Lound Lakes, I call it Suffolk.

Bright with a chill and a South Westerly breeze. Arrived to find hide closed, looks like someone may have gone in the drink. Turned round and headed to the Southern end only to find it closed as well. So went on further only to find it closed due to deep mud. So went on and found gate locked, so went on. What's wrong with expedition on the day the British explorer dies in Antarctica.

On arrival a single REED BUNTING a female and then  a fly over GREEN WOODPECKER. Plenty of GREY LAG GEESE with 178 birds counted and also plenty of GADWALL, some MALLARD and 20+ SHOVELER AND AT LEAST 40+ TUFTED DUCK also COOT and MOORHEN. I also had 18 GOLDCREST and CHAFFINCH, ROBIN only 3 WREN. JAY 2, MAGPIE, CARRION CROW, COAL TIT 3, LONG TAILED TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, CHAFFINCH, But the best bird was a lovely male BULLFINCH did not stay around for long but at least it flew in front of me. I also had a single COMMON BUZZARD flying at the West end.
I also went through the gulls and although nothing to shout about gulls do have a tendency to just fascinate.

Green Lane, Somerlyton:  A group of finches near Green Farm but only CHAFFINCH identified. LONG TAILED TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, as well as a single KESTREL.

North Cove, Suffolk.

Bright to start but soon overcast and cold. Ground was frozen but still good.

North Cove:  The walk round the cove is always a joy as it is its own area and the first thing of interest was poo. Green stuff yet to be identified. A fly over MARSH HARRIER, female being the first one for me for the year. Everything else has been a male. Also COMMON BUZZARD flew in well cropped. PHEASANT 5, REDPOLE 9, JAY 2, GOLDCREST 10, MARSH TIT, COAL TIT, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT,  LONG TAILED TIT 8, CHAFFINCH 11, WREN 9, BLACKBIRD 12, KESTREL 1,
Castle Marsh:  MUTE SWAN 10, STONCHAT a pair of birds alongside dyke. CORMORANT 6, MARSH HARRIER again another female well out over Burgh St Peter. ROOK, CROW and a single LAPWING.

       

Burgh Castle,

Still a good nip in the air but good light enabled viewing but no Lesser Yellowlegs so a dip out here.

Burgh Castle Point: About 50 AVOCET and plenty of TEAL feeding with MALLARD and several SHELLDUCK,  REDSHANK, DUNLIN, 3 SNIPE, 1 BLACK TAILED GODWIT, 1 CURLEW, 1 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 male MARSH HARRIER,
Burgh Castle Church Yard:  Found a single TREECREEPER and several LONG TAILED TIT, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT, ROBIN, WREN, BLACKBIRD, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and the ROOKS scraping as they prepare to nest.

Covehithe Broad, Suffolk.

Bright and cold with a South Eastern breeze.

Best bird was a very short viewing of a SLAVONIAN GREBE, when I say short it was but view was ok for a seconds it lasted. Better view however of two BEARDED TIT which I first heard, and then saw them move in closer. This  provided a record shot of them both. I also had GOLDENYE, WIGEON, MALLARD, GADWALL,TUFTED, and a single MARSH HARRIER  an immature  male bird that was quartering the back end. Also several species of goose with BRENT, BARNACLE, EGYPTIAN, GREY LAG,

Ness Point, Lowestoft.

Cold and wind change to the West, but occasional sunshine.

Large movement of CORMORANT well offshore past the outer shoal. With several 100 birds involved. The occasional RED- THROATED DIVER flying North. A few KITTY sitting on the water with the BLACK HEADED GULL. One GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL on shore and 18 TURNSTONE feeding close in. The other bird of note was a PIED WAGTAIL fly over.

      

Oulton Broad. Suffolk.

Very dull day with light rain and distinct chill in the air.

Called in on the way through as friend said he had seen an odd bird while taking his dog for a walk. I was aware that a GOOSANDER had been around late yesterday so assumed that this was the bird he had seen Sure enough it was well off but viewable. Also two CHAFFINCH, BLACKBIRD,GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT and 2 goldfinch. 2 GREAT-CRESTED GREBE, 1 MED GULL and several immature GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL.

Leathe's Ham and Loathingland Lake.

Yesterday was rain and dull today bright and cold.

Leathe's Ham:  Of course duck is what this place is known for but to see the amount of GADWALL here is a joy, as there must be in excesses of 50 birds here. Also PINTAIL, MALLARD, TUFTED DUCK, SHOVELOR with just one bird. Only female WIGEON as well as COOT, MOORHEN. 2 MUTE SWAN and 1 GREAT CORMORANT.
First GREENFINCH of the year, how sad is that. DUNNOCK, WREN, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, T-T-TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT.
Loathingland Lake: The GREAT NORTHERN DIVER was elusive being tucked up against the side past Brooks and the COMMON GUILLEMOT   was playing the same game but managed a good picture.

Med Gull from the 4-1-16 At Links Hill, Lowestoft.

White 32E2 P 16/05/2015 Markenje, near Ouddorp, Zeeland, NL  48,02N 3,58E Tanis, George

White 32E2 v 03/11/2015 Great Yarmouth, seafront, Norfolk, GB  52,36N 1,44E Wakeham, Steve

White 32E2 v 04/01/2016 Lowestoft, Links Road Car Park, Suffolk, England, GB  52,3N 1,45E Hawes, Gaius

Ness Point, Lowestoft.

What a great day to sea watch. If only every day was a "Blue Sky" it can be so different, but with visibility good and  a dark sky behind what could be better.

With a movement south of BRENT GEESE it was long awaited. But how late can it be running so late. Never seen this before with at least 400 birds heading South. Some young showing with them but not so visible as plumage as is usual. Just managed 2 PURPLE SANDPIPER and 5 TURNSTONE. As for LITTLE GULLS at least 15 birds. In real terms many more. 3 GANNET and only 2 RED-THROATED DIVER. Also a North then South flying GOLDENEYE assumed same bird. There must have been 50 KITTIWAKE which should not be the case, they should be roving the oceans. Heading South were some duck which seem to have been about 50 MALLARD and 25 TEAL with 7 SHELLDUCK. There was an increase in the amount of CORMORANTS wgich ranged about both inside an far out.

Loathingland Lake, Lowestoft.

Bright day so call in first of all to the Silo to find the PERGRINE holding site and a pair of the usual after Christmas EGYPTIAN GEESE eating grain from below silo. Five REDSHANK on Asda bank.

Off to railway bridge to Loathingland Lake and a view of the GREAT NORTHEREN DIVER made immediately. Well off, but viewable. An occasional small boat kept on disturbing him but he would soon return. Views not close but a lovely red eye as can be seen in picture. A small flock of HOUSE SPARROW and the singing of a few ROBINS. Three LITTLE GREBE cruising around. Also around the corner near the yachts the COMMON GUILLEMOT was sheltering, viewable but that's it. So a walk through to Mutford Lock. Here four LITTLE GREBE and  a single SHAG hanging out to dry. Also three REDSHANK and a single PIED WAGTAIL.
                                                            Great Northern Diver

                                                                            

 

Benacre Broad, Suffolk.

Wind from the South East what a change. But a tad colder. List went up a little to 35 today but the lack of small birds is still worrying. I did have a small feeding flock of 22 PIED WAG which doing so in a ploughed field. BRENT GEESE saw 2 flocks of five heading South. Lust before arrival a large flock of COMMON GULL were feeding. The numbers must have been in excess of 400 bird. Also two coveys of RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE with both around 18 birds.
The only bird of prey was a KESTREL at Barnby bends.

Here we go again.

No chance to get out there at all, so just a drive over to Norwich to gain any list at all.

Brought just 20, but even this was a good sighting of a male MARSH HARRIER which also put up a SNIPE. Let alone PINK-FOOTED-GEESE along Acle Strait.

There were also changes to the garden list as the birds seen for a change were not the normal. Perhaps in main to the recent mild weather. But this morning was a good frost.