Ditchingham Covert and Carlton Marsh

 Went to Ditchingham, All Hallows for a retreat day. Spent an hour in the covert.

SPARROW HAWK put on a display of ariel proportions as did a MISTLE THRUSH who had obviously got a  nest in a conifer in the grounds. Several CHAFFINCH about and a few SWALLOW flying through. There where 3 BLACKCAP and 4 WHITETHROAT calling well as also was a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. I suppose the best viewed bird however was the BULLFINCH a pair of birds in hedge adjacent to the covert. 



A late evening walk from Marsh Lane out onto Carlton Marsh at Spratt's Water. Bright but still cold.

The walk was set up to give me my first GRASSHOPPER WARBLER of the year. It soon done this and I was rewarded with three birds in all. I also had a HOBBY go to roost and a single WHITETHROAT which popped up near and handy. There where others about but this one will do fine. SEDGE WARBLER and REED BUNTING as well as GOLDFINCH and a flock of 20 LINNET from roost. A single BARN OWL was quartering low ground and the call of a LITTLE OWL near to copse opposite Spratt's House. The bird of most interest was seen hunting along reed covered dykes at dusk. Although the bird landed less than 20 feet away it was so difficult to see. But it's call gave it away when I saw it fly off towards the centre. It was a brown MERLIN, a female.

I also had a very large all black bee in the garden gathering nectar from flowers. It did not stay long enough for pic's but it was defiantly a first for me in the sound of a. VIOLET CARPENTERS BEE. evidently In the last few years they have found there way over her so a good record for me.

Angelsey for a few days.

Spent a week in Anglesey in a little cottage to celebrate 40 years of marriage.
The first main area of interest in birding terms was in the Ogwin Valley, just before Pentre Farm, which is a shepherds cottage on the back road. Feeding in the short grass was 35 WHEATEAR. I have never seen so many in one spot before. It seems that they had already begun to pair up. The sad bit about this journey was that on arrival I found a beautiful male Redstart in the car front grill. How bad was that.
Arrival at Gwalchmai: The cottage had as visitors two pairs of RAVENS which flew by just after 9am each morning only to return a few minuets latter. I would not be surprised if PERGRINE do not breed behind in the quarry as each morning a male would fly by heading always south east. We also had company with a pair of RED-LEGGED-PARTRIDGE who had a habit of pecking the door. Shadow job I think. Also WILLOW WARBLER and CHIFFCHAFF. We were also surrounded by COMMON BUZZARD who gave us a treat each day.

Penros Country Park  This turned out to be a good find in reality as a ROCK DOVE is certainly hard to find these days. It seems that although this bird was not on the cliffs it may be a regular visitor to this site as it was in partnership with another who seemed to take to flight and head of towards Treadure Bay. All the significant id was here a smaller bird than all the others. In fact very fine as a  dove. The following where all present. White rump which was to dark at base of tail: Dark of neck in line with pale back: Black bill  with white sear: Bright orange eye: Two black wing bars: Black tip of tail with grey ends faint: In flight white under wing with black end to primaries. All there.                      This is a s close as it gets for Rock Dove (More pic's for id latter)



Holyhead Breakwater: Saw this SEDGE WARBLER in unusual surroundings. You can only guess how long and hard I looked to see if any of the three birds was different. But what a tangled web we weave. The conclusion is simply they where all Sedge Warblers. You just cant make something out of what is not there.

 

 
 
As for this BLACK GUILMOT he was one of four birds that seemed well stretched out along the breakwater. Just a very attractive bird to watch. Although distant for photograph not so bad. 
 
 
 
 
 

Cemlyn Bay:  Went on a search with no success for Golden Oriole. Dipped out badly here. But did manage RED-BREASTED-MERGANSER and this beautiful male STONECHAT who put on a most wonderful display.

South Stack:  Was no surprise but it did not support any Puffin which was seriously sad. Razorbill and Guillemot as well as Fulmer where however good to watch. I also had a single Peregrine here as well as the manic Chough. Followed by this tumbling Raven who was intent in being a show off.

 

 Tumbling Raven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlton Marsh.

Windy but warm from the west south west.

As we set out it was very apparent that spring was in the air with GOLD and CHAFFINCH about and singing well. Plenty of Corvids about and a gulls seeking the wind. The best birds came early on the walk with a pair of BLACK REDSTART through gates and in a marsh area feeding in short dried grasses. They were mixing it up with MEADOW PIPIT. A single REDSHANK was on the scrape with a PIED WAG, TEAL, WIGEON, MALLARD and a LITTLE EGRET. A KESTREL put on an ariel display when it decided to make a quick fall to ground. Put up every small bird in the area. REED BUNTING on far track walk back as well as a few LAPWING with the inevitable haunting peewit call. We also put to flight two MUNKJACK and at Spratt's Water  about four WILLOW WARBLERS where calling. This now brings my total twitch for the year to 130. Far better than last years 56 at this time. In the words of the proverbial "What a difference a day makes" CITTE'S both seen and heard, what little darlings these birds are but what a pain to view. Mind you who can mistake the call of "That's the way to do it". A pair of BARNACLE GEESE to finish of with and flushing a single SNIPE.

North Denes, Lowestoft.

Bright and very warm.... What a difference a day makes.

As I had need to go to Sparrows Nest took a look in a net posts. But on arrival saw three SWALLOWS fly by so another one for the year. But there was a very obliging MEADOW PIPIT who was all sexed up.



From Home:

 

Was the best bird of the day as you can see below. Seen at 13:17 hrs this bird was very high and heading along parallel to the sea at about 800 feet. This is the second one that I have taken up with and its something to rave about.



North Denes, Lowestoft.

The change is real in regards to weather.

It became apparent that there was a move of birds over night with REDWING flying in and across. I had watched birds at the end of the previous day some looked like Black Redstart flying between roofs of the local houses and in the morning I was told by a friend that REDWING about 500 birds had taken to the trees in Nicolas Everite Park at Oulton. Although by the time I got there they had all gone. I had previously watched the very flamboyant SHAG at Mutford Lock. Who has acquired a very substantial hair style.

I took a ride down to nets at North Denes and viewed the BLACK REDSTARTS there where tree birds while I was there.

BLACK REDSTART

Ditchingham Hall, Waveney Bird Club. April 13th

Early start for me but the change has begun and weather really good. Blue sky and hint of warm weather to come.

Bird list was added to in the shape of SAND MARTIN three birds flew through over hedge as we started out. Best bird on show was a pair of BULL FINCH which had taken to a low hedge again at the start of walk. Other things of notable interest where GREY PARTRIDGE, COMMON BUZZARD at least three birds at any given time. GREY WAG pair of by stream. Altogether birds viewed numbered 56 as far as I am aware.

Benacre

Spring is really struggling, like cold and North Easterly and visibility low.

Reason out at Ben was simply to strike the Whit Tailed Sea Eagle.... No joy mind you not to bad a single COMMON SCOTER female was drifting and diving amongst the gulls. As where GREAT CRESTED GREBE 4 birds a small flock of TUFTED DUCK and only 2 WIGEON. around 15 LITTLE GREBE. The scattering of feral GREY LAG and a pair of MARSH HARRIER and a single COMMON BUZZARD. I also struck with a GREAT BITTERN flying over the reed bed and diving in. A KINGFISHER flew through my field of vision when on the scope, but no chance to follow. At sea the usual RED-THROATED-DIVER all heading North. CHAFFINCH,HAEDGE SPARROW and an obliging WINTER WREN. PIED WAGTAIL flying but only had one in view a Yarnelli. ROBIN and a close view of a Melanistic PHEASANT.
Cove Bottom:  On arrival a fly over of 6 REDWING really late to still have these about. The female MARSH was sitting on her usual stump and the male was hunting over the back of the reed bed. A GREAT SPOTTED WOOD was making himself heard.

Home

When first up and out of bed on Saturday morning the sound of gulls alerted me to  birds of prey in the area. Sure enough three COMMON BUZZARD flying right overhead with an accompanying RED KITE. Birds flew on and where seen again north of Lowestoft.
Latter in the day a single COMMON BUZZARD flying in line with the silo heading North. I also picked up a fly over GREY WAGTAIL which is a good one for the garden. Heard its call and then gained view.
Sunday morning:   Fly over BUZZARD lone bird flying North.
Monday:  Ness point:   Best bird was a single RAZOPRBILL that came well inshore as did some GANNET, RED-THROATED-DIVER .
Today Wednesday:  On my first visit to the garden the sound of gull alerted me again to a raptor very high. This bird again flying north for all appearances a COMMON BUZZARD only one problem had the tail of a black kite. Odd bird to say the least twittered it out no sign of anything though. It was very high.
I also had another odd bird. Obviously a CROW, but it could have been much more. It was a corvid, but was it a crow. Questions that could and should be asked.

• What was it doing on its own.
• What was it doing so high.
• Why did the gulls keep a good eye on it.
• Why was it so big.
• Why did it circle and then head off.

If I where a grabber it was a RAVEN, but I'm not so its a crow.

Carlton Marsh, Lowestoft.

Bright but still a real chill in the air from the North East.

As soon as I was on the marsh I saw a raptor over Castle Marsh. This was again a COMMON BUZZARD. The bird continued to move across from west to east and  went in the direction of Barnby. At the recently dug out scrapes one LITTLE EGRET and several TEAL as well as GADWALL, WIGEON, MALLARD and some feral type things in the shape of geese. There was also around 40 GULLS of every local distinction as was the corvid family.
I also had 5 SKYLARK on call and a single STOCK DOVE on Peto's Marsh. A small flock of 40 STARLING on low grass meadows and 5 LAPWING on far field over foot bridge. I also put up 2 SNIPE near to the scrapes and there where another 3 STOCK DOVE in ploughed filed here as well. At bend in path a WEASEL decided to run between the gate and at corner with SPRATES WATER I had 4 YELLOW HAMMER. Other than that on the walk 3 KESTREL and small family of L-T-TIT. there WAS A SIGLE chaffinch at centre and the main shock was there was no sign of any WREN'S This is a big question, where are they?

Not the best pic in the world but at least it is there.



Oval and North Dene's. Lowestoft.

And still the winter is here. The question is how much longer?

Not much about in respect of the Oval a few LONG TAILED TIT''S and BLUES and the occasional CHAFFINCH and that is it except for WREN, GOLDCREST, BLACKBIRD,CROW ROOK, and a selection of GULLS. Mind you there was 5 MEW GULL at Links Hill car park. I also came across a new MAGPIE nest and it looks as if they are nesting or about to. Out at sea there is still a really big movement of RED-THROATED-DIVER with some in full adult plumage. Even the grey head and throat is in good shape. The occasional GANNET well out and a few CORMORANT. The best bird of the day was an adult male EIDER which was flying south and not to distant which makes a wonderful change. I also pulled in a lone seal cub which was floundering about. The only other thing picked up was a lone PIED WAG through the new caravans.
At the silo the female PEREGRINE was strutting her stuff again, in and out of the nest box.

Stokesby and Walcot

Easter Monday and still cold with East wind.

As soon as we arrived there was a COMMON BUZZARD circling between Stokesby and A47. There was also a pair of MARSH HARRIER which co-operated well when the male decided to fly right past us. It managed to put up a SNIPE and another later on pulled into the reed bed opposite. GOLDFINCH and CHAFFINCH around as well as MALLARD, COOTE and LITTLE GREBE

Walcot was what you would call rather chilly. With a few GANNET of shore and RED-THROATED-DIVER. I also saw a very large bull seal. TURNSTONE on beach with a selection of gulls.               
                                Black-Headed-Gull (Still with juv plumage in following year)