Weekly Catch Up

Because of the summer holidays, golf competitions have been flying out of the roof, so even on golf courses, some interesting wildlife can be viewed. We started off on Saturday, with a monthly medal at Cretingham Golf Club, which was Kingfisher full. I have seen these key fisherman before here, but not recently. We saw about 3 Kingfishers flying around ponds and over fairways. That was mainly it for that competition, which was made even better when I got a cut from 23,to 20, this being my handicap. As you may have gathered, I was quite a bit under my handicap (-4 to be exact).

The next competion was on Sunday, and it was a 9 hole course at Stonham Barns. I didn't play brilliant, but I went round in 37, with par being 29. My best round this course is about 32, so with a round like that, I would have won it. A nice sight though was a pair of Redpoll, mixed in with some Linnet, and Green Woodpecker families too.

On Monday, I was at Purdiss Golf Club, and another Kingfisher sparkled my round, but I still didn't play very well. Then, Tuesday was back at Stowmarket, and with the local Buzzard taking to the wing, it scared most of the other birds away. Another couple of Kingfisher at Ufford on Wednesday, and Rushmere produced plenty of Linnets and 2 more Buzzards. The next 4 days were all at Stowmarket, and a summary were Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Linnet and Kestrel. In two of these rounds, I came in the top 5, incredible.

I took Mum to the patch on Thursday, and the Great-crested Grebe pair have still got their 3 young, followed by plenty of Black-headed Gulls.

Great-crested Grebe with young

Treecreeper

A few patch ticks were a Goldcrest, and 2 Treecreeper. We spent a bit of time looking for the Banded Damoseille too, and here's what I got.

Male Banded Damoseille

The last little thing is recently, I have been collecting egg shells, no, not eggs, just the shells. I have got 2 in my collection so far, one being a Woodpigeons, and the other one I need some help on readers. This ones the pigeons...

Quite glossy, a bit fatter than the other shell

Here's the other one, possibly a Collard Dove?

Please comment your suggestions. Thank you.

The day before this post was written, Dad and I went to Minsmere, so have a look at that to see how we got on, in a couple of days time. Happy Birding.

Summer has come early!

The first day of this spring that my Cousin, Dad and I went bird watching in Norfolk. I have already got 130 species of birds this year, and we're not even halfway through April. We first headed to Santon Downham in the Thetford area, looking for the elusive Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, where we parked by the side of a small track for a while. Unfortunately, it didn't show for us, but we did see Nuthatch and Coal Tits in this area. We then moved on to park at St Helen's picnic area further down the track. We walked around the church looking for Firecrest that we were told were more reliably seen here, but not today. My first Willow Warbler of the year was singing in a dense Hawthorn, and shew well on the top of it. The soft churring with a trill was being produced at the top of some bare trees, where Brambling's were feeding in small double figures (10-15).  We walked through the wood through to the river and alongside the trees. A nasally whistle of a pair of Mandarin Ducks flew over our heads and into the trees, lost from our view. As much as we used the 10 minutes to search for the pair of ducks, just a distant call indicated their disappearance. After hearing a drumming noise from the wood, we drove down the road in luck for the Lesser-spotted Woodpecker. we didn't see that, but I then spotted a very early male Cuckoo, hopping from tree to tree, superb. We then drove to Lynford Arboreretum, still within the Thetford area. On arrival we walked around the accessible path around the Paddocks to the bridge. Many small flocks of Crossbill were flying over our heads, but sadly not showing perched. We then tweaked on to a pair of Lesser Redpoll over the bridge at a medium level, but soon disappeared. We then got told by a man that by the Folley area we may be lucky to view Hawfinch feeding on the ground bellow the feeder. He also shew us a picture that he took about 5 minutes ago from that point, so we headed straight there. Within reaching their, a flock of about 10 Crossbill were in the tops of trees, a majority of them were males. After taking a few looks and pictures, we moved on to the Hawfinch, where I first found a female in a short ivy-covered tree. We were then fortunate enough to see 2 females feeding where we were told. Brilliant. A fantastic day.

My cousins link is www.jimsbirdingblog.blogspot.com

TOTAL OF BIRDS FOR 2012 = 134