Great Yarmouth and Tramps Alley.

Great Yarmouth 29/10/2013: 
 Spent a few hours with the family and as for the birds well plenty of MED GULLS in various forms of plumage. Just great to see. Also plenty of seals on Scroby and I expect they will soon be heading for the coast to pup.

Tramps Alley 30/10/.13:
Just went down to see what was around with GANNETS well out and CROWS on beach. But did get in contact with plenty of MED GULLS. Two of which where rung. E861 which I had last year and from what I remember it was Latvian and 3T21. Reported in so wait for info.

Ness Point:

A change of clock and a late look at Ness, brought in plenty of GANNETS flying mainly North being held up by the wind. One young bird however made it very close in shore so much so that a HERRING GULL gave chase. A small flock of COMMON SCOTER south and a few more north as well. I also had a good view of a ARCTIC TERN trying hard to make it south. Leaving it rather late I should think.

SURF SCOTER : 

Two birds flying together, heading North, parallel to the sea wall 700 yards offshore. Both birds where in full sunlight and totally black. Viewed with scope up to 35 mag. No sign of light through the wing and no wing bar in white at all. Both birds had a significant yellow beak and head was lower than body. Both birds where large bulk and deeper in the chest than a C-S. The most remarkable thing about them was the amount of yellow from the beak which literally was amazing as it shone in the sunlight. I have no doubt that these two birds are as stated.

RANT:

WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT?
 
I am prepared to give other people the benefit of the doubt if they have some pedigree in relation to what they see. It seems that some however are total disbelievers. But then they have always been about. Even Jesus new that. But when someone is prepared to put themselves up to be shot down. Those who do the shooting need a good pedigree as well. Just because you chase the country looking at birds that other people find, which you then tick a box for, gives you no right to question what others recognise as a real and tangible sighting. Criticise all you like, but people will continue to seek birds for themselves and if you cant take it, get the next flight to Fair Isle and stay there. By the way I am fed of your ranting on twitter?

Viewing from now gone coastgaurd station Lowestoft.

Small stuff was coming in of the sea, but nothing tangible.  Some where even following a fishing boat? But some where identifiable as being bigger in the shape of STARLINGS. Biggest flock about 30 birds.. I also had a single fly over MEADOW PIPIT and CHAFFINCH. 3 GREAT-CRESTED-GREBE flew south and not to far out. Also a flock of COMMON SCOTER 20 in all and a single north later. A few GANNETS offshore with one south a first winter and several North being adult.. Also 5 MED GULL all adult following boat and a SHAG in the corner of Hamilton Dock. Later in the day called in at Links Hill and found a red rung HERRING GULL but would not give opportunity of view. I did pic but do not think it is good enough.

Links Hill and Ness Point

Links Hill:  Spent most of the morning with S.W.T. and the kids from Blundeston Primary doing things related to the marine environment. While we where there I caught sight of a small bird of prey being chased by gulls. It was immediate impression that it was a MERLIN but with no bins to hand it flew over the car park to disappear from view. It had been feeding slightly offshore on insects and feeding on them while in the air. I had seen the bird last week and put it down to a small sparrow hawk as the views where not that great. But again initially I seen it as a MERLIN and had called out to others there. Just before I left the bird flew again along the foreshore and landed in the car park where the following pictures where taken. I also had 4 MEADOW PIPIT and an adult MED GULL.
Ness Point:  A flock of COMMON SCOTER numbering 30 birds heading south and 2 GANNET well out flying North.

It is worth noting the 6 narrow bars on tail which in themselves are distinctive in id terms.

Pakefield to Kessingland

Head breeze on the way up but with a little sun it was quit pleasant. If you where dog spotting this is the place to go. One person even had a flock.

Best bird was a first winter WHEATEAR which gave good view just before the coastal watch station. Other than that it was very quiet except for a flock of STARLINGS than came in very strong of the sea. A pair of SKYLARK where singing as they where heading South. As for the sea the only thing of note was a first winter MED GULL.

Ness Point

Just a short call in between the showers brought in a female COMMON SCOTER floating in the tide heading south. Very good view of bird as it was reasonably close in. I also had 5 SANDWICH TERNS which were feeding between the continental buoys. These to where heading south but very slowly. A single GANNET adult was setting of North as was a single BRENT GOOSE. Other than that 16 turnstone made up the quota.

Birding for 16th and 17th October

 

Links Hill and Gunton Cliff 16th: Met up with SWT as volunteer for a few hours. On arrival   at car park three SWALLOWS where feeding up and a small flock of 5 GREENFINCH flying all over the place. There was also a few MEADOW PIPITS making themselves known as where two PIED WAGATAIL. After the gate a very small SPARROW HAWK was being chased by a very resourceful MAGPIE. So the show was good and noisy as far as the magpie was concerned. A few BLACKBIRDS could be heard and seen as well as REDWING and FIELDFARE. I also had 3 calling CHIFF and one viewable as well as a very good sighting of a female BLACKCAP. When we returned to the car park there where 2 MED GULLS but no sign of the one below. I placed an update on this bird which was seen as described.

White E861 v 03/10/2012 Links Hill, Suffolk, GB  N  Hawes, Gaius.

White E861 v 23/01/2013 Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, GB  52,28N 1,45E Hawes, Gaius.

White E861 v 21/03/2013 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM  51,15N 4,19E Lilipaly, Sander

White E861 v 21/03/2013 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM  51,15N 4,19E Wolf, Pim A.

White E861 v 14/08/2013 Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, GB  52,28N 1,45E Wilton, Rob

White E861 v 16/10/2013 Links Hill, Suffolk, GB  N  Hawes, Gaius.

 

Ness Point 16th:   Flock of COMMON SCOTER resting on the water of Lowestoft. The best bird being a WOODCOCK which flew strait for me and then turned south until it crashed landed on the concrete just before the wall. It sat with its wings well down for 20 minuets and then flew inland. I was also joined for 5 minuets with our local PEREGRINE which tried landing on Gulliver. Good job he was not working.

 

Gunton Railway line 17th: I would think that I must have put to flight 60 REDWING 15 FIELDFARE and about 80 BLACKBIRDS. also 5 CHAFFINCH, ROBIN, WREN, GREEN WOOD, G-S-WOOD, CROW, MAGPIE, JAY, PIED WAGTAIL, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT and three CHIFF calling but only one visible.

Ness Point 17th: A flock of wondering COMMON SCOTER 12 birds in all, which landed up heading south. and a flock of 18 BRENT GEESE heading south. With only one RED-THROATED-DIVER heading North. I latter had a flock of  9 BRENT which had 2 or may be 3 PINK FOOTED GEESE. with them. The reason for the three was the last one may have been a young one or something altogether different. I also has a close view of three VELVET SCOTER which where flying North. A very good view of these birds for a change. The other surprise was that I had just two adult GANNET flying south.

 

Best I could do for a quarter of a mile away.

 



Gorlston, South Beach and Links Hill.

Not the day for birding, but still stuff moving through. Even the garden looks to be doing its job, but almost impossible to get your eyes on anything as they all go to cover. Best bird was the RED-BREASTED-MERGANSER off south beach at Gorlston just before the wreck of the Swan. This bird was still there after I left, but as I had just changed my phone no way of letting people know. Did not take long to run the new one up so good going on that front for a white haired computer freak. Two MED GULLS which gave some good flight pictures as did the 1st winter GREAT-BLACK-BACKED-GULL. Not everyone's cup of tea, but there you go. At the Links four MED GULL one which was colour ringed as you can see below.



Ness Point, Lowestoft.

Day improved as it went on with only a few birds to talk about. The best was a ROCK PIPIT. which is a winter visitor to our parts. It was not the first I have seen this Autumn but was the best view so far. I had five BRENT North and 1 South. 3 MED GULL well out with 2 later flying North one an adult the other a first winter bird. A MEW GULL flew North and two flocks of duck. Both not identifiable. The only thing that flew off the water was 5 FIELDFARE. Overhead 1 PIED WAG and a flock of 5 CORMORANT.

Ness Point, Lowestoft.

How is this for a drop in job

 

 

The sea is much calmer today and the weather has again taken a change for the better. Birding wise nothing way out of the ordinary but the following is still very reasonable.

 

GANNET   9 birds south and 30 north.               WIGEON  3 south 2 male 1 female.

RED-T-DIVER  1 south and 2 north.                    COMMON SCOTER  2 south 30 north.

GREY WAGTAIL  1 south.                                  GOLDFINCH flock 8 and 20 south.

LINNET south 8.                                                   MED GULL  1 north.

MEADOW PIPIT 1 south.                                    SHAG 1st winter. 

 

I suppose the most interesting event today was a seal which had taken to the air. It was moving north and was porpoising as it went. Must have been in a hurry as it came up about 10 times. Never seen this activity before.

 







Orford Ness and Havergate Island

Well this turned out absolutely brilliant as far as the weather was concerned. Who wants to listen to the MET office anyway. Spent some 7 hours on the islands and despite it being an odd place it drew some stuff. We spent an hour with the ringing group and saw BLACKCAP, MEADOW PIPIT, ROBIN, WREN, DUNNOCK,CHAFFINCH rung. In all we made 65 species in the day the best as follows. 1 female MERLIN. This bird was on the ground and then took to the air. BLACK REDSTART. We either picked up with the same bird twice or there was two. My feeling is that it was the same one which was flitting about the coastguard station and then around the steel dump. We also had an ARCTIC SKUA not far out along the foreshore. BRAMBLING gave us a close meeting when it decided to hide away at a walk junction in a small piece of growth. The question is out on a bird which for everything looked like a RAVEN flew in off the sea and strait through onto land. This bird seemed small tailed but very odd wing shape. Like it was strait at the back and pointed. So conclusion must being seeing so large that it was as stated. Evidently they seem to be around Sizwall so who knows. The best show was the four RING OUZAL'S that had taken to berries and what a show these birds where. It could be that these where not British birds, as the distinct plumage was from Europe.  Could it be that these birds have a European context and fit into the alpineas sub more than the Turdus torquatus.                     Pleas make a comment as I would be interested.

Sparrows Nest and North Dene's

Bright morning and very still a good day for an elusive warbler, but no joy. Mind you I picked up on 7 CHIFFCHAFF and 1 WILLOW WARBLER. Several continental looking BLACKBIRDS today but only one beautiful SONG THRUSH. Plenty of GREAT and BLUE TIT'S about, as were ROBIN and a few WREN. Had viewable and calling GREAT WOODPECKER and also a very friendly JAY. On the North Dene's 3 calling CHIFF and a single SONG THRUSH. 1 MEADOW PIPIT and a GREENFINCH. Along the sea wall a young MED GULL flew by and several TURNSTONE as per. But one bird with them turned out to be a juv DUNLIN and yet another a PURPLE SAND. Near the caravan park 4 MEADOW PIPIT were associating with a pair of PIED WAG and a NORTHERN WHEATEAR.



Ness Point

 Just a 2 hour stint today which brought in the following. One BLACK-THROATED-DIVER heading north reasonably close enough to get a good id. But most of the DIVERS  where well of and assumed to be RED-THROATED-DIVER 29 in all. I also had on arrival a single resting SANDWICH TERN which made a good pic. Other than that little to rant on about except for a single BRENT running or is that flying south. So how does the picture below work out with you? can you ID this very colourful bird.

 

I know it is not the best pic in the world but it was rather dull.

 

NOW RUN THE LINK:      http://youtu.be/fUwDUKJlYTc

 

The assumed juvenile Herring Gull above was floating in the tide on a fluorescent board. He could be on his way to Newquay or is that Sizewell, which ever, he will take a while in view he was heading North.

Ness Point:

Called in for an hour which in respect is pretty unfruitful. But within a few minuets of being there a small flock of ducks flew by not far out. The first was a GADWALL the next 3 where MALLARD and the last was a single EIDER. a female. The only the other bird of any significance was a ROCK PIPIT which called in and left just as quick as it came.

Railway Line and Normanston Cemetary

Plenty of birds about but to much cover. Mostly common stuff with fly over of CHAFFINCH the predominant feature. It took 30 minutes before my first real bird a CHIFFCHAFF feeding in sycamore tree. I also had a flock of 30 REDWING feeding in a Rowan Tree. Other than the normal group of TIT'S there was little else around except to say that the PIED WAG'S are all standard. It was interesting to note that JACKDAWS feeding on the football field where all paired of.

Ness Point

As I tweeted, what is the point of Ness Point. Yesterday there best it produced in an hour was G-B-B-Gulls.

LEATHE'S HAM:
Several CORMORANT trying to dry off and several WIGEON, TUFTED DUCK, SHOVELORE, COOTE, MOORHEN, MALLARD, and a really smart adult in full plumage DABCHICK sounds so much better than LITTLE GREBE. It was not on its own as there was another winter or young bird also on the ham. I followed a roving TIT group mostly L-T-TIT as they had with them a single CHIFFCHAFF. But I also put to flight a REDWING which called as soon as it was put to flight.

Today at NESS POINT:
Best bird was an unusual fly by north to south of a LAPWING which was not hanging around and close to the sea. CORMORANTS  a flock of 8 flew south close on in, but a pair of juvenile GANNET flew the other way. Other than that an actual; pair of WIGEON flew south.