What a start to the week!

On Easter Monday, Dad and I went to Kessingland to see the Ring Ouzels and the Dotterel. Unfortunately, the Dotterel moved on at 5:30am, so we just focused on the Rouzels. After finding the place through the help of locals (we didn't have a clue), we found the Ring Ouzels after a bit of a walk south of the Caravan Park towards the sluice. There were 3 males and 1 female. As usual though, the dog walkers didn't help, and all the birds were flushed and went and landed by the sluice. I had a detour round the area, and I found 3 Sedge Warblers and 3 Whitethroats, both welcome year ticks.

I then joined Dad, and the Ring Ouzels were showing really well, allowing for decent pictures (LOL)...

We also got a flyover Green Sandpiper, Wheatears and Linnets

Didn't see much else or go anywhere throughout the rest of the day so no need to report.

Needham Market Ringing

I went out with the local ringing team to a site in Needham Market near the sewage works this morning. We ringed a range of birds included Lesser and Common Whitethroat and Blackcap (no pictures), Wren, Treecreeper, Robins, Linnets, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Dunnocks and a Blackbird. Before I arrived, they had also ringed a Garden Warbler, female Bullfinch and a Reed Warbler. I saw the Garden warbler, and also heard a Nightingale, and saw a Swift over the sewage works.

At about 10am, I was looking across the river, when a black thrush flew high from right to left. My initial thoughts were Blackbird, but when I put my binoculars up to it, I was shocked, stunned and bewildered to see that it was a male Ring Ouzel. I shouted out RING OUZEL and it flew in a tall tree by Flordon Road. As I went to have a better look, it flew out of the tree, and onto a bramble mound north of the sewage works. I relocated, and got some great views, even if the pictures don't show that....

A superb patch find!!!

Happy Birding!

Catching Up!

Really sorry about the delay of blog updates. I shall start off when we all went to the Tesco in Stowmarket on the 19th April to see the wagtail roost, as up-to 3 of each Yellow and White had been included with the Pieds. We waited about 10 minutes, and in they came. We immediately spotted a Yellow Wagtail fairly close to the van. A couple of White Wagtails stayed distant.

We all then headed for a bit of local birding on Sunday, going to Bosmere and Alderson Lakes. The Great-crested Grebe was on the nest, and I have also found a Canada Goose and Blue Tit nest which seem active, so I'll keep an eye on them. Wildlife at Bosmere included 

Chiffchaff, 

Blackcap (new for the year),  

Treecreeper, 

2 Tufted Duck, 

2 Great-crested Grebe, 

Peacock Butterfly, 

House Martin, 

Grey Heron,

Sparrowhawk

Green Woodpecker

Goldcrest

Jay

A shy but vocal Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Jay

We then went to Alderson Lake, and we saw;

Willow Warbler x 4

Tufted Duck x 2

Great-crested Grebe x 2

Blackcap

There has been a vocal Lesser Whitethroat near my bustop for about 3 days now every morning when I get the bus, but I haven't had the chance to see it. So I went to go and see if I could find it this evening. I got decent views when it came out into the open, but not good enough views for a pic. Got Common Whitethroat this morning by the other bus top with my first Swift flying over.

Happy Birding!