The last couple of weeks.....

Since the delights of the Bee-eaters at Theberton, there have still been some really successful trips in the last few weeks. For starters, the patch has provided me with 6 big fat year ticks, including 5 lifers:

• HONEY BUZZARD
• Common Crossbill
• BLACK-TAILED GODWIT
• NUTHATCH
• COMMON SANDPIPER
• OSPREY

The Honey Buzzard was actually way back on June 28th (well, not that far back really), with it going over my own house with the local pair of Common Buzzards doing their best to see it off. This also allowed me to compare the 2 species really well, and enjoy this 116th bird for my patch life list!

Similar to the Honey Buzzard, the Common Crossbills were also over my house, with 2 over on the evening of July 14th. The next bird was Common Sandpiper, another lifer. Over the past week or so now, I have seen about 6 birds on the patch, an increasing visitor in July/August...

The next bird to go on the list was Nuthatch, where we had tried 3 times for this elusive bird in Shrubland Wood this year and failed. Well, on July 23rd, we finally saw one, calling and moving around the wood with a tit flock. Odd company I know, but its on the list! A Red Kite was also present here too. 

When I realised I'd missed a flock of 17 Black-tailed Godwits on the patch, I was pretty miffed! But, I was notified on July 26th that there was one present, so in the pouring rain we went, and was rewarded!

The 5th lifer of the week was seen this morning, where we had an Osprey over Needham Market town centre! Incredible views but unfortunately no photos. It was seen yesterday morning down Pipps Ford, flying west at 9:30. This morning, it done exactly the same, but we picked it up at 10am on its way west! We're going to try again tomorrow morning.

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A couple of weeks ago, we went to twitch the Black-necked Grebe at Livermere, which is still there today, and although it was distant, we saw it, along with amazing views of a Barn Owl too. I took a video of both the species as I didn't have my camera lol!

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Last Thursday, we met up with David Walsh, and headed for a days birding on the Suffolk Coast. Minsmere was reasonably quiet with no Albatross being a real shock, but we did have Little Gulls, Spotted Redshank and Ruff...

Then, an afternoons Gulling with Brian Small at Walberswick taught me how to id young Yellow-legged Gulls, and we found a Caspian Gull to join in the fun!

Adult YLG

3cy YLG

2cy YLG

Caspian Gull

Happy Birding!

North Norfolk, A Mid Suffolk MEGA and a day of volunteering at RSPB Minsmere!

Wednesday 29th October 2014

This week was my half term week and the first day Dad had free so we could go birding. We thought we'd go for the Surf Scoter in Holkham Bay, and then wherever the birds take us. We arrived at Lady Anne's Drive at 11am, and as I scanned behind the flocks of Pink-feet, I picked up a Rough-legged Buzzard flying distantly towards Wells, its white rump very obvious. We got into Holkham Gap, and joined the small group of birders. Our first delight was a Slavonian Grebe, quite close inshore, and then we picked up the flock of Scoter. Bobbing in and out of view, the obvious white patches on the head picked out the cracking drake Surf Scoter, a lifer for both me and Dad! Great stuff!!! We didn't get any pictures though unfortunately.

We then headed to Cley, to try and find the Shorelark, but it had flown off by the time we got there, so we didn't waste the time, so we called into the Cley Visitor Centre, and got some cake. Yummy!!!

We then went to Burnham Overy Dunes for the rest of the day. We didn't see the reported Ring Ouzel, Whinchat nor any Lapland or Snow Bunting. We did find a brief Brambling, a flock of 200+ Golden Plover, and a Wheatear...

When we met David Norgate, he showed us a probable hybrid Black Brant x Dark-bellied Brent Goose that he had found. It was a nice bird to see, but it just didn't look right for the real thing!!!

Hoopoe!!!

After I played golf on the Thursday, Dad took me to see the cracking Hoopoe at Framsden in the afternoon. It was a great bird to watch...

Volunteering at Minsmere:

I was volunteering at Minsmere on Friday, being a guide on the reserve. I went out in the morning around the scrape with a couple of other guides, and we managed a juvenile Caspian Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull plus the usual waders/ducks. The gulls shot is just for the record...

In the afternoon, I was in Island Mere, and we got my first Goldeneye of the winter, the Great White Egret, 2 Bitterns and an Otter. An enjoyable day.

Very distant

Passing through Framsden to go to Cretingham to play golf, I enjoyed the Hoopoe again, and was delighted to show the bird to Mum. In the afternoon, an added bonus was an Osprey flying over! Brilliant.

Happy Birding!!!

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!

Great Livermere Lifer

Now you might think it's odd that I do 2 posts in 2 days, but this is because Dad and I went for a quick 2 hours birding on Sunday, the day after the Thetford visit. We visited Great Livermere, to see the Brambling flock which I haven't got on the year list yet. It took us a little while to find the place, but as it was our first time of being there, it would. We started off straight away with a mixed finch flock, including a Lesser Redpoll, Brambling, Siskin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and a Goldfinch.

We then caught onto this little beauty......

We then moved on to the lake, and it was full of Mallards. We spotted a couple of Shelduck on it though...

There were also an Egyptian Goose, 3 Barnacle Goose amongst several Greylags, plus plenty of Lapwing. I then picked up a Gull on the water, with a flatter head shape, and a longer neck. Dad and I were a bit stumped because we don't know much about gulls, so we thought we'd take a picture of it, and then id it when we got home (with my new 2nd edition Collin's Bird Guide!)

We have concluded that it was a juvenile Caspian Gull. With the flat head, and longer neck when stretching in the water does fit the id in the book. This is a lifer for both me and dad. We then moved back towards the bushes, were we picked up a very tame Goldcrest. But do you think it would stop for a picture? No. We then walked down to were you could get a view round down the path where the feeders were. We got a cracking Mealy Redpoll in one of the trees, with some Lesser's, and also a Marsh Tit on the feeders...

Mealy Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

We then saw all the Brambling's coming down onto the path....

Phil the pheasant though kept spooking them off.

I then spotted a pair of Tufted Ducks amongst the Mallards...

We then moved onto the Pig fields, just to see if any rare gulls were about. In the end we didn't concentrate on the gulls, so here's what we did concentrate on...

Plenty of Shelduck

Also plenty of Stock Dove

5 Roe Deer were keeping a close eye on us

And a Muntjac kept camouflage with some Chickens? 

And some great Red-legged Partridges.

Happy Birding!