Rather a dull looking day, but when it was time to head home it brightened up. Best bird was CHIFFCHAFF and also a BEARDED TIT. Has 90 plus LAPWING over Petos. KESTREL 3 and GWE. It is also good to see SNIPE flying about. There was also good numbers of MEADOW PIPIT umbers increasing each week.
So here we go again, a trudge round the reserve and a talk with several people and showing them the GLOSSY IBIS that was on show. Also was a couple of BEARDED TITS nd about ten MEADOW PIPIT. Other than that two LITTLE EGERET.
Our regular walk through with only 17 species, but good to see two KINGFISHER and the usual duck and LITTLE GREBE. Other than that not much else.
Out on the reserve for 3 hours, with a few people about to talk to with one young family who I introduced to 8 BEARDED TIT. This family hanging about on the middle track made themselves invisible to eye but not to the ear. Handily they flew individually over the track but the pic is not worth sharing. The best birds however were two birds that flew over my head calling. I immediately picked them up as WATER PIPIT. Checked on merlin and it recorded them the same. Altogether I recorded 30 birds on the day with a pair GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and a single GREEN WOODPECKER.
It was very obvious that Autumn is well in with WIGEON showing for the first time for this year it seems to all be happening. Only 17 species today but still with SHOVELORE and GADWALL.
The plan was to travel by the Waverly paddle steamer from Southwold to Clacton. With all the inconclusive info from the company I made the call to call it of. Disappointment yes, but how much can you take.
So I and Jonathan set off for Ranworth Broad nature reserve for the day. We enjoyed a boat trip run by the NWT and found it brilliant pick up from a disastrous day.
Birding brought in 27 species and with KINGFISHIR, RED KITE and many GREAT CREASTED GREBE what more could you ask.
Just a short call in on the way through. Loafing HERRING GUL and a smattering of BLACK HEADED GULLS. The only sight of interest, was a pair of BRENT GEESE heading in the wrong direction.
