tick and i waited around the possible Raddes area again watching the sea. Loads of Brents, and Arctic Skua chasing gulls was another patch tick and more ducks with 2 Red Breasted Mergansers and 5 Eiders. Mipits were coming in off as were more Song Thrush and Goldcrest. Every bramble bush in the river bank held a Goldcrest or 2. Swallows were on the move with about 30 through in an hour. Wheatear was the only other thing of note from the bank. Returning past the car park 5 Crossbill flew over and a nice Brambling was bathing in one of the puddles. A couple of Chiffchaffs of note. 

Returned home for some lunch and then took the Warren Hill prison route to the patch. Started off good with a Common Redstart and i could hear some Crossbill but couldn't see them, they could have circled around as 5 min later 15 flew over. The sky was full of Swallows and a few house Martins. As i moved further along the track a much needed Ring Ouzel flew out the hedge and over the hill, Tick. Returning home via the river bank was much quieter with only 3 Wheatear of note. 

So not a bad day but looking at the birds up n down the coast it could of been better i rue the view of the Raddes Warbler that would have made the effort worth while. 

1st October i found a Yellow Browed Warbler by the entrance to Hollesley RSPB. 

29th September Shingle street had 2 Caspian Gulls. 

1 More day at work Monday then I have the week off lets hope i can gain some birdy rewards...

Pics of Caspian Gull and Grey Herons.