Minismere RSPB

Made contact with Steve form W.B.C. and informed him that I should be able to meet up with him and the team today. so arrival a 9 A.M. Thanks for the coffee Steve.

Best Bird: SPOONBILL, just the single bird viewable from the East Hide. This bird was a ducker and diver behind some reeds. But eventually made its way out for  a reasonable look.
This was followed closely by another lone ranger in its close symbiotic friend a GREAT WHITE EGRET.

We also pulled in a LITTLE GULL, BEARDED TIT, MED GULL, PINTAIL DUCK  a pair. WIGEON, TUFTED DUCK, TEAL, COM TERN and SAND. There was also a good movement of SWIFTS again. Struggling to feed in this now confirmed late spring for 30 years.



Variable veiwing?

Loddon:    Called in for a short walk and I suppose the only thing you can say about today is that there little birdies starting to get about. The best ones here were a family of  MISTLE THRUSHS. It seemed as if the parents were with four young birds over the marsh on the west side of Loddon. We also had a very confiding GREY HERON who with his partner seemed to be intent on gaining food for young. I could also hear a WHITETHROAT and CHIFFCHAFF as well as CHAFFINCH and SONG THRUSH.
Hales:   We had a fly over BUZZARD which was heading North, it was in good condition.
Reedham Ferry South Side: Best bird was a COMMON SANDPIPER heading East close to the water, being escorted by a SWALLOW. There where plenty of Hirundo around again today. We also had one very diminutive and well coloured MARSH HARRIER here. There were also GADWALL with young and several SHELLDUCK, 2 SHOVELORE, 5 LAPWING in one meadow and several scattered around. With on HARE trying to feed up.

Hen Reed Bed, Suffolk.

Just a short call in to take a look and see if there is anything much around wind was north easterly and cold still.

Best bird was the sighting of two BITTERN which seem to be flying from way back at the end and dropping into the reeds. The view was ok through scope but in real terms they where not close. But at least the sun was on them.
I also had three GREY HERONS and a pair of MARSH HARRIER. Who seem to have taken to there normal spot to breed. There was also a mother MALLARD with  five ducklings and a pair of DABCHICK who seemed rather odd. SEDGE WARBLER calling and fleeting glimpses as well as WATER RAIL heard. Plenty of SWIFTS about as well as HOUSE MARTIN and SAND. Not to forget the beautiful SWALLOW. PIED WAG and WHITETHROAT as well just to finish up.

 

To see my slide show visit below

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/75264279@N07/

Variable Sightings

Gorlston Sea Front: May 19th Only bird of real interest was a rung TURNSTONE who was not obliging due in main to some old boy wanting to photograph Golaston-on-Sea. Hence only part number 725. A few KITTYWAKES flew by and that was it.
Home: May 22nd:  A PEREGRINE flew through at the top of the road heading North about midday. I also had a very high flying COMMON BUZZARD about the same time flying North to South parallel to the sea front. The only other significant was a SWALLOW flying South.
Breydon evening May 22nd:  Only bird was a single AVOCET and several COMMON TERNS. 1 OYSTERCATCHER. REED BUNTING SEDGE WARBLER WHITETHROAT. SHELLDUCK must have been over 200 birds in all.
Links Hill May 23rd: Nothing only very common birds and KITTYWAKES flying by.
Leathes Ham May 23rd: Best bird was a single HOBBY flew East to West. Plenty of SWIFTS feeding. GARDEN WARBLER singing as well as BLACKCAP, WILLOW WARBLER and CHIFFCHAFF.



Abberton Resevior

Home territory this. Back to my early days of birding. Out there in the middle of the action age 13 years ringing everything that nature and the then Wildlife Trust allowed. Now still amazed. Especially by the amount of SWIFT seen. In the middle of the unseasonal weather with the strong winds the most of these I have ever seen a phenomenon never to be forgotten. If I where to calculate it would be wrong but I will guesstmate. This is my low number 30,000 my high would be 50,000 That is some population of birds. My year list Now stands at 155 so we are well on the way with many birds that should be there not included. I managed to add LITTLE RINGED PLOVER and CUCKOO to the list which now stands at 157. Best Bird:    Was defiantly the number of YELLOW WAGTAILS although not as many as I have seen there some years I did have 8 in view at one time. But how lovely is this bird below.

Little Ringed Plover: was a treat as there was a pair. It is obvious in the pictures that one has a little white above the eye which I have never really seen before, so I expect that it is a male.

 

Great Crested Grebe: was also good to see sitting on her nest, while her partner was of playing.



Common Tern:   Just to finish things of a pair of Common Tern  with one ringed was also a class act.

 





 



Herringfleet,Suffolk border.

Wind still blowing from the west and not that warm.

Best birds where a pair of HOBBIES that decided to hunt around us. But the opportunities for a good shot where seriously limited. Still did get some but not good enough for here. Also three LITTLE EGRET seemed to be interested in each other of toward St Olaves. Lapwing where obviously nesting on the meadows and where being viewed by some birders intent on ringing by the looks of it. SEDGE WARBLERS in good numbers as where BLACKCAP on the heath with several WHITETHROATS calling well. We did hear some WILLOW WARBLERS up the early part of the secluded trail. A male MARSH HARRIER was also of towards Somerlyton so where the CORVIDS who where so obvious. In the pump house next to windmill a owl must be toasting in there as there are pellets everywhere. I put a wooden beam across so he has a better place to perch will give it a look another time.



Blythburgh Lodge, Walberswick.

Just a short time out for a quick little picnic.  Gone cold yet again and a stiff breeze from the west.

Well I was rather late picking up on this bird as it must have been sitting right opposite where we park up. It was not until I went walk about that I heard an unusual call and immediately picked up on a large raptor in an adjacent tree. I put the bins on it, it flew, it was immediately obvious that it was a ROUGH LEGGED BUZZARD. With white above tail and ringed .  I reached for the camera and went for it. Not a bad shot and all id required I believe.
Except that as I reported through, isn't it rather dark for RLB. It was also rather large. So after a few emails and tweets the conclusion is it is a HARRIES HAWK. The thing is I have never seen such a large H.H. so I went on the internet and it seems that some H.H. have been crossed bred with GOLDEN EAGLE how sad. That will teach me. But look at the length of the wing and then look at the second pic and you can see the white is really running to the underbelly.
In conversation with Craig Fulcher it seems that he may have seen this bird three weeks ago in mid Suffolk. I also have friends that claim they saw a similar bird at Barnby about five weeks ago.
                                                                  Rough Legged Buzzard/ Harries Hawk

 

Also about a singing GARDEN WARBLER and three BLACKCAP. As well as 3 WHITETHROAT. SHELLDUCK, PIED WAG, MISTLE THRUSH, CHAFFINCH, SWIFT, SWALLOW, HOUSE MARTIN, SAND MARTIN, and just to finish it of a HOBBY. Enough to make anyone's picnic.

Gunton Cliff

Midday onwards with kids from Suffolk Wildlife COD project.

Best bird was soon as I got to Links Hill car park I heard a YELLOW WAG and then viewed as it flew by. I also had this KESTREL which had taken up a well camouflaged spot for trying to pick of small birds. Pic was not bad either. Other stuff about WHITETHROAT and BLACKCAP as well as WILLOW WARBLER and CHIFFCHAFF. MAGPIE seem to be nesting in the spot I have previously looked at. Plenty of reverse migration by SWALLOWS. With a few KITTYWAKES offshore as well.



Carlton marsh

Late evening walk along from Marsh Lane:

There seems to be plenty of Sedge Warbler about. With plenty of birds singing. However I only picked up one Reed Warbler unseen. I did get a glimpse in the fading light of a Cetti's Warbler calling and  setting himself up to be seen. There was again no Whitethroat to be heard unlike the other day. Jonathan heard a Cuckoo, but I didn't. It was according to him along way of and I have no doubt that my hearing is not what it was. As for Grasshopper Warbler 3 birds calling along the track.