local stuff

On the patch Wednesday my first Rock Pipits of the year.

Friday the Bloody White Tailed Eagle im pretty sure followed coast past Minsmere, Benacre and then over the patch at Corton and onto Gt Yarmouth. Bird of the year missed by all, bloody work!

Last Night was the best birding on the patch all year and it was from the garden, some night time Vis miging. Ryan tweeted there was a movement of Redwing happening so I sat outside and within 5 min I was very excited to hear a Stone Curlew screeming as they do as it went pretty much straight over head continuing to call all the way past. Best Garden tick since ive been here.
Sat out till half 11 hearing up 14 Species as they passed over the garden, just incredible.
Stone Curlew
Woodcock
Snipe  (semi roding)
Ringed Plover
Oystercatcher
Wigeon
Teal
Meadow Pipit
Magpie
Tawny Owl
Pheasent
Moorhen
Redwings
Fieldfare

I was out at half seven this morning but the wind was still from the North East making it still pretty quiet. I did manage to see my first Spring migrant of the year in the form of a Sandmartin, full 2 weeks earlier than last year. A Woodcock flew of past the NSW...

Had breakfast then headed out to Burgh castle which was really good value as always. 3 Common Crane flew in and landed on the marsh. A Different and much better marked Rough legged Buzzard was also on the marsh. 110 Avocets lots of ducks n waders including Bar and Black tailed godwit.
A Peregrine showed nicely as it upset the Avocets.

Went for lunch and then sat for 45 min on a seawatch from Corton but it was dead and the rain made visibility very poor. Lots of Gulls n Gannets.
now for the Rugby.

Minsmere

Started early on the patch again it was very cold and nothing was happening again, no migrants of any sort. quick shot of a goldfinch.

Rach n I then headed to Minsmere for the day, nothing special but we did hear a Booming Bittern, Marsh Harriers a nice Otter, Pintail and 2 Red Head Smew. 

A Green woodpecker showed briefly as did a very close Little egret

On the way home we stopped at Wrentham just to see if I could find this long time escaped Black Kite, although light was terrible the bird showed by the church extremely well. Pictures don't do it justice.

Waxwings

Its been a quiet week as ive been concentrating on training for my Spartan run. https://www.justgiving.com/Craig-Shaw8/
Yesterday however I found 4 Waxwings whilst working in Norwich, I even tried taking a few pics with my phone through my cheapo bins that I keep in my van.

 

Today I started on the patch pretty quiet all round except for a few thousand Cormorants moving out to sea. Mixed in were a handful of Gannets and 8 Red Throated Divers. A flock of 60 Common Scoter were still sat on the sea. The rest of the patch was very quiet. Back in the garden I sat out having lunch watching the long tailed tits and other common stuff.

 

 

I had a quick go at Digiscoping the dogs.

 

 

Had a trip out to Loddon. brief views of Kingfisher and Heron.

 

 

Then came home via St Olives Bridge where nice views of Barn Owl and Chinese Water deer were had. Pity it was getting late and the light was poor.

 

 

 

Cranes n local stuff.

Well during the week on the way to work I had great views of a Red Kite just coming out of Corton woods heading towards Lowestoft. The Barn Owl put in another appearance early morning on the patch and 3 more in various locations again on the work.
Also on the patch 3 Common Snipe and a nice Jack Snipe seen a couple of times during the week.
From the Garden a Goldcrest and an Adult Med Gull over.
Saturday (yesterday) my parents visited and we had a trip over to Horsey for a walk, no birding as such but 2 Crane by the Mill, Kingfisher and a cracking Ring tailed Hen Harrier.
Lunch at Great Yarmouth had us sat in the beach watching 8 or 9 Med Gulls.

Back to today lovel warm sunny day, birds were few n far between on the patch, Red throated Diver on sea and 30 Common Scoter. 4 Meadow Pipit, Frog spawn and 5 Small Tortoishell. Lots of Bees too.

Then sat in garden with the dogs.

Glaucous Gull

So I made the effort to go through the gulls again this morning but headed straight for the pier on the Southern bit of Lowestoft and sure enough after a bit of a wait the brute of a Juvenile Glaucous gulls turned up and showed really nicely, the nice bit of sun made photographing the bird tricky though.
Day to sit n relax now though.