Ness Point

Called in at Ness for 45 minuets. That was enough with the cold for me. I had 2 RED-THROATED DIVER south and 5 GANNET heading North. As were 66 CORMORANT and 9 the other way. Also 11 PURPLE SANDS from yesterday.

Mycena leaiana, the orange Mycena.  I think?

 

Carlton Marsh.

GIVING NATURE A HOME?

 

Not bad for a few days work of and on, hope they appreciate it all. Mind you another few on the way including Treecreeper boxes.

 

Carlton Marsh:  Bright when I went out and dull on return. Best bird in respect of viewing was the GREEN WOODPECKER who gave a good view of himself as a fly-by. I also had 3 COMMON BUZZARD in the scope at one time and a MARSH HARRIER female doing her stuff. 17 REDSHANK with 10 on Peto'es Marsh. As where 3 SKYLARK and  a good flock of LAPWING. Over the cast I had a GREY HERON and a flock of LONG TAILED TITS. BLUE TITS, GREAT TITS, GREENFINCH, WREN, ROBIN, BLKACKBIRD, MALLARD, MOORHEN, CHAFFINCH,  and several very large MEW GULL.

Also had three Chines Water Deer.





Links Hill.

So frustrating to have a BLACK HEADED GULL all the way from Lithuania and not be able to clinch the number. Just one number missing. Sent pic's through and you never know. But not promising.

Problem solved, as Andrew Easton has seen this bird in the area even yesterday. Ring should read
319942.

 

St Margaret's Church Yard and Silo.

St Margaret's:  Went to church this morning at St Margaret's and parked up to the sound of the chipping of a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. Sure enough there he was sitting aside a WOOD PIGEON who had no interest in him whatsoever.

Silo: The pair of PEREGRINE have made it even closer together today. Not thirty feet apart but sitting side by side feeding on a kill. This again is another good step forward and looks good for the coming year.

Beccles, River Waveney.

Beccles:  Called in on the way through today after hearing of a report of 2 GREATER SCAUP in the river at the quay. Seems as if every one had been to take a look and no wonder as the birds were unusually close. Not the usual sighting as often they are far distant views. Although the birds were not well plumaged it was still good to catch a view of them within shouting range not that you would. Mind you I think the anglers would be prepared to put them in a Chinese soup.



Leathe's Ham.

Short call in on a dull day to Leathe's Ham.
Good views of the single REDWING which has been hanging around this area since New Years day. Good variety of birds with the best being GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. Also had a high number of DUNOCK with 7 birds together. WREN, CHAFFINCH, ROBIN, GREAT and BLUE TIT, CROW , MAGPIE, JAY and WIGEON, TUFTED, GADWALL, MALLARD, PINTAIL, as well as COOT and MOORHEN.

Silo Lowestoft:  Single Peregrine today the second day running.

   

South Wall Breydon.

What a absolutely bright sunny day. A Blue Sky Birding day in winter. Cold with no wind and sunshine for all. Species list was 30 for here with only a few added for the year.

Mind you still dipping out on the Richard's Pipit. While I ever see it.

BAR TAILED GODWIT and  BLACK TAILED and good close flocks of GOLDEN PLOVER. Also 7 STONECHAT and a single ROCK PIPIT. SHOVELOR have moved in with several showing and plenty of TEAL to. As for WIGEON who can really tell how many birds. RINGED PLOVER and close GREY as well. I had one PERIGRINE and a single MARSH HARRIER a female bird. As for the MUTE SWAN what a lovely view.

Hopton: Beside the A12 sitting in the top of a tree well of but there.

 

 
 

Waveney Bird Club

Waveney Bird Club

Just returned from this evenings event at Bungay and still find this a source of encouragement. The people are fantastic and all I can say is well done Cathy. The information tonight by Steve was just what I needed for walking out in the wild this spring and summer. His talk an information on id of Damsel Flies and Dragon's was instructive quick and well thought through.
So to all you guys and Cathy for all you do a real BIG THANK YOU.

Ness Point, Lowestoft.

Wind was really strong overnight from the South still from that direction but a good sunshine.

Ness Point:   Little to get excited about, but I counted 8 PURPLE SANDPIPERS and 13 CORMORANT with only two heading south. Only a fleeting glimpse of DIVER not red floating south in big waves.

 

A pair of purples,

 A pair of prize idiots?

Breydon South Wall

Bright and cold with wind still from South West. Also another dip out day on Dicki'e Pipit.

South Breydon Wall:  Best bird was undoubtedly the female MERLIN which came on through and brought up everything except dicki'e. She did gate sit for a while and then headed off, Picture not good but enough for a record shot. I also had one SPOTTED REDSAHNK which is still a good one to pick out of the hundreds and near to thousands of REDSHANK. As for DUNLIN how many there are I would not like to hazard a guess. I also had 3 STONECHAT  on walk up at once, two female and a male and back and also 2 fly through onto next field. 4 SKYLARK and 2 later on  when Merlin came through. 1 MEADOW PIPIT and 4 TURNSTONE. also on mud this side for a change 16 SHELLDUCK.

                            

Sotterly, Ellough and Mutford Lock.

Bright and warm today even found some Cow Parley that was still flowering. No wind how marvellous.

Carlton Collville: Drove through the back way to Mutford and found over a 100 FIELDFARE to the right of A146.
Sotterly:   On arrival put up a COMMON BUZZARD which flew through the trees only to disappear. Also had a MARSH TIT and a NUTHATCH but there only seemed to be one of each of these which is not the usual. GREAT TIT and BLUE TIT. CHAFFINCH, BLACKBIRD and JACKDAW and ROOKS all looking to nest. Also a pair of JAY kicking off over the back somewhere.
Ellough, Church Lane:  While going through the lane a SONG THRUSH and a pair of BULLFINCH. The male stayed longer than the female but that was also brief.
I had a STOAT run close to the car a HARE out there.
Mutford Lock: A single LITTLE EGERET and 4 REDSHANK and the same as DABCHICK. I also had PIED WAG here and a white rung BLACK HEADED GULL.

Got something in my ear, must be a ringing in my ear?

This bird has been seen through the winter by other Lizards and by me several years ago. Keeps on returning to his homeland of Norway but finds it more comfortable here in the winter.

 

 

Breydon South Wall

Missed out on the Richards Pipit but what do you expect with the wind blowing down the Breydon.

Breydon South Wall:   Came up on a ROCK PIPIT that was feeding along the foreshore. Seemed not bothered by me and just kept on feeding. I also had four BAR-TAILED-GODWIT which was a good an as they came and fed on our side of the river. Saw them fly in and immediately started to feed. You can see on the pic the up turned bill. There seemed a good number of REDSHANK about but only a single GREY PLOVER and the same again in RINGED PLOVER. about 20 DUNLIN flew in as well. CURLEW on south side around 30 birds over and feeding in field.

Bar tailed on the feed.

Rock at the same

Ness Point, Loathingland lake.

Still rather strong wide but the air is dry. In real terms still not a winter.

Ness Point:   In this west wind birds where few but five GANNET heading North well close to the water. As where the 43 CORMORANTS that where flying through in groups to 7 birds but most in single figures. I did pick up on a surfacing harbour porpoise. which was just to the south of the north continental buoy.
Loathingland Lake: North side had several gulls flying about mostly BLACK HEADED GULLS. but the roving pair of EGYPTION GEESE looked very colourful.
Home:   Small flock of GOLDFINCH over on return.

Egyptian Geese on the harbour wall.

What's in a name?

Leathe's Ham:    Best bird today was a GREY HERON which lifted off very startled when I walked round the back of the lake. It's the first one I have seen here for a while and as it is still mild no surprises there. It seems for some reason as well that COOT numbers have come back up with 15 birds today and 2 MOORHEN. Plenty of PINTAIL with GADWALL, WIGEON, MALLARD, and a single SHOVELER. Small stuff was absent in numbers but WREN, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, DUNNOCK, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT. with 4 MEW GULLS.

I now have been given a true identity as the year trophy has my name on it.

But I still don't know who I am?



Wavenney Forest and Haddiscoe Island

It never is warm here and today was no exception.

Blundeston:  As I drove through a FIELDFARE flew above the car.

Haddiscoe Island:The Island had its fair share of raptors today with the best being a male HEN HARRIER. as unusual it was well off but at least it was viewable for a short time. I can never work out how a bird so distinctive can disappear from view. I also had 4 MARSH HARRIER one of which was male, as well as 5 COMMON BUZZARD and a single PERGRINE FALCON. fluttering about 3 KESTREL and 3 LITTLE EGERET. I was not able to pick up on a Rough legged though so that will have to do for next time.

Not a good pick at all but at least its there a male Hen Harrier. Take my word for it.



Waveney Forest:  Best bird here was a fly by low at 50 feet a SHORT EARED OWL. I think it but have lifted of  from my right and soon was gone through the trees. I also had 2 JAY here and 17 BLACKBIRDS with only 2 of these female. COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT. But not in any numbers. GOLDCREST faired reasonably well with about 18 birds. 2 ROBIN and 7 WREN.

Covehythe, Suffolk.

Cold old dull day with little wind.

List for year stands at 61 which in respect of hours put in is well good. Not much chasseing about.

Stood and watched BRAMBLING from left side of church over steel farm gate . Small stuff was flying on and off from old crop to bushes. Mostly LINNET but also REED BUNTING, GREENFINCH, CHAFFINCH and HOUSE SPARRROW.  Also heard but did not see a mistle thrush so remains of list for now. A small flock of 3 GREY LAG over.

Met up with friend Chris a talk ensued and also got in conversation with a birder from Wales who lives literally a few hundred yards from where we stayed in 2013 in Gwachmiea. Small world.

GOLDENEYE on broad 3 female and a lovely adult male who was defiantly posing. MALLARD here and plenty of MEW GULL resting up on the water. Heard also a few bearded reedling but did not see, so again no record placed. Amazingly it has taken till now to find my first TEAL and this was a single bird. PIED WAGTAIL on beach flew in about 6 birds in all with a pair of MEADOW PIPIT. I also gained sight and watched at a good distance a small flock of 5 SNOW BUNTINGS. While on the beach I scanned the sea and came up with a COMMON BUZZARD flying low over the water heading south. Not an every day experience this but good to watch as it brought me onto a RED THROATED DIVER. The return walk eventually brought the red head SMEW which surprisingly was well at the back of the pools and while watching a young dark MARSH HARRIER came through. Overhead a small flock of about 30 LAPWING heading south could be viewed but they where very high.

Breydon South Wall and Oulton Broad

Breydon: The walk along south wall was to say the least rather windy with it set to the West. But made the best of it with BLACK TAILED GODWIT 60+  and WIGEON by the thousand all on the far side. In Lounge Lizard land GREY PLOVER, SANDLING, CURLEW, REDSHANK, I also picked up on a distant MARSH HARRIER which was struggling in the wind to feed.

             

Oulton Broad:   Seeing that a few odd gulls had been seen the previous day thought I would give it look and the local troop where there. So with help we initially found what can only be described as a lucistic LESSER-BLACK-BACKED-GULL and followed that with a 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL. which spent about 10 minuets cleaning itself down for the night. The light was failing fast so my pic's are poor. Again I picked up on another MARSH HARRIER well over Carlton Marsh and yet another raptor with no id miles off. 

Jan 1st 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR


Dull and overcast and late out. No surprise there then.

Best birding was the GANNETS of the Ness with the 3 associating PURPLE SAND'S. I spent only a short while out and managed  a quick 26. Not as many as some but why hurry, life is to short to rush on through. So next time.