Strumshaw Fen RSPB

Overcast with light breeze. Very muddy and a long walk to the impassable but birding was of good interest. I counted 7 CETTI'S WARBLER and several GOLDCREST. Had two BEARDED TIT in flight and a few calling from the reed bed with one REED BUNTING, BLACK SWAN still there after several years but the best in Swans was a flock of 9 WHOOPER which flew by heading East along the river. I also had a very odd looking CARRION CROW which was a partial  leucistic bird. Very pale all over and not a hybrid of Hooded. MOORHEN and WATER RAIL, with 9 SNIPE close to the Tower Hide and about 250 TEAL, with SHOVELORE, 3 POCHARD, GADWALL, MALLARD, 10 COMMON PHESANT and 2 JAY. There seems to be several REDWING and 5 FIELDFARE. I also had a flock of 30 SISKIN and single KESTREL and two MARSH HARRIER. The other surprise was the TREECREEPER that was feeding near the river. I also had an OTTER but it was gone before you could say otter. I also had an even briefer view of one on the river.
                                                                        Big drip.

https://youtu.be/Dao-gA2LxiM

               

Overstrand

Bright with a South breeze and a chill in the air.

Very little about but only a few hours.

REDWING and  FIELDFARE in the fields but only a few. A small flock of GOLDFINCH and CORMORANT in small flocks. But  the car park had this great CARRION CROW who new how to walk the walk.

Oulton Broad

A dull evening and no wind but also very cold.

Oulton Broad Yacht Station:
PIED WAGATIL heading for roost in great numbers again tonight but not as many as last when I counted to 100+ but they are very noisy. They settled down in the small reed bed but gathered on the pontoons. The sound also of a WATER RAIL squealing like a pig but not seen. Also MOORHEN and as you can see it was taking to high ground to escape predation. Not he best in the world but still of interest. I also had two KINGFISHER which followed each other to roost as well. Only one GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL with HERRING GULLS bathing before heading to sea. Two EGYPYIAN GEESE and two GREAT CREASTED GREBE.

Links Hill and Gunton Warren

Dull day with a change in wind direction now from the West but only light.

Links Hill: Two MED GULL with one rung bird. YELLOW RUNG  bird 2H49. Nothing on the water and only one MEADOW PIPIT, ROBIN, WREN and two TURNSTONE.

Gunton Warren:  A tit flock was on the move and it had two CHIFFCHAFF and several GOLDCREST. Also a single GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and two JAY with occasional MAGPIE and CARRION CROW.

Ness Point, Links Hill and Gunton Wood.

Wind still blowing from the North and overcast.

Ness Point: Spent 40 minuets here with  little to show. Looks like things are staying put, who can blame them but there must be birds out there to be found. I did have 1 RED THROATED DIVER and 4 CORMORANT with  a few TURNSTONE flitting by and the call of PIED WAGTAIL behind me. A few starling flying about and GOLDCREST amongst the tamarisk and the call of a  REDWING.

Links Hill:  Several BLACK HEADED GULL and one was colour ringed. a three digit job so I have no idea what that means. Also three MEW GULL with one much larger than the others and one a first winter. 2 MED GULLS on the cut North Denes and a single MEADOW PIPIT.

Gunton Wood:  A few REDWING flitting through the trees with a fly through KESREL being sought out by a MAGPIE. ROBINS in good song as were the GOLDCRESTS again.

          

Gunton Cliff followed by Railway track, Links Hill and Ness Point.

Overcast with light rain occasional with light winds from North East.

 

Gunton Cliff: Called in to see if Great Grey was still about with a dip out what a surprise. But plenty of GOLDCREST about, CARRION CROW 5, 2 JAY, MAGPIE, DUNNOCK, WREN, ROBIN, BLUE and GREAT TIT. Flock of 20 GOLDFINCH

Old Railway Track: GREEN WOODPECKER, with a flock of 10 REDWING and some resting in trees. ROBINS and WREN with the engaging GOLDCREST in hundreds. BLACKBIRDS and CHAFFINCH but only three birds.

Links Hill:  Several gulls having a clean up with one BLACK HEADED GULL rung which is the one from Norway a few weeks ago. It's eight years old and come here every winter.

Ness Point:  Took a drive along the back of Birds Eye and found some really friendly GOLDCREST and a single REDWING which sadly would not oblige a pic.

         

Ness Point, Lowestoft.

Strong wind from the North  with squally showers with some dark cloud behind and sun on the water.

 

This was for me undoubtedly the best sea watch for me for almost a year. It was in contrast to yesterday and just shows "what a difference a day makes". Must be a song there.

 

Best bird for me was the two SOOTY SHEARWATER which where both heading North. The 1st was well off but was in good light and flying with adult and immature GANNETS. So comparison was possible, but the real distinct  flight pattern was obvious, with some back tracking as ell as close skimming. The 2nd bird was much closer and was clearly identifiable as it moved across the wave and banked. In fact this was a great view with the dark sky behind and the water a light turquoise. Gannets and R-T-Diver as well as some very dark birds in genus, which where not identifiable but assumed Black throated. I had several RED-THROATED-DIVER on the water, some still with summer plumage and not yet winter. Three COMMON SCOTER on the water and many assumed flying further out. The other birds of course where dark bellied BRENT GOOSE with some  numbers flying south but most North.

I picked up on a very large SHEARWATER flying south, although well off no that far in real terms. It was coming in close and I followed it until it hit the sun on the water. This bird never showed its belly but did show the following. It was not as big as a gannet and a fawn colour with a diamond tail. Very stiff winged and doing what shearwaters do best. It was flying south and for this reason it never really turned. The only group for this is CORYS SHEARWATER and although I have not claimed it I would not be at all surprised.

SABINS GULL was just the opposite as this bird was opposite me and was a first winter bird. The bird gave all the identification required and although the only one ever seen or the nearest still a good bird to book in. It took time to fly through and gradually fly out to sea and head North.

I had a single FIELDFARE fly in from the sea and land in front of me for a few second before flying inland. GOLDCREST behind me calling and a flyby MEADOW PIPIT.

You may wonder why this headless pheasant is on my blog. Well I tried to chase it down the road so I could get another garden tick. Trouble is she dived into someone else's front garden.

 

Sparrows Nest, North Denes.

Light wind from the East with inter cloud and chill in the air.

Sparrows Nest: It was obvious from the outset that GOLDCREST where in abundance, as an estimate I would think that I had 50+ birds in the first 20 minuets. Roving around with the local population of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, WREN and ROBIN. PIED WAG and two REDWING high in the trees. Also several BLACKBIRD assumed incoming but no real guarantee. I also had 2 JAY and several MAGPIES, LONG TAILED TITS.
Oval:  Best bird here was a single bird tucked in on the North East corner which only put in brief appearance for about a minuet before flitting of into the pines never to be seen again. Frightened by the usual dog walkers on the other side. GOLDCREST again with  a scattering of the previous.
North Denes: But also a flock of 20 GOLDFINCH and 3 GREENFINCH. Found a couple on North Parade looking out to sea and after some difficulty sorted it out as a COMMON GUILEMOT which they and at first I was confused with. But then it  was a long way off when I contacted it.  Again good to see MED GULLS on car park with intimidate and full adults. With grass being cut MEADOW PIPIT had put in a good appearance and who can judge them as dull.

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

North Easterly breeze and overcast.

Beach opposite Mariner:
Several flocks of BRENT cruising both up and down coast with the occasional CORMORANT. 11 MED GULL on beach with HERRING GULLS. In fact  had four colour ringed birds which have been passed on.
On the way home a pair of COMMON BUZZARD flying North parallel to the road and one with prey hanging down.

Leathe's Ham, Lowestoft.

Bright with a chill in the air and no wind.

Leathes Ham:   The movement of birds is best demonstrated by 20 PINTAIL, 6 WIGEON, GADWALL, 1 TEAL, CORMORANT, 2 MUTE  SWAN,  1 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, 4 LITTLE GREBE. LONG-T-TIT, GREAT and BLUE TIT, WREN 4 ROBIN, 1 BLACKBIRD and 5 GOLDFINCH bathing in a pool surrounded by trees. This was all added to by a single KINGFISHER. But a viewable Migrant Hawker with two friends was still up and flying on a bright day. What can you say about a female Mallard with 6 very young chicks.

 

Lound Lakes:  The best again was a single KINGFISHER which flew low and as fast as you like right through the lake. 3 GREENFINCH, ROBIN, WREN, DUNNOCK, GREY LAG GEESE, MOORHEN, GADWALL, MALLARD and two GREEN WOODPECKER.

Corton Old Sewer Works and Warren Wood, Lowestoft.

Bright day with very light West breeze. Met up with Chris from Lounge Lizard and walked together for the next 2 hours. Enjoyed the companionship.
Corton Old Sewer Works:   Very little about but found two CHIFF and several GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH, WREN, ROBIN and one DUNOCK with just a few calling MEADOW overhead. One juv BRENT GOOSE on water and six MED GULLS. 
Warren Wood:  Best bird here a GREAT SPOTTED WOOD but no sign of Lapland Bunting. Several MED GULLS over and a single STONECHAT. Just a few GOLDCREST, LONG -T-TIT, BLUE and GREAT TIT, WREN, ROBIN, and a single KESTREL.

Belle vue and North Denes, Lowestoft.

Yesterday spent a couple of hours sharing with a local group of business men the joys of birding and sharing info about local groups. Also went to Lunge Lizard and handed the trophy back.......sad day.

Belle Vue Park:  A few SONG THRUSH and BLACKBIRD in but still many GOLDCREST. Only had two CHIFFCHAFF. A single JAY and a few MAGPIES but I suppose the best was a COAL TIT which are not common here. I also came across a large group of LONG TAILED TIT I should think that there was at least 20 birds in this group.
North Denes:  Still some STONECHAT about with 3 birds and a single WHEATEAR. I also had 9 MEADOW PIPIT, 6 TURNSTONE, 1 CORMORANT and 2 KESTREL. also 2 CHIFFCHAFF and loads of ROBINS and a scattering of WREN, but surprisingly DUNNOCKS where very loud and did not appreciate intrusion of new birds.

                               

             

North Dene's, Lowestoft.

Another bright day with light wind from the East.

North Dene's:
Only two CHIFF and two WREN with several calling ROBINS. Two JAY flew South along Gunton Cliff. The best was the four STONECHAT with one good male. Also one GREENFINCH two MEADOW PIPIT, KESTREL and a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR which was very  flitty.
Ness Point:   One CORMORANT and two RED THROATED DIVER as well as six TURNSTONE, 2 PIED WAGATAIL, 1 KESTREL.
Home:  SWALLOW heading South with a small flock of SISKIN heading North early in the morning. Also had  a SPARROW HAWK which took a massive liking to a GREAT TIT which he took away with much noise and chased by a MAGPIE. CHAFINCH, 4 CROW, 2 GOLDCREST, BLUE TIT and GREAT TIT. 
               

Stracey Arms, Acle Strait.

While traveling along the strait caught a close view of a Ring tailed HEN HARRIER. Bird was flying East just 50 yards away at about 30 feet, obviously hunting as caught sight it turned and a white rump was in full view. Size and everything right so conclusive view.

 

October 1st  Home: Flock of GOLDFINCH about 25 birds flew North with a few more an hour later. Two PIED WAGTAIL and a first for the garden for the season move with a WREN and at least two GOLDCREST with BLUE TIT and GREAT TIT in the tree.