Landguard Lifers!

Mum took me down to Landguard on Tuesday after sightings of Greenish Warbler and Common Rosefinch. We managed to dodge the rain for the first half an hour, until the heavens opened. In the dry spell though, we managed to see the Common Rosefinch, where it was feeding on the ground, but showing a bit too distant for the camera...

The bird then took off, so we then went to look at the Greenish Warbler. It was very vocal, but only brief glimpses was all that could be captured of one of the rarest birds I've seen.

Meeting SIR (should be) Chris Packham!!!

On Monday, Dad and I was at Minsmere, as I had my induction day to become a volunteer. So, Dad obviously went round the reserve for the 3 hours I was getting a tour.

He saw some good stuff, and took some cracking pictures. He got a stonking Bittern outside Bittern Hide and Bearded Tits outside Island Mere...

After I finished my induction day, I caught him up on the scrape. I got Arctic and Sandwich Terns onto the year list, plus all the usual suspects. 

We also got a flock of Kittiwakes on the scrape too

We then went back via the Springwatch Base, and managed to get a glimpse of Chris, Michaela and Martin

And then, they all walked towards us, and I managed to picture with Chris. OMG!!!

HAPPY DAYS!

Wednesdays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

RED-BACKED SHRIKE, Grey-headed Wagtail at Minsmere!!!

MONTAGU'S HARRIER at King's Fleet, Felixstowe Ferry

Turtle Dove at Stoke-by-Nayland

Other News!

BLACK-HEADED BUNTING at West Runton, Norfolk!!!

EASTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER. ICTERINE WARBLER at Blakeney Point, Norfolk

CASPIAN STONECHAT still on Fair Isle

2 x BLYTH'S REED WARBLER on Shetland (Skerries and Whalsay)

BLYTH'S REED WARBLER at Dungeness, Kent

BEE-EATER X 4 still at Portland, Dorset

BEE-EATER over Isle of Wight

SAVI'S WARBLER still at Newport Wetlands, Gwent

SUBALPINE WARBLER at Spurn, Yorkshire

Mega News!

**MEGA** COLLARED FLYCATCHER at Fair Isle, Shetland

Bird Quiz - Week 15

Last weeks mystery bird was indeed a male Bearded Tit. Well big well done to Toby Carter, Findlay Wilde and Rob Stokes. Unlucky to those who got it wrong, but many thanks for taking the time to have a go. Here's this weeks mystery bird....

There are 3 birds in this picture. You get 1 mark if you get 1 bird, 2 marks if you get 2 species and 3 marks if you get all 3 species.

If you want to have a go you can leave your answers in the comments or you can DM me on Twitter to @MoysieBirder. Good luck everyone!!

Tuesdays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

GREENISH WARBLER, COMMON ROSEFINCH at Landguard - saw both!!!!

GOLDEN ORIOLE at Minsmere

Firecrest at Thorpeness

Other News!

BEE-EATER on the Isle of Mull

RUSTIC BUNTING on the Isle of Iona

BLYTH'S REED WARBLER at North Uist, Western Isles

BLYTH'S REED WARBLER, CASPIAN STONECHAT on Fair Isle

ALPINE SWIFT on Birsay, Orkney

RUSTIC BUNTINGS X 2 on Shetland

SAVI'S WARBLER at Uskmouth, Gwent

BEE-EATER X 4, RED-FOOTED FALCON at Portland

Mega News!

**MEGA** COLLARED FLYCATCHER on Tiree, Argyll

Turtle Doves!!!! And Nightjars!!!!

Last night I was invited round my Aunties house to come and see the pair of Turtle Doves that they have every year. I hadn't really seen decent views of a Turtle Dove before, so I was really excited. I had seen them in her garden before, but only flying.

We got there and started to go round the back when we were waved back the other way through the front, as the Turtle Doves were in the garden!!!!! We raced through the front, and would you believe it they flew off before we got anywhere near the kitchen! Gutted. So we waited for them to come back.

While waiting we got a Great-spotted Woodpecker on the peanuts, which was nice to see. A Pheasant then came to the feeding station, so while that was there, the Turtle's weren't going to come down and feed. It took 10 minutes for the Pheasant to go away. Obviously hungry!

After the Pheasant went away, I saw a couple of doves land on the fence through some thick foliage, but they weren't there for long, as they flew towards the feeding station. They looked promising, but not definite. Within minutes I noticed a pair of Doves sitting on top of the feeding station, preening, and blow me down they were a pair of Turtle Doves! AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!! I got some pictures through the window which were terrible. I creeped outside to get of a picture of one that was left on the feeding station before it flew off to join the other one over the fence...

I then crawled under the line of the fence, and gradually peered above the fence, and they were sitting right next to me. Outstanding views....

Westleton Heath

We left for a Nightjar watch at Westleton Heath at 19:30, as 3 had been sighted. We got a cracking Little Owl on a telegraph pole in Peasenhall on the way. We got there at about 20:30. It was a great evening. Clear skies and no wind. A Nightingale was singing, so we listened to that for a bit. Lovely birds to hear, pity about not seeing it!

We then listened to a pair of Dartford Warblers singing before hearing the first Nightjar churring.

After getting a nice flighty bird, we ended the night with 3 Nightjars, favouring a fallen tree as it's perch. There were also Stone Curlews calling as well, presumably the ones from Minsmere? A great day!

Fridays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

Spoonbill x 2 at Benacre Broad

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW over Undercliffe, Felixstowe

BEE-EATER X 4 over Bawdsey

Turtle Dove x 2 in My Aunties Garden (Breeding for a few years there now)

Other News!

BEE-EATER X 5 at Flamborough, East Yorkshire

GREAT REED WARBLER at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire

BEE-EATER X 4 at New Romney, Kent

BEE-EATER flew over Dungeness, Kent

BEE-EATER at Co. Kerry, Ireland

CITRINE WAGTAIL at Unst, Shetland

BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER at Islay, Argyll

Mega News!

**MEGA** SNOWY OWL at Benbecula, Western Isles

**MEGA** BAILLON'S CRAKE at Oare Marshes, Kent

Thursdays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

Garganey at Lackford Lakes

BEE-EATER over Corton

Little Gull at Minsmere

Spoonbill x 2 at Stour Estuary

PURPLE HERON still at Minsmere

Other News!

CASPIAN STONECHAT, WESTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER still on Fair Isle, Shetland

BEE-EATER X 5 at Flamborough, East Yorkshire

SAVI'S WARBLER at Radipole Lake RSPB, Dorset

GREAT REED WARBLER at Green Park, Berkshire

BLACK-HEADED BUNTING on Skomer, Pembrokeshire

Mega News!

**MEGA** CALANDRA LARK on Fair Isle, Shetland

**MEGA** BAILLON'S CRAKE at Oare Marshes, Kent

A very late (sorry) Bird Quiz - Week 14!

VERY SORRY FOR THE DELAY. I HAVE BEEN SOOOOO BUSY WITH SCHOOL WORK I HAVEN'T HAD TIME. MY APOLOGIES!

Last weeks mystery bird was indeed a Chiffchaff, which I saw in Yarmouth Cemetery last year. A big well done to Rob Stokes and Toby Carter for getting the correct answer. Unlucky to those who got it wrong but many thanks for trying. Here's this weeks mystery bird....

If you want to have a go, please leave your answers in the comments or on Twitter @MoysieBirder. I will be very grateful if you have a go, so if you do, many thanks.

Good Luck!

Wednesdays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

PURPLE HERON at Minsmere

Little Stint at Hollesly

Other News!

RUSTIC BUNTING on North Ronaldsay, Orkney

RUSTIC BUNTING on Tiree, Argyll

RUSTIC BUNTING on Unst, Shetland

TEREK SANDPIPER still at Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire morning only before flushed by birders

GOLDEN ORIOLE, DOTTEREL X 2 still at Horsey

Two-barred Crossbill still at Lynford Arboretum

Mega News!

None

Bird Quiz - Week 13

Last weeks mystery bird was indeed at Tree Sparrow which was in my garden early last year...

Well done to Findlay Wilde, Sam Pitt Miller, CIAN Cardiff, Rob Stokes and Toby Carter for getting the correct answer. Unlucky to those who got it wrong but thanks so much for having a go. Here's this weeks mystery bird...

If you would like to have a go you can leave your answers in the comments or on my Twitter @MoysieBirder. 

Good luck everybody!!

Saturdays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

Caspian Gull x 3, Yellow-legged Gull x 18 at Mickle Mere

Whinchat at Lakenheath

Whinchat at Shingle Street

Osprey over Blyth Estuary

Whinchat at Landguard

Whinchat at Corton

Whinchat at Benacre

Garganey at Southwold

DOTTEREL X 2 still at Easton Broad

Osprey, Spoonbill x 2, Garganey at Minsmere

Black Brant, Short-eared Owl at Levington Creek

TEMMINCK'S STINT X 2 at Trimley Marshes

Other News!

CASPIAN STONECHAT still on Fair Isle, Shetland

ALPINE SWIFT at Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire
Dotterel x 8 still at Choseley, Norfolk

Temminck's Stint x 2 at Cley, Norfolk
Temminck's Stint at Hickling Broad
Pied Flycatcher at Great Yarmouth Cemy, Norfolk

Other News!

**MEGA** SNOWY OWL at Grenitote, Western Isles
**MEGA** GREAT-SPOTTED CUCKOO at Co. Galway, Ireland (y'day)

Fridays Sightings!

Suffolk Bird Sightings!

Spoonbill x 3, Garganey at Minsmere

MONTAGU'S HARRIER at Pakefield

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW, DOTTEREL X 2, Spoonbill at Easton Broad

Arctic Tern past Landguard

Garganey at Trimley Marshes

Other News!

CASPIAN STONECHAT, LITTLE BUNTING still on Fair Isle, Shetland

RUSTIC BUNTING on Fetlar, Shetland

Dotterel x 11 still at Choseley, Norfolk

Wryneck at Kettering, Norfolk

Temminck's Stint at Cley, Norfolk

Richard's Pipit at Horsey, Norfolk

Other News!

**MEGA** GREAT-SPOTTED CUCKOO still at The Lizard, Cornwall

A Time To Get My Norfolk Year List Going!

On Bank Holiday Monday, Dad took me up to the Norfolk Broads, to try and get some summer birds on my Norfolk Year List, as I hadn't got any. I started the day on 132 for Norfolk, and I wanted to add at least 10 to that by the end of the day. We started off going to Strumpshaw. On the A47, we got a cracking Red Kite (133), which was also new to my British Year List. We also got Swallow, Whitethroat and House Martin (136) on there too.

We got to Strumpshaw, and to Fen Hide. We had just missed a Bittern right in front of the hide - it's always the way isn't it! However, we did get several Marsh Harriers here, which were either nest building, hunting or doing food passes - Great to watch!!!!! Also got a distant flying Whimbrel (137)

We then carried on round, and got a cracking male Reed Bunting...

There were several butterflies about too, including my first Green-veined Whites of the year. I am very proud of my photo's of them :)

We then got singing Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler (140), more Whitethroats and plenty of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs....

Willow Warblers

There were really good number of Swifts (141) screaming too...

Fen Hide produced some goodies, with an overdue Wigeon, 2 Common Terns (142), and a couple of distant Cuckoo's (143)....

Walking round the rest of the reserve failed to produce a Gropper, but did get a great summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, even if the picture doesn't show for it. We also got my first Large Red Damselfly of the year too along with Hairy Dragonfly.

We then went to Buckenham, where we got Hobby and Lesser Whitethroat (145), and another Red Kite....

As we got closer to the hide, I started to check the Gulls for a Little Gull that had been reported, but didn't see it. We got Redshanks, baby and adult Lapwings, a Ruff, Sedge Warbler and all the common stuff...

But while looking at these, out of nothing almost, the Little Gull had flown in and landed in front of the hide. We raced up to the hide, and went and had a look. We got great views of this little fella through the scope, but it was too distant for the camera, so I thought I would give it a go with some digiscoping. I got my phone out, and hand held it on the scope, and took a couple of great snaps and a video too!!! Not bad for a first attempt eh?

A stop at Beighton Church for the Turtle Doves was unsuccessful, but I did miss one fly right over my head as I was too busy talking. Stupid Boy!

Happy Birding!