Finished work at lunchtime Christmas eve and decided to have a look to see if i could find the reported Lesser Yellowlegs seen the day before at Martlesham Wilds/creak. It was my first time here so all was new but i did find a vantage point that i could check may birds in the creek. The first decent bird i spotted was an unseasonal Juvenile Garganey, not something i was expecting for sure.
A firecrest was my next good find calling and showing well from the trees next to me. I couldn't find the Yellowlegs however in the 100 or so Redshank. Other birds were Goldeneye, Bar tailed godwit many Grey plover hundreds of Teal and thousands of Dunlin. A nice spot for my first visit
December 25th
Extremely cold and windy at Hollesley making it extremely difficult to look through the scope and keeping it steady also all Gulls were facing away, the wind was blowing straight at the screen giving no shelter. However i did just about pick out 6 Caspian Gull 2 1 winters and 4 adults also 2 adult yellow legged gull. The 2 cattle egret were still in fields as were 4 whitefronts. Back on the scrape 3 Ruff, a Dunlin and 5 Ringed plover. I gave up fairly sharply after. Back in my garden though after filling up the feeders with my Christmas presents a female Brambling and male Blackcap.
December 26th
Visited Hollesley mid afternoon today but the Gulls all came in quite late so lights wasn't great but 11 Caspian gulls of all ages were great the weather must have been forcing the birds to move onto the scrape. 3 Yellow legged Gulls also with a 3rd winter and 2 adults. Not all were on the scrape with some on the shingle ridge. 2 Cattle egret still and a Ruff. The Barn owl was hunting towards the farm and 14 Barnacle geese dropped in late.
December 27th
The Geese were on top form today did a circular to Boyton and back, the fields halfway between Boyton and Hollesley ended up with hundreds of geese. Originally 3 Bean Geese dropped in with 300 Russian White fronted Geese, these soon took off and i was disappointed not to get a pic but not to worry as 22 more Tundra Bean Geese dropped in, most id seen in Suffolk. Geese were dropping in all the time mostly more Whitefronts. Barnacles geese 16 and 11 Brent Geese.
Finally 2 Pink footed geese just wandered into view and a male Peregrine sat watching the geese.
Finished with 2 Yellow legged gulls and an Adult Caspian gull on Hollesley scrape and a 3rd winter Caspian Gull on Boyton pools. 2 Cattle Egret still and 1 Red Kite.
December 28th
Nipped to Martlesham Creek and walked the Deben to Woodbridge again. Nothing special but a Ruff and Bar tailed godwit were photographic highlights. Still no sign of Yellowlegs and i couldn't locate the Garganey again.
December 31st
Last day of the year so just had a walk along the beach at Sizewell, 2 big male Grey Seals were loafing on the beach and then up on the South levels all the geese and ducks were asleep but the 2 Common crane were feeding at distance. Nothing else of note.
Happy New Year
1st January, i had half day at work but visited Levington Creek afterwards, again a new site for me but nothing really of note, lots of birds but nowt to right home about, a female Red breasted merganser and a Great crested grebe was it.
2nd January
Another half day at work and managed to get to Hollesley an hour before dark. flocks of 28 and 5 Bean Geese came into roost at Boyton hall farm, a Peregrine was playing havoc with the 300 Whitefronts and a Red kite distantly. Lastly an Adult Caspian gull on scrape.
3rd January
Up early to do a circular of Hollesley to Boyton and back, a Peregrine dive bombing ducks on a pond behind Boyton hall farm and then in fields 4 Bean Geese again. I waited a while here and eventually had 40+ Bean Geese, 300 Whitefronts, 24 Barnacle geese, 2 Pink-footed geese and the usual feral stuff. The Snow blizzard was spectacular but led to nothing settling for long.
On the walk back a Merlin carrying prey towards the ness and now 4 Cattle Egret in fields viewed from the carpark area. The super moon was bright.
January 4th
Another morning at work so nipped to Felixstowe and the Falkenham Marshes where the Black Brant was distant as were 2 Tundra Bean Geese and a White-fronted Goose, it was blowing of gale and very cold making the eyes water so we saw what we needed to and then nipped to the ferry inn for a hot chocolate. A nice break over the festive period with some nice birds but that mega is still alluding me.
Colour ringed Black headed gull Hollesley 2LTF rung in 2016 in the Thames area and first time its been seen since.
2025 finished my Hollelsey10km square was a respectable 189 species.
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