Home Alone

To anyone who may be interested I have just returned home after a two week stay in Paget Hospital in Gorleston. Conclusion is that I have had part of my lower bowl removed and am now considered a cut above the rest. The question is out on the big C, but according to those in the know It has not spread and kemo treatment is on the way. Well all I can say is "Blue Sky Birding"

Hospital list is as follows: 16 Birds in all........... LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, HERRING GULL, BLACK HEADED GULL, MED GULL, PIED WAG, GOLDFINCH, GREENFINCH, ROBIN, CROW, ROOK, CORMORANT, SPARROW HAWK, KESTREL, BLACKBIRD, SWIFT, SWALLOW,

At home today: First REDWING calling in tree next to house and also as Scarce Darter or Migrant Darter...see picture.

Thurton,Norfolk.

While on the way to work a pair of MARSH HARRIERS alongside A146 between Loddon and Thurton. The male was quartering field to the North and the female was hunting in the same manner to the South of the road. Just after Thurton a flock of  8 MISTLE THRUSHES where flying south together as a spread out pack. I also had a female SPARROW HAWK low fly my house on the evening of 15th.

Home Alone

From the house today the following, please consider when reading this that I am in the town centre of Lowestoft with a very small garden:
SPARROW HAWK, LINNET, GOLDFINCH,BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, HOUSE SPARROW, OYSTER CATCHER, BLACK HEADED GULL, COMMON TERN, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, HERRING GULL, STARLING, BLACKBIRD, JACKDAW, CROW, MAGPIE, SWIFT, with several RED ADMIRAL butterflies in the garden.
I also saw my only third young gull from this years brood in the whole of Lowestoft today. Has anyone any views about why the breeding is so low, there is an obvious issue as no birds around here have bred except our which ley there only chick die in 24 hours.

Carlton Marsh

Late evening walk from Carlton Centre along circular path. A GREY HERON was keeping a good eye on us all the time and made his presents known on a regular basis by calling in a most disterbed way. The call of a GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was a surprise asit isgetting lat for the call, but one was making his presents known from the read bed as did Sedge and REED WARBLER. A pair of REED BUNTING with one young kept up a call for as long as we were about. The local BARN OWL was quartering along lane and then out towards the golf course. A SPARROW HAWK put in an apperance at the end of the lane as we left.
I also picked up a really rough BUZZARD while leaving Norwich on the 05.07.2011.

Oulton Broad and Hen Reed Bed

As I was driving through Oulton over the lock I saw a single shag sitting on the floating mooring adjacent to the lock gates. Turned out that there was this single bird and a pair showing another young bird how to swim.
On arrival at Hen Reed Bed a bittern flew in and landed only 50 feet away. Plenty of small stuff around with REED BUNTING,REED WARBLER,LITTLE EGRET,HERONS, CETTI'S WARBLER, BLACKCAP, WHITETHROAT,WREN,YELLOWHAMMER and one female MARSH HARRIER. But the best of all was a fly through of a HOBBY who writhed about pool for just a few seconds and cleared off with a dragon fly which it promptly eat on the wing.

Somerlyton-Herringfleet

While on way home from work at around 16:35 hours a souring bird of prey. Who then decided to put on a show and hang in the air as still as you like for the scope. This is not the first view of this bird but again a very obliging bird in a bright blue sky.