New Years Day Bird Race, and the Suffolk Coast!

Mum, Dad and I decided to take part in the new years day bird race, so we thought we would go to North Norfolk - Titchwell and Burnham area.

In the garden before we left, we had Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Collared Dove, Starling, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, a flock of about 30 Fieldfare over, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Magpie and Woodpigeon, which bought the total up to 12.

On the way up to Titchwell, we managed to see a further 29 species, making 41 species in total (see complete list at the bottom of the blog post for the birds seen). At Titchwell, the first new bird seen was Wren, followed by a Sparrowhawk. We then added the normal species on the fresh-marsh and salt-marsh, the highlight being a flock of 7 Twite from Parrinder Hide, and then a single Spotted Redshank on the salt-marsh. After finishing at Titchwell, we were on 77 species.

We then went to Burnham Overy, to look for the Rough-legged Buzzard. We soon jammed in on that, and we also got Common Buzzard and Canada Goose.

At the layby looking over to the west end of Holkham, we got a single White-fronted Goose to make the list 85.

We finished the day off at Warham Greens, where we got 3 Hen Harrier (1 male), Linnet, Merlin and a Woodcock, which concluded to a total of 89 species, a very successful day.

New Year's Day Bird Species in order:

1. Blackbird
2. Robin
3. Dunnock
4. Collared Dove
5. Starling
6. House Sparrow
7. Blue Tit
8. Fieldfare
9. Magpie
10. Black-headed Gull
11. Chaffinch
12. Woodpigeon
13. Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon)
14. Common Gull
15. Rook
16. Goldfinch
17. Green Woodpecker
18. Greylag Goose
19. Kestrel
20. Jackdaw
21. Herring Gull
22. Pheasant
23. Lesser Black-backed Gull
24. Great Black-backed Gull
25. Moorhen
26. Mallard
27. Mistle Thrush
28. Mute Swan
29. Cormorant
30. Carrion Crow
31. Red-legged Partridge
32. Song Thrush
33. Egyptian Goose
34. Great Tit
35. Pied Wagtail
36. Redwing
37. Long-tailed Tits
38. Greenfinch
39. Jay
40. Red Kite (2)
41. Pink-footed Goose
42. Lapwing
43. Wren
44. Sparrowhawk
45. Coot
46. Tufted Duck
47. Gadwall
48. Teal
49. Wigeon
50. Brent Goose
51. Ringed Plover
52. Little Egret
53. Curlew
54. Snipe
55. Redshank
56. Grey Plover
57. Dunlin
58. Shelduck
59. Avocet
60. Twite (7)
61. Marsh Harrier
62. Ruff
63. Meadow Pipit
64. Reed Bunting
65. Water Rail
66. Pochard
67. Goldeneye
68. Turnstone
69. Knot
70. Golden Plover
71. Oystercatcher
72. Pintail
73. Shoveler
74. Little Grebe
75. Spotted Redshank
76. Black-tailed Godwit
77. Bar-tailed Godwit
78. Sanderling
79. Great Spotted Woodpecker
80. Coal Tit
81. Stock Dove
82. Rough-legged Buzzard
83. Canada Goose
84. Common Buzzard
85. White-fronted Goose
86. Hen Harrier
87. Linnet
88. Merlin
89. Woodcock

Covehithe Broad and Dunwich Shore Pools

Yesterday, Dad and I teamed up with our friends David and Ed to do a bit of Suffolk coast birding. Before that however, I was stunned to see myself looking at an adult male Bullfinch in the garden. The light wasn't brilliant, but it was still a cracking bird to have in the garden! A first in 4 years...

We started off at Covehithe where we ticked Brambling, flyover Barnacle Geese, Yellowhammer, and a brief Bearded tit before arriving at the broad. We could see the Shorelarks through our bins before looking at them closely, but then they took off and flew high south, and for quite a few miles. However they have been seen again today, so they must go for a fly about before returning. We also got Red-throated Diver offshore, a redhead Smew, and 3 Goldeneye in the area.

We then went to Dunwich Shore Pools. On the walk up, we got Common Scoter, Stonechat, several Great-crested Grebes offshore, Brent Geese, a Skylark, Rock Pipit, Reed Bunting and a cracking male Hen Harrier, which hunted the reed bed albeit a bit distant...

We then located the Twite flock with a bit of help from another birder, where about 20 birds were present.

Further up (about a further 2 miles!) we relocated the Snow Buntings, which were so obliging to us...

On the way back home, we had a lovely Barn Owl hunting alongside the road in Pettaugh which was another year tick taking the total up to 108.

We had a brilliant day, and I just want to thank David and Ed for taking us out, it was a real pleasure.

Steppe Grey Shrike and Yellow-browed Warbler

Last Sunday, Dad took me up to North Norfolk to see the Steppe Grey Shrike at Burnham Norton. It was very foggy when we arrived, and light was pretty poor. You could the call of thousands of Pink feet flying overhead, but you just couldn't see them unless they were like 10 ft above you! Anyway...

...the Shrike was sitting in a bush about 60 yards from the path, so with the light, it was poor to photograph it.

There were several people that had twitched the shrike. Well over 50 people there.

After about half an hour, the Shrike came a bit closer, and showed the tameness this particular race obviously carries.

We then moved on to Stiffkey, and as this happened, I ran out of credit on my phone! DOH! This meant I couldn't see what was about. We just had to wing it. I saw though that there were some YBW's at Stiffkey, so thats where we headed...

We arrived at the Campsite Car park, and walked through the wood. We joined a group, who were alos looking for the YBW. I found after some extensive searching flitting about high in the canopy. We managed some decent shots...

We then went to see if we could find our own rarities at Garden Drove, Warham Greens, one of my favourite places. After walking down the track, all we saw was a Blackcap, a tit flock which contained nothing interesting and a Great-spotted Woodpecker. We called it a day here and headed home.

Monday and Tuesday produced a hall of birds due to the easterlies and rain. I couldn't believe because on Sunday, we were looking in a tree down Garden Drove. The next day, people saw with joy a Red-flanked Bluetail perched in it. NO WAY!!! If the winds had been a couple of days earlier, we would have seen tonnes of rarities. Going out this Sunday, fingers crossed things will linger, but I doubt it.

GARDEN/PATCH MEGA!!!!

At 14:00 yesterday, Dad had a Short-eared Owl over our garden, WHILE I WAS AT SCHOOL!!! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! What a bird that would've been to see. This was obviously a passing bird, but it was flying low over the road behind our garden. Jammy git (I'll calm down in a minute!)

Happy Birding :-)

Spring is here!

Yesterday, Dad and I went to Minsmere, in hope of some spring migrants. The day started off very well with our 2nd ever Blackcap singing and showing well in our garden.

We got to Minsmere, and the first birds were about 15 Sand Martins on the sand banks by the visitor center...

We then got a singing Willow Warbler outside North Hide which was a very early spring migrant for me. In North Hide, we got Avocet, Ruff and Common Snipe.

We saw a Stone-curlew in the usual place, but there was a heat haze and it wasn't moving, so not very exciting to watch. Out to sea, we got about 30 Red-throated Divers, which was a nice surprise, as we thought they would have gone by now. In East Hide, we got 3 Mediterranean Gull, Black-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Ruff, Dunlin, Turnstone, Avocet, 3+ Caspian Gull, Pintail but no Spotted Redshank nor Grey Plover (as the were both reported)...

We then went up to South Levels, but didn't see the reported Short-eared Owl nor the Spoonbill. We carried on round the scrape, and didn't see Swallow nor House Martin (as the they were both reported too). We then got a very showy Cetti's Warbler outside South Hide.

We then went to Island Mere. But on the way, we got a few Adder in their usual place...

And a very showy Robin...

We got a cracking Jack Snipe by the hide, but not much else.

Dads

 Mine

In Bittern hide, we got a brief Bittern and Bearded Tit. Could have seen a lot more, but an enjoyable spring walk around the reserve.

Happy Birding!

Local Butterflies!

Yesterday I went for a walk around the area, in the hope of finding some butterflies. I went through the fields at the back of our house, and I found my first Small Copper and Common Blue of the area, and best of all, at least 4 Clouded Yellow! This was an amazing find. I shall have a look today to see if there still there, and also, we have had 2 Speckled Wood in the garden, also a first for the garden.

Lackford Lakes' Butterfly's

On the Wednesday just gone, Dad and I visited Lackford Lakes again to see how many Butterfly's we could count, and then every butterfly we saw, we had to take a photo of it. We got 16 possibly 17 species of Butterfly around the reserve, which is amazing. We got the more than one of the wardens! Here we go...

Peacock

Green-veined White

Brown Argus

Gatekeeper

Comma

2 Peacock

Meadow Brown

Large White

Speckled Wood

Comma

Red Admiral

Large White

Not Sure

Some sort of Moth

Brimstone

Loads of Corvids

Large Skipper

Poss. Silver-spotted Skipper

I know these are very rare but it's the only thing I can relate it to. Your help please!

Small Skipper

Ringlet

Small Tortoishell

Painted Lady

A Tail-less Small White

Another Large Skipper with a Bumblebee

Peacock

And finally, Red Admiral

Birds of note included Green Sandpiper and a calling Kingfisher.

If you know I have miss identified one of the butterfly's or you know one that I didn't, please comment your views. As you may have seen, a Great-spotted Woodpecker visited our peanuts yesterday, but no sign today. This is a different individual to last years, because last years had no red cap, where this one has. Picture on previous post.

Hopefully going to Bradfield Woods on Monday for White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary.

Happy Birding!