Gunton Warren, Lowestoft.

Walk through on a rather unseasonal warm day for the last of October.

Found the TIT flock in the wood, but after 20 minuets of following all I had was GOLDCREST, BLUE TIT and LONG TAILED TIT. Two JAYS kept flying back and forth and also several ROBIN calling and only one DUNNOCK. This seems rather low count as did WREN with only two. Fly over of LINNET North to South. As was a few MEADOW PIPIT.
Links Hill:   The usual flock of gulls with just one MED GULL with ring 32E2.
Home:  Still a RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE coming in for his morning feed.

Ness Point, Lowestoft.

Spent a short time at the Ness and the first birds of any claim where three EIDER heading North with a male bird following two female. A few CORMORANT flying either way and three STARLING coming in off. I also had a fright when in the short grass a warbler flew in. Bit of a scare but it turned out to be a CHIFFCHAFF. This bird had the best eye ring I think I have ever seen. The picture does not do credit to it but just good to get it as it just came in. Also around 15 GOLDCREST showing on and off. Two PIED WAG one with the pale lemon face.
RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE about again, kicking of on the roof until he dropped down onto the grass.

       

Around again

Out and about with rain and wind?

Stokesby:  The road from Thrigby to Stokesby saw four KESTREL and at Stokesby Hall entrance a flock of CHAFFINCH held COAL TIT and six BRAMBLING.  All these birds were feeding on Beach nuts and about 30 birds ion all.
A flock of nine GREY LAG GEESE flew over Ormesby Broad and about 25 CORMORANT as well as many GREAT CREASTED GREBE. At Reedham a female MARSH HARRIER and a COMMON BUZZARD.
Best however was from home as when I looked out in the garden a RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE put my garden list up again.

All over the show.

Rained this morning so me and sis went for a ride.

Lound Lakes:  Although little about BLACK HERADED GULLS came in over the lake and flocked over it at about 60 birds. Some landing but most whiffling and then bathing. Some sat on dead branches of a bush but others just flying all over the show. Also her TUFTED DUCK, MALLARD, HERRING GULL, COMMON GULL, MAGPIE, CROW, CHAFFINCH, BLUE TIT.
Green Lane, Somerlyton: A COMMON BUZZARD was telegraph post sitting in the wind. Hesitant about flying off. Also PIED WAG and GOLDFINCH as well as the resident JACKDAWS and PHEASANT.
Asda:   Again several BLACK HEADED GULL and HERRING GULL about and the only other bird life here was a flyover CHIFFCHAFF and a pair of PIED WAGTAIL and a pair of REDSHANK.

        Redshank behind Asda                                                                    Getting ahead?

                                

Dip farm.

Just a very short call in with my sis. But in 30 minuets I had four CHIFFCHAFF as well at BLUE, GREAT and LONG TAILED TIT. Still several GOLDCREST still calling away but that is no different from my small garden.
I also drove round Links Hill car park and had four MEDITERANIAN GULLS.

Sparrows Nest, Top path.

Sparrows Nest:    Best bird after a good walk through was a single male BLACKCAP also a COAL TIT. BLACKBIRD 10 and one SONG THRUSH also a single FIELDFARE as well as 4 REDWING. I stopped counting for GOLDCREST at 16. As for JAY they were active again today with one loosening the plot. Altogether 3 birds in all. I also caught a glimpse of a HERRING GULL with a red colour ring. GREAT TIT and BLUE TIT. Plenty of DUNOCK and WREN put in an appearance. CHAFFINCH  only had 2 birds but also a flock of GOLDFINCH over.

North Dene's

North Dene's:   Walk up the sea front as I  new there had been a GREAT GREY SHRIKE seen there yesterday and this morning. A group of local birders had pined the bird but bit was well off. Flying freely especially when a KESTREL came on the scene. It was feeding well and took stuff in flight and from perch. Just a great bird to see and close to home. Also about a MED GULL with ring below, seemingly an Irish bird. Several MEADOW PIPIT and a flock of 15 GOLDCREST. also two PIED WAGTAIL,MAGPIE,CARRION CROW, BLACK HEADED GULL.
Home:      Had just two BRAMBLING over today and CHAFFINCH with them. Also GOLDCREST in the big tree and GREAT TIT as well as  BLUE TIT.

                                                                  Just a record shot.

 

Mistley, Essex.

Just a call in from the road side brought some interest as I had a coffee.

 

I gave up counting LITTLE EGERET here and as for BLACK TAILED GODWIT there must be at least 200 birds here. It was also good to see BRENT GEESE swimming around in the middle of the river. The best bird however was a LITTLE STINT which was on its own. OYSTERCATCHER, REDSHANK, CURLEW, LAPWING, GREY PLOVER, GREY HERON, MUTE SWAN, SHELDUCK, POCHARD, WIGEON, MALLARD, BLACK HEADED GULL,L,B,B,GULL. HERRING GULL. JACKDAW, CARRION CROW,

 

On way down A12 2 COMMON BUZZARD and a JAY and at Mum's grave in Colchester 2 MISTLE THRUSH and 7 BLACKBIRDS under one tree so how many here I have no idea. GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, MAGPIE, CARRION CROW and GOLDCREST a lot.

Ness, Gunton Railway Track, Links Hill.

This Easterly has got to do its stuff sometime?

Gunton Railway Track: Great day for birding as cover along here is good and birds are showing well out of the wind. But on arrival a flock of 7 BRAMBLING flew low over Hubards Loke. But along the track two REDWING and 3 SONG THRUSH, BLACKBIRD, GOLDFINCH, 4 BLACKCAP with one female. ROBINS and more of them as well as GOLDCREST the same. I also has four GREENFINCH as a small flock. Only one CHIFFCHAFF and several L.T.T. as well as GREAT TIT and BLUE TIT. MAGPIE and JAY who did not appreciate my appearance. DUNNOCK all around calling.

Links Hill: MED GULLS taking a rest on the car park counted out at 4 and a single CROW. Also one BRENT heading back home.

Ness Point:   Three flocks of BRENT but it still seems slow. I did have a flock of WIGEON fly through being led out by Brent geese.

                                                  Mixed flock of WIGEEON and BRENT

Female BLACKCAP playing pick a boo

                                                          Herring Gull (argentelius)

Ness Point and North Dene's

Ness Point:  Wind incoming and strong from the East, but with little effect. Yes a few small skeins of BRENT with also a flock of fourteen WIGEON heading South. Best bird was a heavily feedi9ng BLACKBIRD which was eating Hawthorne berries on North Dene's. This bird was distinctly that bit larger with a large well formed beak. It also had white flecks through the crown and was black with the front a dark chestnut colour. I have seen this type of thing before in fact and as for me I would call a distinct continental bird which has been feeding on berries while in the forests of Bavaria.

I also had a single WHEATEAR which was an immature and first winter bird. One MEADOW PIPIT and three GREENFINCH. Plenty of GOLDCREST around in fact one as I parked car at the Oval. 

Loathingland Lake: A pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE sitting on the dock side.

Leathes Ham:  Several GADWALL and fourteen WIGEON, COOT, MORHEN, G.B.B.GULS. HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULLS. MALLARD. 3 CHIFFCHAFF, L.T.TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, ROBIN, WREN.      

 

                      Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyers Wig                  

Corton Old Railway Track.

Obviously birds incoming with small stuff flying through all the while on an Easterly wind. Best bird today was a very short view of a RING OUZEL which I put to flight while heading through nettles. It called and took cover strait away, so no real view. Plenty of ROBINS calling as were the GOLDCREST. But only two CHIFFCHAFF viewable. Followed TIT flock for 30 minuets but to no avail. A COMMON BUZZARD was hunting to the South of the church which was hanging in the air and hovering, so according to the books could be a R.L.B. But no way, even if it has a white rump like this bird here. A flock of 7 SISKIN flew over the garden late afternoon, but nothing else except PIED WAG.
Also saw a STONE CURLEW but cant tick this one, as for the train. Abellio brought  in its new Class 68 today, but did it have to have train kill on the front of it.

Ness Point and Home.

Bright with the sound of Autumn in the air.

 

Home:  Sat out and early in the day a single SWALLOW flew through the garden being harried by a PIED WAGTAIL. The pied was trying very hard to keep up but I am sure it soon faltered even if it was very vocal.

Ness Point: Two visits today but only recording afternoon visit as the other only had a single MEADOW PIPIT and two PIED WAG. Started off with a Northerly movement of BRENT GEESE and 7 skeins flew by with the odd small group. The largest skein was 32 birds. Far out at sea GANNETS flying each and every way with a flock of 12 adults flying South whereas young birds seem to be heading North and home again. Two lovely male EIDER flew reasonably close and again heading North. A single OYSTERCATCHER well out as was a brown  auk which with assumption was a GUILIMOT but no difficulties with a lovely black RAZORBILL which was heading back up North again. Only one MED GULL put in an appearance and only one RED THROATED-DIVER. 2 PIED WAG and a flock of STARLING and HOUSE SPARROWS.

                                                             A STARLING SHOWER

 

Gunton Railway Track

Obviously a change is well in now but the birding is still odd and not there yet. But saying that I had my first TREECREEPER for months. One viewable but three birds calling amongst the TIT flock. But the incoming ROBINS are very significant with around 12 birds calling. Two young MORHEN  in Dip Farm car park seemingly roving about and no were to go. At least five JAY looking around for food to store and kicking off at times. GOLDCREST on golf course with about 7 birds in one place and three CHIFFCHAFF was the final count.

As for RED ADMIRALS plenty about in secretive areas but only one SPECKLED WOOD.