Been Agessss since ive updated my blog so though id give you all a brief update of what's been going on.
April 18th
Down at Hollesley a movement of Med gulls up the river over 20 birds at least , a couple of cuckoos area still around and the first Lesser Whitethroats of the year. yellow wagtail, 50 Avocet lots of sedge warbler a few Reed warbler and a willow warbler singing of note.
April 19th- 26th
Been to Lesvos in-between visits to hollesley which i will update in separate post.
April 29th
A UK LIFER, at Landguard, i nipped after work so only had bins with me but had good view
May 2nd
Back on patch at Hollesley this am after a couple weeks away from it. The Pool opposite Warren Prison was looking good, first Wood sand, Common sand and Greenshank. of the Spring.
May 3rd
Circular walk from Hollesley past Boyton and back, From Warren prison. 2 Wood sandpiper, greenshank and a common sandpiper, at Boyton pair of Garganey, waders moving with 3 Bar tailed Godwit and 12 Ruff.
May 4th
Reed buntings and a Sparrowhawk in the Garden.
May 10th
Hollesley, Spoonbill, 2 Common Tern on the scrape, could they breed now the new islands have been created. . Plenty of swift today. Greenshank and 2 Pintail from Warren hill prison. Cuckoo and first avocet chick's, with another 35 nest on site.
May 16th
Hollesley this am, Hobby, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Common sand, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern still and a few Black tailed godwits. 2 Ravens seem to be regular currently.
May 17th
Hobby seem to be breeding locally again.
May 18th
I then Visited a site for Long eared owl somewhere in east Anglia which had 3 vocal young, a great success.
May 21st
Hollesley 10 spoonbill, 2 Black-tailed godwit and a dark bellied Brent goose.
May 23rd
Hollesley. 10 Spoonbill again, 55 black tailed godwit, Brent goose still, 4 stunning Grey Plover. I'm watching from Warren Prison so no pics taken.
May 24th
Hollesley to Boyton circular again, 4 Spoonbill, 2 Whimbrel, 3 Sandwich Tern, Boyton 4 spoonbill,, Greenshank, 30 Black-tailed godwit. 2 Cattle Egret.
Hollesley. 10 Spoonbill again, 55 black tailed godwit, Brent goose still, 4 stunning Grey Plover. I'm watching from Warren Prison so no pics taken.
May 24th
Hollesley from Warren hill prison, 15 Spoonbill now on the main flash and a brief Turtle Dove. 2 Cuckoo.
May 25th
Whilst looking over the pools at Hollesley there was nothing much until 2 Common crane flew towards Boyton.
May 30th
May31st
Last day of the month i had a walk to Shingle street and back and had a migrant flock of 21 Red Kite over, inline with the migration from other parts of the east coast.
June 1st
The Nightjars are back at at Sutton and Hollesley heaths, I was lucky enough to be told of a bird roosting in the sun, wonderful views had.
June 6th
Hollesley this am. Wet, windy and miserable. 2 Glossy Ibis on Warren prison pools before flying towards Boyton, 2 Spoonbill on scrape.
June 7th
Had a trip away from the patch towards Great Yarmouth but then onto Sea palling for the long staying Black Winged/Shouldered Kite, only my 2nd in UK but always distant. Had it all to myself surprisingly.
Back on patch it wasn't a good day for me, I had family over so I could only venture down patch for a short time early morning which meant I then missed a fly through Caspian tern and then the wandering Gull billed tern, 2 missed patch ticks, to top it off another patch tick Temmincks stint but this luckily hung around till Sunday evening when family had gone and i could get back down the patch Hollesley...
Worst weekend in a long time. Other bits were 5 Spoonbill including a fresh juvenile. 4 Little Ringed Plover. Med gull, and Avocet yellow flag CC, a local bird, All Avocets chicks now failed. Just too many predators.
June 15th to July 5th
Not much happening now but today 20 Spoonbill 20 Little Egret, 1 Full Summer Plumaged Cattle Egret briefly, Greenshank 2 Little Ringed Plover and 2 Greensand. Water is fast disappearing making it good for Waders as they are moving currently.
Hollesley 31 Spoonbill, 20 Little Egret, 5 Greenshank, 4 Greensand, 9 little Ringed Plover, 6 juvs, 2 Ruff, 1 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, 18 Black-tailed godwit, 15 Sandwich tern.
July 12th
Hollesley this eve finally a Full summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 3 Greensand, 6 LRP, 2 Med gull but surprisingly no Spoonbill yet.
July 16th
LIFER ALERT the HUDSONIAN GODWIT had been and gone from Minsmere during the week making the bird un-twitchable to most so id been around and about the local area and patch looking through the Godwits hoping to relocate it, i failed but someone else luckily didn't. The Hudsonian Godwit got found on the river and marsh around the Manningtree area both in Essex and Suffolk, so today was my first opportunity to nip over after work. There were 20 or so birders around but as I'm so anti social I walked past them all not asking where the bird was. I luckily found it on my own however crap views of it fast asleep meant I wasn't 100% that I was on the bird until it got up walked around and then fell asleep again. After about an hour i was delighted to see it get up fly up showing its dark underwings then land in the channel in front of me giving great views, the light was awesome. Watched the bird for another 2 hours before I got hungry and left for home. Pictures below.
July 18th
Back to Hollesley which is now dry barring a couple of puddles, great whilst it lasted, 2 Green Sand, 9 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel over and a Yellow Wagtail.
July 19th
As Hollesley was dry I had a walk from Dunwich to Walberswick just to check if the Fan tailed Warblers had bred again, I wasn't to be disappointed with 3 birds singing and calling, I later found out at least 11 birds present out of possibly 3 nests. Presumably breeding between themselves which cant be good in the long run. A Spoonbill was a bonus bird on the pools here. On the Sea by the Walberswick harbour a very smart Juv Caspian Gull, and back on pools 2 Whimbrel.
Nothing on patch of note
August 1st
August 2nd
2 Juvenile Black Storks had been spotted over Felixstowe, so I though id give these a go and headed to Bawsdey to spot them from here, I didn't manage to find them so headed to Ramsholt Church area and just out of pure luck they drifted down the Deben opposite side of the river from Ramsholt and landed out of sight and onto the Marsh, i was hoping they would fly up and lack on my side but no luck with that one. On the pools at Ramsholt bonus birds of 2 Glossy Ibis, 5 Greenshank and a couple of Greensand.
August 7th
Took the day of work due to my car being serviced so had another morning over at Ramsholt, No sign of the Glossy Ibis this time but 5 Greenshank still, 3 Spotted Redshank were nice, 1 Greensand, 2 Summer plum Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Whimbrel with 3 Yellow Wagtail and a Hobby. 15 Snipe to finish.
Thats pretty much it for this blog, thanks for skimming over it.
Common Tern on Buoy at Boyton to finish.
