Update

Have been about rather more than the blog would suggest. What with bird fair at Rutland and family stuff. Let alone out in the wild it's good to be pain free. The fact is things are hotting up and I will take any chance I get to get out there.
Bird Fair was good, although rather like Glastonbury for the mud. Best bird was a GREAT WHITE EGRET, but also had a calling CHIFFCHAFF which showed well as every birder in Britain walked on by. Also a very active Yellow Brimstone butterfly.
Home saw our local BLACK REDSTART in the garden on five consecutive days, but it was good to also see two birds on one occasion. Even the local SPARROWHAWK turned up four days on the trot only to bring in another on Thursday.
Pathways:  A TUFTED DUCK still remains although he never had a mate. As for LITTLE GREBE best count is five. GREY HERON and MUTE still in occupancy.
Best today was EMPEROR DRAGONFLY and SOUTHERN HAWKER.

Links Hill, Lowestoft.

Scanned through the terns and no surprises. But did have a visit from three PIED WAGTAIL all young birds.

Oulton Marsh,

An am visit and the longest and pain free for a long while. Enjoyment instead of agony.

Oulton Marsh:
Best bird was a very active GARDEN WARBLER which was feeding all round a bush in the marsh. With it a young WREN one of 7. ROBIN count was well up as they are now calling. A pair of KESTREL and COMMON WHITETHROAT as well as BLACKCAP. Just one JAY and one MAGPIE. A single REED BUNTING and two REED WARBLER.

Links Hill, Car Park. North Dene's

Very strong wind with a weather warning from the South West. Seawatch for an hour with 30+ COMMON TERN South and just one wader well off.

Links Hill:   The gulls had taken to the car park in a desperate effort to get out of the wind. With them a group of about 20 COMMON TERNS. That was until a SPARROWHAWK came in at fast speed. Missed everything but nearly hit the car. They again settled and below are some picks.

Pathways and Gunton Hall

After a year of struggling with my feet it seems that I am on the mend. This is new for me as I usually go crook when it comes to this time of the year. So best to make good use of it. Big front coming in a good time to be in Cornwall. Chance would be a good thing.

Pathways:  After the visit of the otter who cleared the place out I have been surprised that there are now three LITTLE GREBE chicks swimming about. Already as large as the parents so lets hope they make it. As for the MALLARD they have had another brood and there are still five remaining. A single TUFTED DUCK still on show but cleaning itself as it is in moult.

Gunton Hall:  MALLARD and young came out at 26 today, I expect most of these are new birds. I did have a glimpse although very short of the local KINGFISHER. But the best was the female EMPEROR DRAGONFLY which was surfacing dipping its eggs. Two males fighting over territory.