Breydon South Wall

Missed out on the Richards Pipit but what do you expect with the wind blowing down the Breydon.

Breydon South Wall:   Came up on a ROCK PIPIT that was feeding along the foreshore. Seemed not bothered by me and just kept on feeding. I also had four BAR-TAILED-GODWIT which was a good an as they came and fed on our side of the river. Saw them fly in and immediately started to feed. You can see on the pic the up turned bill. There seemed a good number of REDSHANK about but only a single GREY PLOVER and the same again in RINGED PLOVER. about 20 DUNLIN flew in as well. CURLEW on south side around 30 birds over and feeding in field.

Bar tailed on the feed.

Rock at the same

Ness Point, Loathingland lake.

Still rather strong wide but the air is dry. In real terms still not a winter.

Ness Point:   In this west wind birds where few but five GANNET heading North well close to the water. As where the 43 CORMORANTS that where flying through in groups to 7 birds but most in single figures. I did pick up on a surfacing harbour porpoise. which was just to the south of the north continental buoy.
Loathingland Lake: North side had several gulls flying about mostly BLACK HEADED GULLS. but the roving pair of EGYPTION GEESE looked very colourful.
Home:   Small flock of GOLDFINCH over on return.

Egyptian Geese on the harbour wall.

What's in a name?

Leathe's Ham:    Best bird today was a GREY HERON which lifted off very startled when I walked round the back of the lake. It's the first one I have seen here for a while and as it is still mild no surprises there. It seems for some reason as well that COOT numbers have come back up with 15 birds today and 2 MOORHEN. Plenty of PINTAIL with GADWALL, WIGEON, MALLARD, and a single SHOVELER. Small stuff was absent in numbers but WREN, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, DUNNOCK, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT. with 4 MEW GULLS.

I now have been given a true identity as the year trophy has my name on it.

But I still don't know who I am?



Wavenney Forest and Haddiscoe Island

It never is warm here and today was no exception.

Blundeston:  As I drove through a FIELDFARE flew above the car.

Haddiscoe Island:The Island had its fair share of raptors today with the best being a male HEN HARRIER. as unusual it was well off but at least it was viewable for a short time. I can never work out how a bird so distinctive can disappear from view. I also had 4 MARSH HARRIER one of which was male, as well as 5 COMMON BUZZARD and a single PERGRINE FALCON. fluttering about 3 KESTREL and 3 LITTLE EGERET. I was not able to pick up on a Rough legged though so that will have to do for next time.

Not a good pick at all but at least its there a male Hen Harrier. Take my word for it.



Waveney Forest:  Best bird here was a fly by low at 50 feet a SHORT EARED OWL. I think it but have lifted of  from my right and soon was gone through the trees. I also had 2 JAY here and 17 BLACKBIRDS with only 2 of these female. COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT. But not in any numbers. GOLDCREST faired reasonably well with about 18 birds. 2 ROBIN and 7 WREN.

Covehythe, Suffolk.

Cold old dull day with little wind.

List for year stands at 61 which in respect of hours put in is well good. Not much chasseing about.

Stood and watched BRAMBLING from left side of church over steel farm gate . Small stuff was flying on and off from old crop to bushes. Mostly LINNET but also REED BUNTING, GREENFINCH, CHAFFINCH and HOUSE SPARRROW.  Also heard but did not see a mistle thrush so remains of list for now. A small flock of 3 GREY LAG over.

Met up with friend Chris a talk ensued and also got in conversation with a birder from Wales who lives literally a few hundred yards from where we stayed in 2013 in Gwachmiea. Small world.

GOLDENEYE on broad 3 female and a lovely adult male who was defiantly posing. MALLARD here and plenty of MEW GULL resting up on the water. Heard also a few bearded reedling but did not see, so again no record placed. Amazingly it has taken till now to find my first TEAL and this was a single bird. PIED WAGTAIL on beach flew in about 6 birds in all with a pair of MEADOW PIPIT. I also gained sight and watched at a good distance a small flock of 5 SNOW BUNTINGS. While on the beach I scanned the sea and came up with a COMMON BUZZARD flying low over the water heading south. Not an every day experience this but good to watch as it brought me onto a RED THROATED DIVER. The return walk eventually brought the red head SMEW which surprisingly was well at the back of the pools and while watching a young dark MARSH HARRIER came through. Overhead a small flock of about 30 LAPWING heading south could be viewed but they where very high.

Breydon South Wall and Oulton Broad

Breydon: The walk along south wall was to say the least rather windy with it set to the West. But made the best of it with BLACK TAILED GODWIT 60+  and WIGEON by the thousand all on the far side. In Lounge Lizard land GREY PLOVER, SANDLING, CURLEW, REDSHANK, I also picked up on a distant MARSH HARRIER which was struggling in the wind to feed.

             

Oulton Broad:   Seeing that a few odd gulls had been seen the previous day thought I would give it look and the local troop where there. So with help we initially found what can only be described as a lucistic LESSER-BLACK-BACKED-GULL and followed that with a 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL. which spent about 10 minuets cleaning itself down for the night. The light was failing fast so my pic's are poor. Again I picked up on another MARSH HARRIER well over Carlton Marsh and yet another raptor with no id miles off. 

Jan 1st 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR


Dull and overcast and late out. No surprise there then.

Best birding was the GANNETS of the Ness with the 3 associating PURPLE SAND'S. I spent only a short while out and managed  a quick 26. Not as many as some but why hurry, life is to short to rush on through. So next time.