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!

My First Day of Ringing!

I asked a local ringing group if I could come along to watch them ring birds. I was very much welcomed to come, so I met up with them at about 8am at a farm in Earl Stonham. Before I got there, they had caught 2 Bullfinch!!! Gutted.

We had a great day, catching 1 Blackbird, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap, and several Yellowhammers, Linnets, Goldfinches, Chaffinches and Greenfinches. We also saw a resident breeding pair of Kingfisher, and 2 Swallows. A Lesser Whitethroat was right by the mist net, but wasn't tempted as it flew off in the other direction! The probable same 2 Bullfinch flew over, but not into our net. Shame....