Hollesley April 2022

 27th March.

The patch finally produced a Black Redstart on the Prison. 4 Brambling was probably a year tick. &0 Whitefronts were still here and a nice White Wagtail was from the River Wall. Ruff was the best of the waders.

Put the Emperor moth lure out to see what would happen. Took just 20 minutes for one to turn up but i couldn't catch it to photograph it. 

April 3rd 

Hollelsey 40 Whitefronts still Ruff also and the first singing Black cap of the year.

I spent the evening at Boyton where a Short-eared Owl was the highlight just before dark.

April 9th 

Hollesley to Boyton 

Highlights were my first Swallow of the year, Drake Garganey, first Whimbrel and Bearded tits pinging away in the reeds. 

 April 10th

2 Blackcap in the garden, Firecrest too, still seen more Firecrest than Goldcrest in garden. Brambling flyover and Yellowhammers in field behind. Out on the marsh was quiet although did year tick the Little Owl which is still in the area luckily after the nest site was destroyed. 3 Adult Med gull calling over the river wall. Fox hunting the marsh.

 Got the Emperor Moth lure out again and managed to catch 3 males before putting it away. Really awesome looking things.

Other bits in the garden were a Holly Blue Butterfly Bee fly and a Brimstone.

Late afternoon was spent on Upper Hollesley Common. Plenty of Dartford Warblers, Brambling and Woodlark on show. 

24th April

Haven't been on patch since the 10th of April due to being away in North Yorkshire and work commitments. so it was nice to finally be back today. Started well with 2 Adult Med gulls noisily flying over. From the platform it was windy, infact the whole site was windy but i persevered and was rewarded firstly with a lots of singing Sedge Warblers, a single Reed Warbler and then a nice Greenshank. Moved to the river wall and boom a patch tick, Adult Curlew Sandpiper just starting to get its summer colors. A Common Sandpiper was first of the year. Swallow and Sand Martins came through the site as did a male Cuckoo. 3 Yellow Wagtail over too. So plenty of migrants just later than wanted due to not being on site for such a long period. 

Greenshank above Curlew Sand below

Continued onto Boyton where a Whimbrel showed, and 2 more Yellow Wagtail and a White Wagtail was it really. Stock dove in the carpark.

Will go out again later and update soon.

Hollesley and Minsmere again March

14th March

Light is getting better after work giving me at least an hours birding on patch at Hollesley. Bat species one of the pipistrelles i think. Also minimum of 10 Caspian Gulls and 3 Yellow legged gulls. 116 Pintail is my highest total and just shy of the site record of 118. 

19th March 

Hollesley a second winter Caspian gull from the river wall. 

Bird of the morning though was actually a 1st winter Kittiwake.  

After doing the patch i had another trip to Minsmere. The Lesser Yellowlegs was my target and i managed to see this in the Konik field, Distant but good scope views.

Garganey was also a highlight as were the 2 Smew, Adders and a 2nd winter Caspian gull and 2 Adult Yellow legged gulls.

A Great White egret flew in front of Bittern hide as did a Bittern. Chiffchaffs were a highlight as was my first Sandwich Tern of the year.

Today the 26th of March 

Nipped back onto the patch and spent pretty much all day here at Hollesley. 4 Fieldfare over the garden to start, the the Fallow Deer showed well. 

Chiffchaffs 4 as i walked down to the flash, then a nice surprise were 3 Garganey 2 Drakes and a female. 74 Whitefronts, 24 Barnacles geese 100+ Pintail a Green Sandpiper, 2 White Wagtail also a highlight. 

 The sun brought out the Stonechats.

6 Dunlin showed some sign of the long billed sub species.

 Finally a sleepy Bar-tailed godwit on the flash was a year tick.

Minsmere and Hollesley

Saturday we had a great day out with friends from Derby at Minsmere, started by showing them the Birds nest Fungi on the pond boardwalk, Only 2 left now so unless there is another area for this fabulous fungi i fear it wont last. 

Nipped up onto the wildlife lookout platform for the male and female Smew. 

Our first for the year Chiffchaff singing from here too.

Nipped around to the Sand Martin bank to find 3 Adders a Normal one copper one and the famous Black Adder. Only one worth a picture.

 Onto North hide where i managed to find us Common and Jack Snipe. A Great White Egret made a flypast.

Around to the Sea and East Hide 100 Common Scoter in the Sea and cracking Med Gulls on the Scrape.

Circular back to the VC for lunch then Bittern hide to finish our day. No Bittern though 54 Species for the day.

 Managed a quick visits to the Hollesley patch. Gull numbers were great with at least 9 Caspian and 4 Yellow legged gull. 9 Ruff and 60 Whitefronts.

Last weekend 2 Pochard were a highlight.

Today Still numbers of Ruff, Barnacle Geese and White-fronted Geese. 

Upper Hollesley Common

Worked Saturday so today was my only option to get out. Cold wind but lovely in the sunny shelter spots. Dartford warblers, Woodlarks and a Raven were the highlights. No pictures unfortunately. 

13th and 19th February 

50 white-fronted Geese, 3 Ruff and a Northern Herring Gull being the highlights. 

hollelsey February 12th

Nipped down the patch twice today early morning and late afternoon. Highlights were a 1st Winter Caspian Gull, A female Peregrine in its usual tree in the morning and a male in the afternoon. 35 European white fronted geese mixed in with the Greylangs and Canadas. 75 Pintail is a good count and 30 Shelduck is also a high count. Otherwise cold and windy but the light was great.