Fly me to the moon

I have managed to get to the age of 68 years, only to realise the phrase "Once in a blue moon". Tonight's moon is considered a Blue Moon. Which means that it is a full moon for the second time in a month which happens every 3 years. If you new all this then thank God for the internet.

 

 

Oulton Marsh, Oulton.

Bright day so spent the last few hours of the day out.

 

The best bird was a very short sighting of a MERLIN that flew low behind the reed bed, putting up a flock of STARLING and LAPWING with flocks which must have counted out at 200+ birds. It was also good to watch a COMMON BUZZARD that was post sitting and feeding when it could. As can be seen from the picture below he had company. A small flock of 12 FIELDFARE and REDWING which were only few in number. A pair of EGYPTIAN GOOSE flew through as the sun went down and a small flock of LINNET took to resting in a tree before heading down to roost. I also had three STOCK DOVE which seem to stay in this area all year now. I had a lovely singing SONG THRUSH which I recorded and also a good male GOLDCREST. 

There was also  3 CHINESE WATER DEER that came out just before sunset.

 

North Beach, Lowestoft.

Rather dull to say the least and only a short walk back through the town.
I had two PIED WAG  and a small flock of GREENFINCH three birds in all behind Birds Eye. Also a single GREAT TIT and BLUE TIT and a DUNNOCK.
Along the shore line 5 CORMORANT and 10 TURNSTONE but the best was a resting RED THROATED DIVER on the foreshore. Not very often you find a bird like this, perhaps sadly its on its last legs.

Pathways, Lowestoft.

Cloudy day heading to bright blue sky.

Best bird here today was a single FIELDFARE which was sitting high in a tree and also my first TUFTED DUCK at this site. LONG TAILED TIT in at 4 birds, but the most LITTLE GREBE at 6 birds in all.

 

Minismere, Suffolk.

Dull old day, but we only spent an hour on the hallowed ground. Long enough to see 30 species of bird. The best being MARSH TIT of which there were two on the feeder near the centre. But what was good was the sight of a very well coloured male MARSH HARRIER which was one of 5 birds in all. But only one COMMON BUZZARD. It was also good to see a flock of 31 LAPWING fly through.



Silo, Lowestoft.

Called in for a view of the PEREGRINE on the Silo, only to find the male box sitting as usual. Looks like he has food up and looks ok. Lets hope he is up for a good year. Rather a dull day t say the least so pic is nowhere near good.



New Year

Things are getting off to a shaky start  with a visit today to the doc, if I don't get rid of this chest infection I will not be doing any birding for a while.

So restricted time in the field has given me only 28 species list for the year. How miserable is that. Thinking of years gone by with a 101 on a New Years Day. But then I was much younger then and walking was no issue.

Best bird so far however was the GREAT NORTHEREN DIVER in Loathingland Lake and also his working colleague a single female COMMON SCOTER which hung of Brooks Slipway. Also had a flyby KINGFISHER which flew across the lake. At the Ness I pulled in 2 PURPLE SANDPIPER. Which for many will always be difficult to locate. So bird wise ok....... HAPPY NEW YEAR.