Super local birding.

22.05.2021

Been a tough week at work, long hours and no birding. This weekend was great though. Saturday back at Hollesley was pretty good with huge numbers of Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins. A Swift flew through my scope with a slight white belly and rump, i got so excited that then turned to disappointment, when i found it again it was to be an aberrant Common Swift, Size and shape ruled out anything else unfortunately. I tried hard to find something within them but nothing. 

It was pretty windy so i stood on the sea wall doing a sea watch as stuff was moving further south. Counts weren't bad with 2 Fulmar, 40+ Kittiwakes 10+ Gannets 70 Common Scoter 12 Little Tern a Probable Arctic Tern flew up the river with a Sandwich Tern, 7 Sandwich terns, some Commic terns and finally 6 Common Tern. A Hobby was a strange bird to be watching out to see going South not looking to make landfall, possibly feeding out there. An Auk species was probably the Razorbill reported North from me. 

Cuckoos very much in evidence still, and the Adult Spoonbill still.

Spent the afternoon at Boyton where i was able to find the female Channel Wagtail that was now breeding with a Yellow. Some stunning male Yellow Wagtails too.

Also spotted was a Hobby, Drake Pochard and 4 Tufted Ducks. The Avocet had young now. 

This morning 23rd i was on patch when a message came through from East Lane at Bawdsey about a male Woodchat Shrike, so i quickly walked home jumped in the van and nipped down there getting great views of this stunning shrike. 

This was a patch tick as was a Spotted Flycatcher in the same bush.

I moved onto Boyton as i heard the Garganey was still there, i had been searching for this before but it can hide in the grass margins, which is where it must have been yesterday. Anyway i arrived as it flew over my head onto the main pool, Bingo

It then took flight again and landed in another pool a little closer and where its probably been getting into the deep cover for most of its visit. An Avocet didn't take kindly to its presence. 

The Pochard and Tufties were still on site as were the Yellow Wagtails. Swallows and Sand Martins enjoyed there pictures being taken. 

I had a look around Hollesley but just the Spoonbill was of note so i nipped back to the Woodchat Shrike for seconds.

So now im home, processing pics and enjoying highlights of the Grand Prix with a beer. Great finish to my weekend. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. 

Stuff and CASPIAN TERN

 On my door this cracking Zebra Spider. 

11th May

Hollesley circular, 5 painted lady. Spoonbill, Greenshank, Cuckoo, Common Sand, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone. Wheatear. 2 Lesser Whitethroat. Birders were watching a yellow wagtail from River bank, i  could scope it more distantly from the river wall where it looked like a female Blue Headed Wagtail. The bird flew so i went to have a chat with the birders see what they thought, they didnt want to commit either way. Great thanks lads. 

13th May 

Spoonbills were now daily. 

14th May

Friday night, Wedding Anniversary night so something different. Drove up to Iken Cliffs where the Broad Billed Sand and Kentish Plover had been in previous weeks. Walked west to get a good view of the river, hadnt even set the scope up when through the bins i picked up a large Tern, i thought what am i looking at surely not a Caspian Tern naaaaa cant be. Got the scope up and bam, damn well was a Caspian Tern. Put the news out and got a series of distant shots of the bird. Not a place you can get close to anything here so these record shots had to do. Not a lot of other birds to be honest just a few nice Summer plumage Red Knot and  Greenshanks.

May 15th

Started early on patch, but very quiet with just 3 Cuckoos chasing each other. A pipit or lark flew over and landed on the shingle bank the other side of the river, called 3 times sounding like a Spotted Redshank, so no idea what that was. 

Rach dropped me off at Upper Hollesley Common to have a good walk around the perimete of the airbase hoping for the Hoopoe that was seen the day before to no luck, but i did have at least 25 Crossbill with many juvs, Woodlarks, Dartford Warblers, Redstart, Willow Warblers and a singing Nightingale.

16th May

Nothing to report disappointingly. 

7th, 8th and 9th May Patching

7th May

Spoonbills are now feeding daily at Hollesley, mainly in the afternoon. So far 2 Adults and 1 1st Summer bird. 

6 Tufted Ducks are unusual. A fall of Wagtails with 6 Yellow and 3 White, many Pied.

8th May

Walk Hollesley to Boyton as i do as often as i can when i have the time and inclination. It was pouring it down but did it anyway. Hollesley Lesser Whitethroats now, in loads of Hirundines,10 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, Cuckoo. and Greenland Wheatear. Over at Boyton i managed to find the male Blue headed wagtail, stunner.

Avocets were giving themselves away now with one having young already.

9th May

Weather was much better today but stayed Hollesley end. Not a bad day with Little Owl, 4 Greenland Wheatear, a Whinchat and Spoonbill again. Greenshank, Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel were the pick of the waders.