15th April to 25th

 15th April

Stood at the bottom of the garden and could here the first singing Whitethroat of the year. Also Great spotted Woodpecker drumming.  After work headed for the patch stopped at the gate just before the reserve and picked up what i thought initially was going to be 4 Very Distant Cormorant, just a black dot in the sky. For some reason i thought id scope them anyway just in case. A good job i did as they turned into 4 Common Cranes....... booom patch tick. I watched them circle the reserve at distant for about an hour before loosing them in the sky heading north. Jack Snipe was the only other notable bird.

17th April

Hollesley rspb this am. First 2 Whimbrel of the year and a summer plumage Bar tailed Godwit. Little Ringed Plover, 7 Pink footed Geese roosted here 6 from Boyton. 1 1st Summer White-fronted goose still. Med gulls moving up n down river. Jack snipe still from river wall. Swallows now turning up and a few more Sedge Warblers now in. Blumin cold wind. 3 more Bar tailed Godwits dropped in later. Long staying Canalag below.

Popped down to Upper Hollesley Common where this stunning looking Male Redstart made an appearance.

April 18th

8 Redpoll still in the garden, over on the patch 32 Dunlin was a highlight. 

April 19th

My first Willow Warblers of the year and actually from the garden. From here i nipped over to Upper Hollesley Common, A Firecrest was singing from the carpark, almost stood on my first Adder here for the site a young one that hissed like mad at me. Woodlarks were plentyful, still only a couple of Dartford Warblers 6 Redstarts at least and Blackcaps a plenty, in fact ive never seen so may in one small area excpet for when abroad. a Couple of Willow Warblers lots of chiffys and plenty of Goldcrest.

Back to Hollesley 4 Little Ringed Plover and 6 Yellow Wagtails.

April 20th

An amazing garden bird heard today Nightingale, id been searching the common for them yesterday but failed, so was very pleased to get it on the heard from the garden list. Nipped up to the sand quarry to find it there. Recorded it on the phone and got a couple of quick views.  

April 21st

Still a very cool wind today at Hollesley but first Sandwich Tern of the year, plenty of Yellow Wagtails now and the white-fronted goose still. 5 Pink footed Geese, dropping in numbers now. Another Emperor moth to the garden lure.

23rd April

Hollesley was extremely good after work, 2 Cuckoo were singing distantly, a Water Pipit (tentatively) was on the flash but was very distant, it was certainly very grey and very pale. Greenshank was on the Winter flood that had little water in it now. 2 Jack Snipe again, many Yellow Wagtails including a female Blue Headed Wagtail. A cracking looking Wagtail. Only 4 Pink footed Geese now and the Whitefront still.  Little Ringed Plover again. The First Reed Warblers of the year and 6 Whimbrel.

3 Common Sandpiper on the river together was also a first for the year.

24th April

Getting good now,as Im stood in the garden listening to Nightingale still from the Quarry, a Firecrest singing in the neighbours conifer, Blackcaps all around and a female Marsh harrier hunting the back field. 5 Redpoll still on feeders. 

Back onto the patch, 2 new Ruff a cracking Black Spotted Redshank, Little Ringed Plover still, and 5 Bar-tailed Godwit. 8 Whimbrel with many more on the walk to Boyton.  Yellow Wagtail at Boyton too but little else. 

The heat haze now making any distant pictures impossible and not worth sharing.

25th April

Hollesley this am. Plenty of hirundines now going through, mainly Sand Martins, but with 10 House Martins, plenty of Swallows and my first Swift. 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, 1 summer plumage Grey Plover and a Dunlin, 2 Ruff and a Greenshank. Juv white-fronted goose still with 4 pinks. Still some Yellow Wagtails.

Finished the day having lunch at Ramsholt arms where i scoped 13 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Spotted Redshank.

Till next time people

 

4th to 13th April

 4th April

Its been cold but for some strange reason i thought id get the Emperor moth lure out in the garden, wasn't expecting anything but low and behold an hour later this beautiful male came to the lure. 

A male Blackcap also visited the garden but that was about it.

5th April 

Hollesley RSPB Jack snipe from River wall  the 2 juvenile Whitefronts were still with the single Pinkfoot. 60 Avocet were the biggest count this year. Little owl in its usual tree. 2 Med Gulls flew over. 

7th April

Visited Boyton RSPB after work where we could hear a Bittern Booming.

8th April

Hollesley. The birds were pretty much the same with Whitefronts and Pinks still, although new in were 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Little Ringed Plover.

Had the afternoon at Ramsholt flash, a few nice Great Crested Grebes and plenty of Pochard.

April 9th 

Hollesley sedge warbler from screen. Little Ringed Plover and Jack snipe still but not easy to find from sea wall. Yellow Wagtail White Wagtail, Sand Martin and Swallow, 2 White-fronted geese still and the Pinkfoot.

April 11th

Black Redstart again in the same field as the Little owl and same place as the 2 from a few days ago.

Walked the river bank to Boyton, usual geese still, now as suspected 2 Jack Snipe one close and one further away. 

At Boyton now 6 Pink footed geese but little else.

Cold but theirs still a very small movement of migrants. Bigish flock of Sand Martins and Swallows. 2 Swallows sat for a small amount of time. 

13th April 

A couple of Avocets one rung locally on patch now 10years old. 12 Mallard ducklings and a local Lesser Blacked Backed Gull rung also locally and 8 years old. 

Thats about it for now. 

Minsmere 3rd April.

 It was really nice to go a little further a field so nipped into Minsmere for the afternoon.

Started well with a Drake Garganey and distantly and unusual a drake Eider on south pools. 

Moved onto North Wall, where i picked up a distant Red Kite and some nice Bearded Tits.

 Onto the beach where i had to scope the flash from there as the hides were still shut. 1st Summer Little gull was on show. 

Onto the public viewing platform i was able to spot the Eider again, Little gull 26 Sandwich Tern 7-8 Adult Med Gulls and a 1st Summer Caspian Gull

2 Great White egrets flew over the Reed bed but i couldn't find a Bittern. Continued round the reserve 6 Sand Martins and a Swallow was of note. 

The Red Deer were resting near the woodland trail.

Headed back to the cafe for a cake and drink and check out the Garganey again which had returned. Sat there listening to the Chiffchaffs when one started singing differently sounded very Iberian like, but someone had heard a strange Chiffchaff in the week but hearing the recording it didn't sound the same. so who knows hopefully be heard again. Typically by the  time i realised i had something different it stopped singing, either moving off or turning into a proper chiffy. 

Non bird stuff Birds nest fungi by pond at Minsmere.

Nipped into Snape for a Cattle Egret, nice bird but a bit distant. 

Hopefully the Easter weekend carries on with some decent birdies, its nice to have some time off.