A Good Choice

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JIM BRADLEY!

Just like to say a Happy Birthday to my cousin Jim Bradley (jimsbirdingblog.blogspot.com) I know his Birthday was on Sunday, but I haven't had time to do a post earlier than this. Hope you had a great day Jim!

Anyway, on Sunday just gone, Dad and I wanted to go birding. Dad wanted to go and see the Two-barred Crossbills at Lynford, but I wanted to see the Lesser Grey Shrike near Leiston. So we decided that the Shrike was first. It took a while to find the place, but with some directions we were there in no time. We walked down the bridleway with the big camera, and located the bird with other people. The bird was a bit distant at times, but other times it showed pretty well.

We then went to Sizewell, and we had a cracking time there. Dad wanted to see the Arctic Skua that's been lingering of the rigs, so we had a sharp look, and within 5 seconds, we picked it up about 50 yards offshore. My camera was playing up, so we had to rely on the digiscope.

My Camera - poor

Cracking Digiscope!

That wasn't it though, I picked up a flock of 20+ Common Scoter, a Caspian Gull, a flock of Little Gull and a juv. Black Tern! But the pity was, we missed a Pomarine Skua by 10 mins :( 

We then moved on to Minsmere, and straight to Island Mere. We picked up the 3 GWE in no time. Hard to miss really.

Other birds seen were Bittern, Marsh Harrier and a distant Kingfisher.

Happy Birding!

A Birthday, Coal Tits, Lynford Arboretum, 4 Possible Rarities plus a Cley Visit

I really need to take posting more seriously. It has been I think 4 weeks since my last post. I'm sorry ;(

I shall run through the title as in order so here goes...
You may have gathered that it was my birthday, on the 13th November, but unfortunately it was on a school day. I didn't go birdwatching until the weekend so I'll get to that in a minute. First though, its the invasion of Coal Tits in our garden. They are daily now, and sometimes, there are more than one of them.

Coal Tit in the Garden

Now, its the trip to Lynford Arboretum. Enjoy the pics and videos!

Nuthatches feeding

with a pair of Jays

And then a flock of about 15 Lesser Redpoll!

A Marsh Tit

And brief views of a Firecrest!

We did not see the reports of 2 Waxwings in the Arboretum though which was a shame. Here are some of dads pics....

Some of the Lesser Redpoll

And a striking male Bullfinch

Moving on, and on Thursday lunchtime at school, I was playing football with the lads when I saw 4 massive birds flying overhead. I raced to get a better look, and they were Stork shaped birds. When I got home, I went straight onto rare bird alert, and no-one had put in a report of Cranes / Storks going over Bacton. So that was a miss. I still haven't got a clue what they were. They weren't Swans, and I don't think they were geese? 

Now, it was a visit to Cley on the Saturday just gone....

Brent Geese on Arnolds Marsh

with a Little Egret

and some handsome Widgeon

 We then moved on to Salthouse, where the big shock of the day came....

Turnstones with a Common Gull on the beach

1 of 2 Common Seals

Plus a flock of thousands of geese, Containing a Richardson's Canada Goose!

We were fortunate enough to get a group of about 50 Canada Geese come in and land near Gramborough Hill, and I was scanning when I found the smaller Richardson's walk in front of a common Canada. It was amazing to see. My best bird ever!

A quick mention, this was in the garden Sunday lunch...

A Sparrowhawk with its kill

Happy Birding