Easter Weekend

Stayed on patch for most of the weekend, 16th on patch had 2 Firecrest.

19th Yellow Wagtail, 40 Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Firecrest still. Willow Warbler was a surprise.

Lots of butterflies around Corton on the 19th.. Holy Blue, Brimstone, Speckled Wood. Comma, Small Tortoise, Peacock and Large White.

Back to sit in the garden where a Red Kite Flew over with 3 Local Buzzards. Swallows, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest too.

20th on patch held bugger all so headed to North Denes in Gt Yarmouth just for a walk. 6 Wheatear was our lot really.

21st and early start so it was nice to finally get Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat singing at the NSW. A very big surprise was then a male Osprey carrying a fish flying low over the NSW heading towards the coast.

It was becoming a much better day than yesterday as a Tree Pipit flew over then a Yellow wagtail. 

Over at the OSW a Stonechat had appeared overnight and a Woodlark had a few circuits of the area then flew off North.

2 Wheatear were on the cliffs, and a Chiffchaff flew into the OSW after coming in off.

Back to the garden where it was nice to see Brimstone, Peacock, Orange Tip, Holy Blue and Speckled Wood butterflies.

Took a few pics of the locals.

Finally i got the Emperor Moth Lure out AGAIN, had it out a few times last year with no luck.......However this year it was out no less than 30 min when this awesome male turned up. Showed up twice but didn't stop long enough for decent pictures. A lifer too.

Today Nothing of real note but a Diver Species, 4 Adult Med Gulls and a new in Lesser Whitethroat. 

Back to the garden a strange garden tick with Fulmar as it headed towards the sea.

Lastly nipped over to Lowestoft North Denes for brief views and nice song of the Iberian Chiffchaff. 

Not a bad weekend saying i stayed very local.

Patch and Norfolk Again

April 6th Slog around patch twice. 4 Blackcap singing, many Chiffchaff, Bullfinch. Lots Gannets and Red Throated divers North. Fulmar, 8 Common Scoter. 1 Porpoise. 5 Sandmartin


April 7th 7 Sand Martin and 2 Swallow Corton cliffs


April 13th Cosw, Shag flew south 2 Sand Martin. Cnsw 2 Sand Martin and a Swallow.

Then had the afternoon in Norfolk, Stopped off at horsey where i could just pick out a Tundra Bean Goose. Then at Cromer we had great views of a Peregrine on the Church roof.


Today a nice wander around Potter Heigham Marsh. A Lesser White fronted Goose was a surprise although most likely an escape.



























An Egyptian goose was posing for a photo.












On the marsh at least 6 Garganey, 4 Drakes and 2 Females.





















Lastly here 2 Common Crane flew over distantly.




Again visited the Horsey Bean Goose where light was better although bird was miles away.
















Whilst watching the Goose a ring tailed Hen Harrier flew over and a Great White Egret appeared, again very distant.


















Weekend went far to quick as usual.

Norfolk

Camping at Kelling heath for the first time this year. picked a nice if not chilly weekend, at least the sun was shining which meant from the tent Chiffchaff, Woodlark, Goldcrests and Bullfinch were singing. Out on the heath the Male Dartford was showing well, heavy cropped images and a video.

I didn't take the moth trap so it was nice to find a Pine Beauty on the tent.

Back on the Heath 2 Red Kites, Woodlarks singing away and a couple of pairs of Yellow hammers and Stonechats.

Had a short time at Cley looking firstly from the Visitor Center, distant Spoonbill and Little Ringed Plover along with the usual Black tailed Godwits, Avocets and at least 10 Whitefronts still.
A Walk up the East bank where we had better views of 2 Spoonbill and a few Ruff.

2 Redkite at Cley too, probably the same birds wandering the area.

That evening another walk around the heath a young Adder trying to warm up in the last of the days sun.

This morning same birds on the heath but 3 Roe Deer made for nice viewing.

All good.

North Norfolk.

Firstly ill start with my daily treck to work from Corton to Ipswich, its getting light in the mornings now on the way in so im able to pick out some nice birds on the way. Red Kite, Great White Egret and Kingfisher.
On the patch 2 House Martins my first of the year (9th March) although beaten by Sand Martins (3rd March).
After work a Firecrest singing and calling in the Vicars Garden Corton (11th March) 75 Golden Plover CNSW (12th March)

OK back to our great day out in Norfolk, first stonking bird of the day was this very strange gull at Blakeney Harbour, I knew it wasn't a Yellow Legged Gull as it was just all wrong. After a lot of help from many Excellent gull experts it was decided this bird was a Ring Billed Gull x Lesser Black Backed Gull hybrid. However Gulls are so varied and tricky it could still be just a small Yellow Legged Gull.

Lesser Black Backed Gull Close by

Next good bird was a Red Kite at Burnham Norton and then as we stopped on the hill at Holkham a Spoonbill flew off the reserve and a few White fronted Geese were grazing around the pools. Still some Pinkfooted Geese about too. I checked lots of Brent geese up the coast but all i could find were Dark Bellied Brents.

We arrived at Titchwell and started with a Water Rail in the ditch behind the center. On the first pool was a Water Pipit hiding in the reeds.

Our first Red Crested Pochard also hiding in the reeds. Plenty of Knot, Avocets and 35 Med gulls on the freshwater pool.
On the sea just 1 Common Scoter and 3 Red breasted Merganser but the sea was so rough it was hard to find anything else.
On the way back 2 more Red Crested Pochards sheltering from the wind.

Had a slow drive back and passed Cley and came towards the Babcock Hide when our second Spoonbill of the day flew in and settled on the pool.

That was it for the day.

Today back on patch a Dunlin was feeding on the floodwater at COSW. 4 Crossbill flew over the garden whilst i was checking the moth trap and Redwing and Blackbirds were migrating over night.

Afteroon out at Orford had us walking the river, plenty of Avocets and Marsh Harriers were about it.