Pathways, Lowestoft.

Just a short call in with a strong North wind.

The female MALLARD now has just 8 ducklings out of 11. The MUTE SWANS seem to have lost interest. But a WHITETHROAT was singing well as was a BLACKCAP. It has taken until today to add a COOT to the year list on this site, but 2 MOORHEN and 2 LITTLE GREBE still about, soon I hope to see the young ones.
I also had a SILVER Y MOTH and 3 BLACK TAILED SKIMMER. There were about 20 COMMON BLUE DAMSELFLIES.
                                                    Very young Long Tailed Tit

                                                               Silver Y Moth

                             Black Tailed Skipper                                         Thames Group rung gull.

Hen Reedbed. Suffolk.

Bright day.

Called in for just a few minuets, but it was good to see a young LAPWING but with a female MARSH HARRIER searching the area for food. I expect this was the one left, lets hope it makes it through. SAND MARTIN skimming the reed bed and a single REED WARBLER fluttering in and out of reed bed. Two LINNET and GOLDFINCH singing well. Also one GREY HERON took to flight on the far side and it put up another lapwing.

Pathways, Lowestoft.

Foggy start to the day, but very humid.

The species list for today was down, but with 20 we still are holding good. The best was a pair of BLACKCAP which obviously are nesting up. SONG THRUSH is at three today which is the highest total with an obvious pair.
But it was good to see four BROAD BODIED CHASER all female. Also immature and also adult COMMON BLUE DAMSELFLY. In good numbers. 1 PEACOCK BUTTERFLY, 1 RED ADMIRAL, 1 ORANGE TIP BUTTERFLY.

Sottery Estate

Bright day with a strong chill with he North wind.

On arrival 3 MISTLE THRUSH all adult birds from what I could see. But some small stuff around with GOLDFINCH and CHAFFINCH. Best sma;; bird was a NUTHATCH calling near road. JACKDAWS nesting well but only one COMMON BUZZARD and a single KESTREL. An odd pair of BARNACLE GEESE which were obviously domesticated, but still good to see. Something else I have never seen in my life was a resting GREY HERON out in the open. Odd behaviour indeed.

Bright day and warm, something like summer. Walk out on the Marsh.

The first bird here was a COMMON WHITETHROAT that was in his normal bush now for three years. Also SWALLOWS 4 back on site. ROBIN, WREN, and a small group of LAPWING spread out over marsh with 4 birds in all. Also two REDSHANK, SEDGE WARBLER 9, MARSH HARRIER female seriously hunting. REED WARBLER 1 only but a good count of REED BUNTING at 9. Another odd occurance was four male GADWALL that kept flying in and out of marsh. BLACKCAP only one singing. Another good sighting was a GREYLAG GOOSE with young coming in at 9.

Barnby:                

Hobby  was hawking over fir trees on A146 with RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE in field. In Church yard a single SONG THRUSH, GOLDCREST in fir tree. Calling CHIFFCHAFF and two CHAFFINCH. 

The following were along river bank.           

Banded Demoiselle  3  Four Spotted Chaser   (Female) 10+   Hairy Dragonfly 1  Variable Damselfly

    

Benacre Broad.

Wind from the North and overcast.

Very nice to catch up with a small flock of noisy LITTLE TERN To think that this flock only numbered 12 birds is sad. But then this is how things are today, so different from my early days of birding. The most noticeable in that only one WHITETHROAT singing. I can remember the days of one every 50 yards. Some other odd things where that there was two COMMON GULLS amongst the resting flock. Also a single GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL. Odd birds for the time of the year.
Several AVOCET with and obvious pair nesting sitting on the beach as well as a pair of OYSTERCATCHER.

Pathways and Lodge Road, Walberwick

Bright with slight cold breeze from South East.

Pathways: Just a short call in on the celebration of two years open. This day was also the sighting of the 50 species of bird for 2018. the aim is 80 trust we can pull it off. The bird that made the 50 was a single SWALLOW over the lake. The female MALLARD still has her 11 ducklings. WHITETHROAT 2, CHIFFCHAFF 1, An odd bird today was a single BLACK HEADED GULL in good condition.

Walberswick:    It took till today to get a YELLOWHAMMER how sad is that. Very few WHITETHROAT about in fact only two calling. One BLACKCAP 5 SWALLOW, COMMON BUZZARD 1, MARSH HARRIER 1, KESTREL 1.      
                                                             SMALL COPPER                                                                                                                                                        

Pathways and Gunton Meadow.

Bright day and very hot.

I expected it to be an odd day with the heat but it proved to be really rewarding.

Best bird was two PIED FLYCATCHERS that were running along the leafy trees which make up the wooded path. The two birds hung close together and in such low light there was no chance of a pic, but it was the first for this site for me. Also 4 BLACKCAP and 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT. There was also the sound of a GARDEN WARBLER in the far corner. Another good sighting was a pair of SONG THRUSH obviously looking for a nest site. The female MALLARD that hs been hanging around had 11 ducklings with her as she escorted them around the lake. I wonder how many will make it through. I also caught up with the SPARROWHAWK which was circling high, it has been several months since we last met. I also had a singing GOLDCREST which was singing well in the conifers.  Only a few newts in the pond, so i wonder were they have all gone from about 200.

Gunton Meadow: Not sure on id but I think there was 2 Marsh Orchid and I can confirm 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT and a singing BLACKCAP.

Home

Bright day and a change from the past weeks.

Most of the usual birds through the garden this morning. Which started of with an illusive CHIFFCHAFF followed by a BLACK REDSTART eating his usual  amount of meal worms.
CARRION CROW, CHAFFINCH, DUNOCK, STARLING, HOUSE SPARROW, SWALLOWS 3, JACKDAW, LBB GULL. HERRING GULL, BLUE TIT, MAGPIE, It was odd to see a flock of 13 WOOD PIGEON all flying together.
It was also good to catch up on a HOLLY BLUE which was insistent on staying in the garden.

Oulon Marsh.

Bright and warm time to strip down?

Update: Went through my photo's this evening and worked out that I had taken a pic of a PIED FLYCATCHER which seems more sense.

Best bird was HOBBY which was flying out over Peto's Marsh. This bird flew through but by the time the camera was on it was well off. The other good sign was that I had a goodish view of singing GARDEN WARBLER and also two others. COMMON WHITETHROAT came in at just two. with 2 CETTI'S WARBLER. REED WARBLER was also a single bird well up on the Waveney River.

                                                                                                         Distant view of Hobby.

 

Finished the day with a really smart RED KITE at Wheatacre, Aldby, Norfolk.

Home

Brigth and still.

Home:  First bird to make a showing was the BLACK REDSTART which came on queue., oncp hpe saw that I had put meal worms out for him. Feed him at 9:30 am and he is in at 9:35. Next was four SWALLOWS which flew South. Single LINNET and 3 GOLDFINCH, BLACKBIRD, BLUE TIT. MAGPIE, JACKDAW, STARLING WOOD PIGEON, FERAL PIGEON, L.B.B. GULL, HERRING GULL,  then caught sight of a COMMON BUZZARD high flying which turned out to be four birds in all. The young bird below was not appreciated by a CARRION CROW which gave it the heave ho.

Corton New Sewage Works and Links Hill.

South wind with rain later.

C.N.S.Works:  Best birds today was undoubtedly my first two SWIFT that were heading into the Southerly wind. But also 2 CHIFFCHAFF and a single BLACKCAP. It was also good to see GREAT TITS feeding there young which were well fledged. I did have a really dull CHIFFCHAFF which could not have been a fresh bird through. 
Links Hill: KITTYWAKE 4 flying South and Gulls.
                                                      What's wrong with gulls?

Home, Pathways and Camps Heath.

What a difference a day makes with the sun shining well with wind from the South instead of the North.

Home: Both BLACK REDSTART on the bird table and feeding this morning, waiting to be fed.

Pathways: Managed to get two HOUSE MARTINS feeding of the water which is a first for site and also was a single COLLARD DOVE which is also a surprise. BLACKCAP only one a nd single CHIFFCHAFF.

Camps Heath:  Best bird was heard and not seen and that being a RING NECKED PARAKET. Could not locate it however. BLACKCAP 2, HOUSE MARTIN 4, SWALLOW 1, KESTREL 2, STOCK DOVE 2, WILLOW WARBLER 1.