Walberswick, The Lodge.

Bright morning but still the chill holds on.

The list of birds seen here is always an encouragement but perhaps it is what is not here than what is. A very good singing male BLACKICAP one of 5 birds in the area.



CHIFFCHAFF, ROBIN, WREN, BLACKBIRD, 1 COAL TIT, BLUE TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, DUNOCK, CHAFFINCH, PIED WAGTAIL, 3 COMMON WHITETHROAT, ROOK, CROW one with white feathering under wing. But not as much as the one I saw this morning over the house. The same bird as I have seen at Lowestoft Cemetery. A pair of COMMON BUZZARD  and one male MARSH HARRIER in really good nick. A pair of MISTLE THRUSH flew in and out several times but I only had one SWALLOW over which shows how late everything is running.

Mersea Island and Abberton Resvoir.

Fishing may not be PC but it does fill the freezer.

 

The day was better than the met would have you believe with only a very few spots of rain and not so cold with a  bright blue sky.

 

In  birding terms it was not the best but a sea view of a WHIMBRAL is always worth the look. Most birds seen on way in and out with OYSTERCATCHER, 14 TURNSTONE, 2 CORMORANT  and 2 GREAT CRESTED GREBE other than that about 60 gulls behind boat while gutting with most being HERRING GULL. But I was surprised at how many GREAT BLACK BACKED GULLS flew by in the course of the day.

Abberton Reservoir:  Just a short call in at the Layer Breton end with 3 YELLOW WAGTAIL, 3 COMMON WHITETHROAT, CETTI'S WARBLER, SAND MARTIN, SWALLOW and my first HOUSE MARTIN, no surprise here. Also GREY HERON and LITTLE EGERE.T



Horsey Gap, Norfolk.

Still very cold considering the time of year, so spring is still late with a North wind strait down from the high Arctic.

Saturday:   Walk through from cottage to gap brought in at least 4 SWALLOW and the sound of BLACKCAP near the cottage as well as CHIFFCHAFF, WREN, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, JACKDAW, C-CROW, ROOK, HOUSE SPARROW and LINNET.

Half way along on South side of track four WHIMBRAL in meadow which flew South shortly after I got there. CETTI'S WARBLER and a SHELLDUCK. Also several SKYLARKS and the best was two RING OUZEL which flew well off heading South.

Friday:  Walk through again brought in five STONECHAT and several SKYLARK as well as three pairs of RING OUZEL which flew off near at hand at 20 feet but headed off South again. Managed a record shot but they are terribly typical and flitty. Two KESTREL and a single male MARSH HARRIER and also a female. But only one SWALLOW today.
Acle Strait:  Ride through on the way back home enabled me to catch sight of he WHITE STORK which is un ringed but still assumed to be a Thrigby bird.
                                            Kestrel                                      Ring Ouzel one of six

                                                                    Male Stonechat

 

Home

Dull and overcast.
Fly over PERI from the garden very high but at least a photo also GREENFINCH flying over twice with high courtship display.

Carlton Marsh, Suffolk.

Bright day still with a chill in the shade.

It was a day of confusing raptors. With odd plumage and some very disturbing moult. Plenty of MARSH HARRIERS and COMMON BUZZARD up with up to 10 birds in all. There was a very pale morph  Buzzard which can be seen in the photo which I have picked up on in previous years. But the best birds were a pair of LITTLE RINGED PLOVER on the scrape. Also here three BAR TAILED GODWIT. I also pulled in three GRASSHOPPER WARBS and four SEDGE WARBS. CETTI'S WARB, CHIFFCHAFF, WILLOW WARB and the best pic of a male LINNET. 

 

Corton Logging Mill,

Overcast and still cold with a strong West breeze.

Added to my year list with 3 SAND MARTIN flying over feeding. But not the most rewarding of walks. But then we are never really satisfied in birding terms. Mind you I did have 3 BLACKCAP, 5 CHIFFCHAFF, 3 COMMON BUZZARD and a single GREEN WOODPECKER. The main surprise was a OYSTERCATCHER in the field to the South. The only other birds of interest was that 2 GREENFINCH flew of after calling well.

Heybridge Basin, Essex.

What a lovely day to walk around the canal and the basin. Best bird was a GREENSHANK of which I found two birds, but also the BLACK TAILED GODWIT'S were in good numbers and being Icelandic in breeding colour they looked really good. Only one COMMON TERN and very few small birds in bushes, which is a surprise for this area. But to still see BENT GEESE is always still loitering about and not moved on is a warning that winter is still not over. Found some interesting webs with caterpillars in but also a spider feeding on them. Also my first PEACOCK BUTTERFLY for the year. REDSHANK scattered across the basin, but not as many as we see in our area like the Bly. I also had one CETTI'S WARB and also a COMMON WHITETHROAT.

Abberton Reservoir:    WILLOW WARBLERS at least 3 birds and 2 BLACKCAP as well as 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT and 5 CHIFFCHAFF. I also went round the back and watched the CORMORANT bringing in material for the nest. Also a GREEN WOODPECKER flew of near the car.

                                                        Record shot of GREENSHANK

Big surprise was this False Black Widow feeding on small caterpillars.

 

 





After 40 years.

We met up again, seems strange to think that all this time has passed and gone. But how good to catch up, reminisce and talk through issues that matter. Thanks Graham for a great day out and making this happen.
We spent most of a lovely spring day around Abberton Reservoir and enjoyed birding as we both share this interest. 

I managed my first COMMON TERN as well as 3 GOLDENEYE, YELLOWHAMMER, STOCK DOVE, COMMON BUZZARD, REED BUNTING, PIED WAGTAIL, YELLOW WAGTAIL, COMMON WHITETHROAT, BLACKCAP, WILLOW WARB, CHIFFCHAFF, NUTHATCH, LAPWING, LINNET, CORMORANT, COOT, MOORHEN, GREY HERON, KESTREL, GREAT SPOTTED WOOD, ROOK, CROW, JACKDAW, MAGPIE, HOUSE SPARROW, SPARROWHAWK, GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, STARLING, PHEASANT,

MALLARD, CETTI'S WARB, PIED WAGTAIL, WHITE WAGTAIL, BLACK HEADED GULL, LITTLE EGERET, GADWALL, TEAL, SHOVELORE, TUFTED DUCK, POCHARD, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, WIGEON, LTTLE RINGED PLOVER, GREYLAG GEESE, CANADA GEESE, WOOD PIGEON, Species list for the day 57

 

 

Marsh Lane, Carlton Marsh and Leathe's Ham.

Bright but still cold with an Easterly wind.

 

Before the level crossing a single BLACKCAP, the same as COMMON WHITETHROAT. Three MUNCJACK sauntered across the road a swell. With a fly away SONG THRUSH on arrival. CHAFFINCH calling from the crossing and in the wood opposite. 2 COALTIT, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT, BLACKBIRD. JACKDAW and a wood tapping GREAT SPOTTED WOOD. Several WREN, ROBIN about with a CHINES WATER DEER on the marsh with a pair of MALLARD.

Out on the marsh proper a single MOORHEN, 3 COMMONN PHEASANT, 6 REED BUNTING, 3 SKYLARK and about 30 LAPWING. Only one COMMON BUZZARD a pair of MARSH HARRIER as well as 2 KESTREL. I also found 3 REDSHANK on the pools.

Mutford Lock: A single REDSHANK with a ring.

 

Leathe's Ham: A pair of OYSTERCATCHER on the island and it seems that there may be eggs, not sure if they are there's though. I also had three CHIFFCHAFF and LONG TAILED TIT. 8 TUFTED DUCK and a single DABCHICK. WREN and ROBIN as well as GREAT and BLUE TIT.

 



 

Watterloo Park, Norwich.

Rather cold and chilli.

Went with the grandchildren and spent one and a half hours there. With 19 species in all the best being a GREAT SPOTTED WOOD which flew over and a SPARROWHAWK which flew high above. The other interest was the three COAL TIT, that put in an appearance with one bird calling its heart out.
The other interest was the HARLIQUIN LADYBIRD which with two red spots on black background was a real stunner. Although as an invasive we do have an immigration issue.

BLUE TIT ON THE PULL       https://youtu.be/NVwYBBbVJVk

Carlton Marsh.

West breeze with an inter sun. Still cold.

On the walk through to Spratts Water 3 WILLOW WARBLER and 4 CHIFFCHAFF also an elusive COMMON WHITETHROAT which was not calling but sky dancing and then settled well off.   I heard  a single GREEN WOOD and as I left for the back track a PEREGRINE fly through, this bird stayed around for a while. This was followed by a male MARSH HARRIER and there was also a female well over Castle Marsh. There was also flying in the same area as a COMMON BUZZARD. Several LINNET on back wires,  altogether 10 birds in all. REED BUNTING not very high numbers with only 4 birds in all. As for GREY HERON 8 birds with 6 LAPWING. REDSHANK 3, LITTLE EGERET 7, CETTI'S WARBLER 2, SKYLARK in the best numbers I have seen for a few years. GADWALL 2, MALLARD, SHELLDUCK 2,

 

         

         

 

North Denne's and Home.

Inter sun with West light wind, with still a chill.

North Dene's:  Very little moved in but a few CHIIFCHAFF calling, with WREN, ROBIN, GREEN WOOD, 2 JAY and a flock of 3 LINNET. Plenty of DUNNOCK singing with the best bird a male SPARROWHAWK which did not hang around long. 3 BLACKBIRD and just a single SONG THRUSH.
Gunton Warren:  Very little except 3 CHIFFCHAFF and BLACKBIRD with a fly over PIED WAG and a calling GREEN WOOD.
Ness Point:   Three CORMORANT and a single RED THROATED DIVER flying South with 2 KITTYWAKE flying inshore.

Home

Still a chill in the air with inter sun.

Went down the garden to the sound of a "hueet" and an obvious CHIFFCHAFF. A really bright bird and an obvious migrant.

Kirby Bedon and Lowestoft.

While heading back through the countryside after church this morning bin Norwich I caught site of a pair of COMMON BUZZARD soaring high which headed South behind me. I turned off and took the following which is not good but led to an interesting encounter with what I consider was a COMMON WHITETHROAT. But what do I know. But I did manage to record it's song so we shall see.
I was about to leave St Margaret's church and just as the service was over I looked out of the window just in time to see a SWALLOW flying through the trees feeding at dusk. It turned out that there was 3 doing there stuff between the trees. The thing is that although a swallow does not make a summer. Perhaps three do.

  

Home and Filby Broad

Bright today and 13 degrees for a short time.

While in the garden a butterfly flew in and stayed long enough for a photo.  At Filby Broad plenty of TUFTED DUCK and 7 GREAT CRASTED GREBE as well as 3 CHIFFCHAFF and a single SONG THRUSH and GREY HERON.
                                                                   SMALL TORT