Lockdown 7th-13th April

So no lock-down for me, i redeployed myself at work from Gardening leader to specialist cleaner for Older Persons homes and Delivery of important PPE to Orwells Care staff all over East Anglia. Just trying to do my bit and keep busy. I could however just sit in the garden all day birding as the time i have had after work has been brilliant. Patch has been pretty good too.
7th April
I've spoken about the badger i filmed a few hundred yards from home, well i set the camera up at the end of the garden really for the views of the Fox that's been visiting. So i set the feeding station up with crunchy peanut butter. On checking the camera this day a scraggy old badger has only gone and found it. I've been putting peanuts, peanut butter and chunks of lard out ever since and this old man has visited every day. On one occasion a female came in too and the Fox but the Badger scoffs the lot before anyone else gets a look in. Also visiting are Magpies, 2 Mice, Grey Squirrel 3 Cats and a Hedgehog.
A little Video below of the Badger

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A Little Video of the Fox

Right back to some birding. On Visiting one of my schemes for Delivering PPE i got to site and saw  my first House Martins of the year, they breed on site here in Reydon. I also noticed a Black Redstart on the roof too.
Got back home late afternoon and spent some time in the garden which then produced my first Sand Martin of the year too.
The night Sky was incredible so took a picture of the Moon and Venus and the Pleiades system.

8th April
Early finish from work today so again spent some time in the garden, incredible start was a singing Firecrest which held territory pretty much all day. Managed a crap record shot looking into the sun.

To add to this great bird was 2 Blackcaps, 2 Wheatears were in the potato field at the end of the garden. Night time was superb too with a Little Owl flying around calling, pretty close.

9th April
Garden tick 2 Mute Swans flew past when checking the Camera for the badgers.

10th April
Good Friday but work beckoned again luckily just for the morning so i was back by lunch. Rach took dogs for a walk so I was able to go out on the bike, dogs needed a rest, Sheps arthritis was playing him up. So Headed for the patch and things were starting to move, duck numbers were well down, Greylags had eggs and migrants were starting to turn up. 2 Whimbrel flew over, 3 Sedge Warbler were back on territory and 3 Swallows past. At the Boyton part of the reserve i got onto a Cattle Egret, a great bird for the patch. Only had my phone and Binoculars at this point so took some record shots with the phone through me bins

Back in the garden insects were playing there part, this Osmia bicornis was looking for nest sites.

April 11th
Work Beckoned again, and again just the morning so the afternoon was spent in the garden. Marsh Harrier, 3 Adult Med Gulls, Kestrel carrying a Slow worm, maybe 3 Sparrowhawks in the area and a distant possible Goshawk but the heat haze meant i couldn't be sure. Many many Buzzards probably double figure were going over. Local birds were mating in the field.

12th April.
First full day off in a while so i made the most of my time by doing the Hollesley to Boyton circular.
Highlights of the day were a movement of Med gulls probably 20+, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 85 Avocets one color ringed Yellow BL, rung at Orfordness in 2017 then wintered till now in Kent.
5 Brent Geese, Sand Martin, 2 Willow Warblers, many Chiffchaffs, 8 Sedge Warblers 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank and the Cattle Egret was still around. Lastly from today a Red Kite over. Cracking mornings walk.

13th April
Took a Walk to Upper Hollesley Common for a little bit of a change. Another great part of the patch. Walked the perimeter of the MOD land and had a nice surprise, singing Nightingale, get in!!! Other highlights were 3 Dartford Warblers and many Woodlarks. The Stonechats were singing there heads off even in the wind.

Back in the garden it was much quieter.

Thats it for now, back to work tomorrow.

Serin

Walking along the track to RSPB Hollesley Marsh's as i do most days with the dogs. I was checking the areas around the car park for migrants. I had just got past the car park when i heard the classic call (Chip) and then jangle of keys song of a Serin. I looked upwards to hear another jangle of Keys sound and a small finch like yellow bird fly low over my head and unfortunately away. So im afraid i didn't get a proper look at the bird but the unmistakable sound made me 100% sure it was a Serin. Winds had been favorably from the south overnight which had produced a small fall of migrants with my first Willow Warbler from my house only a few hundred yards away and a Sedge Warbler on the Reserve with Swallows over head too. The time of year for Serin to turn up as an overshoot is good too. Did a short sea watch from the bank, 30 Common Scoter sat on the water, a Kittiwake could be a patch tick and a Male Marsh harrier was over the sea going South.

From the Garden a Red Kite almost took our heads off it was that low, well ok not that low but tree top level, it was fantastic. A Swallow through too. 2 Buzzards, 2 Blackcaps and a movement of Linnets. Last night i couldn't sleep so did some nocmig Common Scoter over, Teal, Wigeon, Avocets, Greylags and Canadas. Then at last 2 Little Owls calling to each other, 2 Tawny owls too drowning out the Little Owls sound sometimes
A Hedgehog is now Frequenting the garden.

The lockdown.....

Well this lock down hasnt and isnt really effecting me at, im still working daily although my job has turned cleaner for older person schemes, my local patch is on my daily excersize route and i enjoy the garden birding, so whats changed for me well nowt...

25th March  Buzzard landed in  the garden trees.  Down on the Reserve, Peregrine is back, theirs still 75 White-fronted Geese and a Green Sandpiper flew over towards the wet areas. A Black Redstart appeared on the roof of the prison and 2 Ruff were still onsite.

26th March
50 Fieldfare and 16 Redwing in the field behind the garden.

27th March
Not a lot to talk about patch wise but this Grey Heron had the patience to wait for lunch in the form of a Mole... Going Going Gone.

March 28th a White wagtail added to the garden list as the fields are being ploughed ready for potatoes bringing in lots of gulls and wagtails.

On the patch 35 Avocet, 2 Ruff, 6 Ringed Plover, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap. 75 White-fronted geese and 19 Brent Geese.

March 30th

The Geese of Hollesley

Around the corner from home i found a Black Redstart, probably the same bird frequenting Oak Hill rooftops.

A trip up to Hollesley common for a little change had a new variety of bird, Woodlarks a plenty and a couple of Dartford Warblers.

April 2nd
This was a good day around patch with 3 Green Sandpipers. Sorry for poor pics.

First Wheatear of the year and a mix of wagtails including 16 Pied and 12 White Wagtails. A Spoonbill dropped in and showed nicely albeit just before dark.

Onto today
My first Swallow of the year, the peregrine was still in its usual tree. The White-fronted Geese have now all gone. 4 Knot were a patch tick, 8 Avocets, and 2 Brent Geese were the highlights. Took  a couple of shots of the Hares as i waited for something good to turn up. which it didnt.

 Lastly today back in the garden i put the lure out for the Emperor moth, and it worked .......

Cattle Egret at Boyton so maybe ill be able to get that tomorrow on my daily walk.

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.