Ness Point

Had another hour, rather late in the morning but still a small movement of birds. On arrival a COMMON SANDPIPER lifted of from rocks behind SLP. Two flocks of COMMON SCOTER heading South 3-7. GANNET with various plumage changes all heading North against the wind with 16 birds in all. Only 5 KITTYWAKE and one MED GULL.

Ness Point

 Spent two hours looking out over the waves, perhaps this is the saddest way to bird. But I find it very interesting, challenging , but most of all relaxing. There is just something about a sea scape that is rewarding. As for birds the best was two ARCTIC SKUA , one flying South the other harrying a gull for food. I also has a BONXIE heading North in the most determined way. GANNETS came in at 7 and KITTYWAKE at 9. I also picked up on three birds dropping low over yje water and at first I thought they may be cranes. But as they dropped down to water level they where lost to sight. When I got home it seems that 3 GREY HERON came in off st Pakefield. I think I can assume that this is there id. I also had a male BLACK REDSTART in SLP yard, but was flighty so no pic.

Carlton Marsh:  Best was 7 SWIFT very high onrt Share Marsh. But a mixed flock of Hirudu on wires behind play area..

Regular call in at Pathways.

 The weather was overcast with a new stiff breeze from the North East, signs of the time. Autumn on the way. The main sign of that was the return of two TEAL to the lake. There has been no sign of any since early in the year. KINGFISHER was being hassled by MAGPIES. But the GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER stood aloof from all on the crows old tree. Another call out was the four CHIFFCHAFF and single BLACKCAP, it being a female. Only one SWALLOW and three SAND MARTIN as well as two HOUSE MARTIN.

Links Hill, Hopton, Lound Heath and Lound Lakes.

  Carlton Marsh:

Best for me was the three CPMMON LIZARD and a lovely female MARSH HARRIER.

Links Hill was our first call in with the first returning GANNETS of the year. A good sight of an intermediate and adult. Two TURNSTONE flew along the beach wih COMMON and SANDWICH TERNS showing on groynes and on sea.

Hopton Garden Centre: Call in for a coffee and a small flock of nine SWALLOW very noisy in the air.

Lound Heath: Called in again and did not expect it to be as good as last week so was not disappointed. Best was the GREEN VEINED WHITE butterflies with seven in all with a pair doing there stuff. Several MEADOW BROWN and around 30 COMMON DARTER.

Lound Lakes: COMMON BUZZARD over with a single juv CHIFFCHAFF calling with its odd call. GREAT SPOTTED WOOD calling and a GREY HERON on standby. Also a SLOW WORM was a treat.

Home: First KITTY ever to roost near the house. With a juvenile at rest on the roof at the bottom of the garden. Also a young CHIFFCHAFF was calling in the garden for two hours.

More like winter

 What a miserable day. The first day without seeing a hirundo's. The times they are a changing, again. The seasons come the season go. Song by Johnny Cash 1957. Shows my age. We went out for a ridw and landed up in Caister with chips. Which we shared. But we did call in at Bure Park Great Yarmouth to the sound of a pair of WHIMBRAL flying inland and calling all the while. Just caught them.

Pathways, Links Hil and home.

 The usual visit to Pathways, only one hour but it was good to know that the LITTLE GREBE young are still doing well and also are the KINGFISHERS. There where young about and not sure how many but I think two. Also five SANDMARTIN hanging on before there return to warmer climes.

Links Hill: On arrival there was eleven MED GULLS at rest in the car park, with all various age in plumage. Just great to see as was the one with a new ring for me. I also had three OYSTERCATCHER flying North. It was good to see so many SANDWICH TERNS as well as a good smattering of COMMON TERN.

Home: While sitting out in the garden I had two PERIGRINE flying very high and with them a HOBBY and joining them a SPATTOWHAWK. At the end of the day a pair of CORMORANT.

3LY3

White   14/10/2020   beach; Boulogne-sur-Mer; Pas-de-Calais; Hauts-de-France; France 50,44N 1,36E  Petit-Berghem, Eric

26/02/2021     Vasière du pont Canada; Tréguier; Côtes d'Armor; Bretagne; France 48,47N 3,13W     Perrot, Jean-Roger

26/02/2021   Vasière du pont Canada; Tréguier; Côtes d'Armor; Bretagne; France 48,47N 3,13W   Le Dreff, Alain

16/08/2021   beach, Gunton; Lowestoft; Suffolk; England; United Kingdom 52,3N 1,45E     Hawes, Gaius

From home.

It seems that I may well have done it again and that is literally true as it was back in June 2014. (How time flies.) That I managed to find a BLACK STORK flying West over the house. Acssepted as a Suffolk record I was well pleased. But yesterday was deja vu time as although it came through two months late. It was again on the same track as in 2014. Same Hight and also tracked down the coast the same way. Sadly it never made it to Carlton Marsh. But it did make it to Kessingland and last reported South of Ipswich.

There has also been a juvenile bird in Freiston RSPB in Lincolnshire. But this is a young bird, but it seems that this bird that flew over here yesterday was an adult from the colour of the bill. I was again attracted to this bird from the kick off of the local gull population. Who fled the area in a hurry.

In Kirkley for the evening I had a movement of MED GULLS 38 in all. But today at least 70+ SWIFT over the house and 11 MED GULLS.

 

Latest

 Pathways is still showing KINGFISHER on a regular basis. In fact every time of recent. Also the DABCHICK is still feeding her five young and they are doing well and not far off full grown. First BLACKBIRDS on show today with a young GTRRNFINCH close in.

Links Hill: Had over 60+ CO,,OM TERN biy the highlight was a HARBPIR PORPOISE swimming South well out.

Earsham, Bungay.

 Watched grandson do his first time trial  of 10 miles aged 13 years. Get um young I say. Now for Olympics in 2032. But while standing beside road I counted a flock of SAND MARTIN, about 30 birds feeding over sweet corn growing near  by. Also another surprise was 7 LAPWING which flew of the farmers reservoir behind us.