Showing posts with label suffolk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suffolk. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Lakenheath Fen RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, UK, 29-May-2011
5:00 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out as close to the dawn chorus as I could muster, hoping for as many of the wonderful species that reside at Lakenheath as possible, & I was not disappointed.
Weather: Overcast, blustery (SW).
50 species
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall 1
Eurasian Wigeon 1 male on the reservoir.
Garganey 2 , a pair out of the water on the mud on the side of the reservoir. They settled down with heads tucked in but not before I got nice views & was able to point them out to a tour-lead group.
Tufted Duck 3 over.
Common Pheasant X
Little Grebe X
Great Crested Grebe X
Great Cormorant X
Great Bittern 3 flying around over the New Fen marshes. They were out in the open for a remarkably long time & went quite high up the air in some sort of display or dispute flight at times it resembled a dog-fight. Strange behaviour to observe in a normally secretive species but not completely unheard of apparently. A nearby chatty RSPB guide commented that he had seen it happen a few times, presumably as they establish territories & compete for mates. It was just after observing the bitterns that the golden oriole popped out on its branch causing quite a bit of excitement.
Grey Heron X
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier 1
Common Kestrel X
Common Moorhen X
Eurasian Coot X
Black-headed Gull X
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 over.
Common Tern 1 only, on the reservoir.
Stock Dove 1 over.
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Common Cuckoo 2 heard at first from the car-park. Later a couple were flying around near the poplar copses & one obligingly perched at the top of a tree by the side of the path allowing excellent views & some good photos as I waited, with others, for a golden oriole.
Barn Owl 1 hunting over the marshes.
Common Swift 8 approx.
Great Spotted Woodpecker X
Green Woodpecker X
Eurasian Golden Oriole 1 finally seen after the usual frustrating search amongst the dense poplars. At 5:30-5:45am I heard that sounded very close, but I didn't see it. At 8:15pm as I begun to make my way out I hung around with a large-ish group loitering on the path at the Trial Wood plantation trying to find one. All of a sudden there was a flurry of excitement as a wonderful bright male had come out into the open. A few, including me, ran to the spot where it could be seen & I got a great view for about 30 seconds as it briefly preened, & I even got a couple of record shots. It then flew back to the poplar canopy. Easily my best view of this bird, & always well worth the effort & patience required to find one.
Eurasian Jay X
Common Magpie X
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Rook X
Carrion Crow X
Bearded Tit 1 male, perched close by on some phragmites allowing a good look at its neat bright plumage.
Sand Martin X
Common House-Martin X
Great Tit X - heard.
Eurasian Wren X - heard.
Common Chiffchaff X - heard.
Sedge Warbler X
Eurasian Reed-Warbler X
Blackcap X - heard.
Garden Warbler 1 heard - a nearby RSPB guide picked out the song from the more prevalent blackcap singing nearby.
Common Whitethroat X - heard.
Eurasian Blackbird X
Song Thrush X - heard.
Mistle Thrush 1 over, carrying food.
Pied Wagtail 2 , adult & juvenile.
Reed Bunting 1 singing male.
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Saturday, 30 May 2009
RSPB Lakenheath, Suffolk, 23/05/2009
Weather: dawn - clear, still, sunny, increasingly bright & warm as the sun rose. From 4:45am.
A crack of dawn start to experience the magic of Spring's dawn chorus. I also wanted to be at Lakenheath to see if the orioles were easier to see at dawn. Even though this was exceptionally early for me, I was not the first person on site, but I could see the attraction of such a early start as the volume was definitely much louder than usual & totally worth the effort.
Almost immediately from the carpark a Roe Deer scampered into the undergrowth.
Heading down along the path parallel to the train-line, in the scrub & adjacent woods (before plantations):
Jay & a booming Bittern from distant reedbeds as well as a calling Cuckoo;
Rook, Wren, Sedge Warbler, Pheasant, Whitethroat;
Skylark heard from farm fields beyond the railway;
Reed Bunting, Blackbird;
Blackcap heard from within the woods;
Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Reed Warbler.
From the first viewpoint:
Great Crested Grebe, Crow, Magpie.
On reaching the first poplar plantation I decided to hang around & hope I could get a decent view of the elusive orioles:
Roe Deer, barking at first then it bounded through the undergrowth after it spotted me;
Green Woodpecker, heard from somewhere else on the reserve.
Golden Oriole, calling its lovely flutey call initially, but then I caught a few glimpses of swift shapes flying amongst the poplar galleries, then, after I sat down to get a more comfortable long-term view two, possibly a pair, alighted at the top of a nearby poplar giving me my best views of a wonderful bird, though they departed into the thick plantation canopy within a minute!
After the satisfying sighting I headed further up the reserve:
Muntjac crossing the path;
Grey Heron over;
Water Rail heard squealing from the reedbeds;
Cuckoo passed over my head towards the first poplar plantation;
Kestrel, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Lapwing (x2).
At the second plantation I had another look for the calling orioles, along with many other birders. After more shadowy shapes I identified a Mistle Thrush, which I thought might have been an oriole as it flitted about, but then I noticed 'it' was a couple tending a nest amongst the bows. The orioles were not any more forthcoming so I continued on.
Shelduck (2 over) & Stock Dove on the way to the far viewpoint.
From the far viewpoint:
Bittern, one flying down low over the reeds then two flying together over the reedbeds involved in some sort of dispute & visible for a good few minutes;
Barn Owl, great views of one daylight hunting;
Marsh Harrier, a male & female;
Cormorant, over;
Coot pair with a chick.
I headed back down the path, past increasing numbers of birders looking, presumably for the orioles which were still calling. I got a good view of a female Bearded Tit legs akimbo perched on two reed stems, then a Chaffinch in the trees.
Finally on the washland:
Mute Swan, Gadwall, Moorhen;
Garganey, a fine male feeding in the open on the washland which I watched for several minutes before I had to depart.
41 species, none new.
A crack of dawn start to experience the magic of Spring's dawn chorus. I also wanted to be at Lakenheath to see if the orioles were easier to see at dawn. Even though this was exceptionally early for me, I was not the first person on site, but I could see the attraction of such a early start as the volume was definitely much louder than usual & totally worth the effort.
Almost immediately from the carpark a Roe Deer scampered into the undergrowth.
Heading down along the path parallel to the train-line, in the scrub & adjacent woods (before plantations):
Jay & a booming Bittern from distant reedbeds as well as a calling Cuckoo;
Rook, Wren, Sedge Warbler, Pheasant, Whitethroat;
Skylark heard from farm fields beyond the railway;
Reed Bunting, Blackbird;
Blackcap heard from within the woods;
Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Reed Warbler.
From the first viewpoint:
Great Crested Grebe, Crow, Magpie.
On reaching the first poplar plantation I decided to hang around & hope I could get a decent view of the elusive orioles:
Roe Deer, barking at first then it bounded through the undergrowth after it spotted me;
Green Woodpecker, heard from somewhere else on the reserve.
Golden Oriole, calling its lovely flutey call initially, but then I caught a few glimpses of swift shapes flying amongst the poplar galleries, then, after I sat down to get a more comfortable long-term view two, possibly a pair, alighted at the top of a nearby poplar giving me my best views of a wonderful bird, though they departed into the thick plantation canopy within a minute!
After the satisfying sighting I headed further up the reserve:
Muntjac crossing the path;
Grey Heron over;
Water Rail heard squealing from the reedbeds;
Cuckoo passed over my head towards the first poplar plantation;
Kestrel, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Lapwing (x2).
At the second plantation I had another look for the calling orioles, along with many other birders. After more shadowy shapes I identified a Mistle Thrush, which I thought might have been an oriole as it flitted about, but then I noticed 'it' was a couple tending a nest amongst the bows. The orioles were not any more forthcoming so I continued on.
Shelduck (2 over) & Stock Dove on the way to the far viewpoint.
From the far viewpoint:
Bittern, one flying down low over the reeds then two flying together over the reedbeds involved in some sort of dispute & visible for a good few minutes;
Barn Owl, great views of one daylight hunting;
Marsh Harrier, a male & female;
Cormorant, over;
Coot pair with a chick.
I headed back down the path, past increasing numbers of birders looking, presumably for the orioles which were still calling. I got a good view of a female Bearded Tit legs akimbo perched on two reed stems, then a Chaffinch in the trees.
Finally on the washland:
Mute Swan, Gadwall, Moorhen;
Garganey, a fine male feeding in the open on the washland which I watched for several minutes before I had to depart.
41 species, none new.
RSPB Lakenheath, Suffolk, 16/05/2009
Weather: cloudy, some sun, windy. From 9:50am.
First early summer visit, with Kim, to attempt to see the resident orioles.
Along the path that runs parallel to the railway, via the visitors' centre. Most species in good voice as per the time of year: Dunnock, Wren, Coot, Whitethroat (eventually spotted amongst the low vegetation), Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Swift (many over the reedbeds), Greylag Goose, Reed Warbler (only heard from the dense reeds), Rook (in their rookery trees), Cuckoo calling persistently though I didn't sight it.
On various patches of water amongst the reedbeds: Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Mallard, House Martin (a few amongst the swifts & swallows), Tufted Duck, Bittern (booming repeatedly), Swallow (6-8 also over the reedbeds with the other hirundines).
Reaching the first of the poplar plantations we were soon amongst many other birders straining our ears & eyes for the orioles & it wasn't too long before we could hear their distinctive song though they remained elusive. Eventually we carried on to the next poplar plantation where more orioles were in good voice but again we drew a blank seeing them amongst the dense poplar trees, especially because the wind was increasing & the large poplars dense leaf cover shifting about so much made the task much harder.
At the 'top end' of the reserve we stopped at the shelter & benches: Common Tern (foraging back & forward over the reedbeds), Marsh Harrier, Hobby (1 male & another species I was hoping to see at Lakenheath for the first time), Gadwall (2), Stock Dove, Herring Gull (over).
On the way back & past the first poplar plantation, the orioles could be heard better. We lingered hoping for a sighting & I scanned the canopy a few times looking along the galleries between the trunks. Suddenly with a huge slice of luck a Golden Oriole flashed through the field of vision of my binoculars for an exhilarating but brief & unmistakeable view of a golden streak with black trim. After that I had no luck finding another for the other people around & felt almost guilty that I'd seen one & no-one else had.
Eventually carrying on out of the reserve, amongst the reeds, or over them or in the adjoining woodlands: Moorhen,
Kestrel, Blackcap (singing from the trees), Crow, Lapwing, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon.
29 species, 1 new.
First early summer visit, with Kim, to attempt to see the resident orioles.
Along the path that runs parallel to the railway, via the visitors' centre. Most species in good voice as per the time of year: Dunnock, Wren, Coot, Whitethroat (eventually spotted amongst the low vegetation), Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Swift (many over the reedbeds), Greylag Goose, Reed Warbler (only heard from the dense reeds), Rook (in their rookery trees), Cuckoo calling persistently though I didn't sight it.
On various patches of water amongst the reedbeds: Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Mallard, House Martin (a few amongst the swifts & swallows), Tufted Duck, Bittern (booming repeatedly), Swallow (6-8 also over the reedbeds with the other hirundines).
Reaching the first of the poplar plantations we were soon amongst many other birders straining our ears & eyes for the orioles & it wasn't too long before we could hear their distinctive song though they remained elusive. Eventually we carried on to the next poplar plantation where more orioles were in good voice but again we drew a blank seeing them amongst the dense poplar trees, especially because the wind was increasing & the large poplars dense leaf cover shifting about so much made the task much harder.
At the 'top end' of the reserve we stopped at the shelter & benches: Common Tern (foraging back & forward over the reedbeds), Marsh Harrier, Hobby (1 male & another species I was hoping to see at Lakenheath for the first time), Gadwall (2), Stock Dove, Herring Gull (over).
On the way back & past the first poplar plantation, the orioles could be heard better. We lingered hoping for a sighting & I scanned the canopy a few times looking along the galleries between the trunks. Suddenly with a huge slice of luck a Golden Oriole flashed through the field of vision of my binoculars for an exhilarating but brief & unmistakeable view of a golden streak with black trim. After that I had no luck finding another for the other people around & felt almost guilty that I'd seen one & no-one else had.
Eventually carrying on out of the reserve, amongst the reeds, or over them or in the adjoining woodlands: Moorhen,
Kestrel, Blackcap (singing from the trees), Crow, Lapwing, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon.
29 species, 1 new.
Monday, 13 April 2009
RSPB Lakenheath, Suffolk, 13/04/2009
Weather as before, sun trying to break through. From 9:30am.
Final port of call in the Brecks; this reserve seems to fast maturing into something special, though unfortunately the shrike had departed a week earlier.
From the carpark to the visitors' centre & along the main path to the top of the reserve: Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Coot, Sedge Warbler, Mallard, Rook, Blackcap; Great Spotted Woodpecker - first drumming then a bit further along a couple active together in the treetops; Blackbird, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Great-Crested Grebe, Wren, Crow.
Over the reedbeds the Marsh Harrier were in good form, with some sky-tumbling & also very vocal with a mewing sound I haven't heard before.
Further along the distinctive booming of a Bittern was heard, a first for me at Lakenheath but I didn't look for it in the thick reedbeds as I didn't fancy my chances against its camouflage; overflying Shelduck & Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck (7 - 4 male) on a small reedbed pool before taking wing.
In the reedbeds at the end of the reserve I heard 'pinging' Bearded Tit & as I waited I caught a few seconds view of a couple of squabbling bright orange males - the typical view. Later from the viewpoint another male appeared at the top of a reed & stayed there for a good 30 seconds or so giving me an excellent view in the sunlight, & probably my best view of the species to date.
After the reedbeds I walked up onto the washland wall; on the water or in the vegetation & reeds on either side: Mute Swan (pair), Reed Bunting, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Magpie, Redshank (pair), Little Egret (pair), Willow Warbler (heard), Green Woodpecker (heard), Canada Goose, Great Tit (2), Pheasant.
Towards the end of the wall, nearer the main washland 'lake': Egyptian Goose (pair), then a pipit flew over with a much stronger call note than 'mipit', a likely Water Pipit but it flew off into the distant (another good indication); Black-Headed Gull, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Moorhen, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Swallow, Lapwing.
38 species.
Final port of call in the Brecks; this reserve seems to fast maturing into something special, though unfortunately the shrike had departed a week earlier.
From the carpark to the visitors' centre & along the main path to the top of the reserve: Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Coot, Sedge Warbler, Mallard, Rook, Blackcap; Great Spotted Woodpecker - first drumming then a bit further along a couple active together in the treetops; Blackbird, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Great-Crested Grebe, Wren, Crow.
Over the reedbeds the Marsh Harrier were in good form, with some sky-tumbling & also very vocal with a mewing sound I haven't heard before.
Further along the distinctive booming of a Bittern was heard, a first for me at Lakenheath but I didn't look for it in the thick reedbeds as I didn't fancy my chances against its camouflage; overflying Shelduck & Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck (7 - 4 male) on a small reedbed pool before taking wing.
In the reedbeds at the end of the reserve I heard 'pinging' Bearded Tit & as I waited I caught a few seconds view of a couple of squabbling bright orange males - the typical view. Later from the viewpoint another male appeared at the top of a reed & stayed there for a good 30 seconds or so giving me an excellent view in the sunlight, & probably my best view of the species to date.
After the reedbeds I walked up onto the washland wall; on the water or in the vegetation & reeds on either side: Mute Swan (pair), Reed Bunting, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Magpie, Redshank (pair), Little Egret (pair), Willow Warbler (heard), Green Woodpecker (heard), Canada Goose, Great Tit (2), Pheasant.
Towards the end of the wall, nearer the main washland 'lake': Egyptian Goose (pair), then a pipit flew over with a much stronger call note than 'mipit', a likely Water Pipit but it flew off into the distant (another good indication); Black-Headed Gull, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Moorhen, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Swallow, Lapwing.
38 species.
Saturday, 20 December 2008
RSPB Lakenheath, Suffolk, 20/12/2008
Weather: cool, overcast, still. From 12:25pm.
A winter trip to Breckland on the chance of seeing my number one target bird that was reported as being present from the RSPB recent sightings blog.
On arrival a few species were noticed on the way to the car-park, where the road passes by a large area of trees & shrubs, so & as well as Kestrel (1), Jay (1), Starling (>10) there were large numbers of Goldfinch (~50) & Long-Tailed Tit (~6).
From the car-park towards the visitors' centre were Stonechat (2), on fences around the feeders though not feeding from them, & Carrion Crow (1s & 2s).
Instead of heading towards the main reserve area & the poplar plantations & reedbeds we decided to head out past the washland (lake/pond) & onto the river-wall, along the way: Greenfinch (3), Dunnock (2), Cormorant (2), Mute Swan (~12), Shoveler (>12), Black-Headed Gull (>20), Herring Gull (1, first winter), Redshank (3), Wren (~6) amongst the reeds & Fieldfare (6) flying along the far river-bank.
Heading back along the same way towards the washland a Grey Heron flapped over the reeds & Common Gull (2) were seen amongst the black-heads on the lake as well as a Canada Goose (1).
Instead of taking the path from the wall back to the car-park we decided to act on the tip-off received when we arrived, & elected to continue along the wall towards the more agricultural land outside the reserve, although to be honest I had given up on seeing the target bird.
No sooner had I finished the thought than I heard a "what's that?" & there it was, perched on a bush about 20 yards away, a Great Grey Shrike (1), which also explained the numerous chaffinch & blackbird alarm calls I was hearing from the nearby poplars! As mentioned before I have always wanted to see one of these enigmatic & charismatic birds & I was delighted to get a good look at one especially in Norfolk, as I had thought that with their non-breeding scarcity in the UK, I would most likely see one abroad. So there it was in front of me & there it perched in its neat grey & bandit black mask for a few minutes, before unfortunately it flew off towards the farmland building, disturbed by a couple of dog-walkers, what else?
No sooner had it gone that I spotted a distant Green Woodpecker (1) & alarmed birds also showed themselves as Blackbird (4) & Chaffinch (~10).
Unfortunately the shrike didn't come back despite a good few minutes spent on refreshments in the car-park, but on the way out there seemed to be even more activity amongst the scrub between the car-park & the main road, as well as the goldfinches, Redwing (2) , Great-Spotted Woodpecker (1) & Goldcrest (1) were also seen.
27 species, 1 new.
A winter trip to Breckland on the chance of seeing my number one target bird that was reported as being present from the RSPB recent sightings blog.
On arrival a few species were noticed on the way to the car-park, where the road passes by a large area of trees & shrubs, so & as well as Kestrel (1), Jay (1), Starling (>10) there were large numbers of Goldfinch (~50) & Long-Tailed Tit (~6).
From the car-park towards the visitors' centre were Stonechat (2), on fences around the feeders though not feeding from them, & Carrion Crow (1s & 2s).
Instead of heading towards the main reserve area & the poplar plantations & reedbeds we decided to head out past the washland (lake/pond) & onto the river-wall, along the way: Greenfinch (3), Dunnock (2), Cormorant (2), Mute Swan (~12), Shoveler (>12), Black-Headed Gull (>20), Herring Gull (1, first winter), Redshank (3), Wren (~6) amongst the reeds & Fieldfare (6) flying along the far river-bank.
Heading back along the same way towards the washland a Grey Heron flapped over the reeds & Common Gull (2) were seen amongst the black-heads on the lake as well as a Canada Goose (1).
Instead of taking the path from the wall back to the car-park we decided to act on the tip-off received when we arrived, & elected to continue along the wall towards the more agricultural land outside the reserve, although to be honest I had given up on seeing the target bird.
No sooner had I finished the thought than I heard a "what's that?" & there it was, perched on a bush about 20 yards away, a Great Grey Shrike (1), which also explained the numerous chaffinch & blackbird alarm calls I was hearing from the nearby poplars! As mentioned before I have always wanted to see one of these enigmatic & charismatic birds & I was delighted to get a good look at one especially in Norfolk, as I had thought that with their non-breeding scarcity in the UK, I would most likely see one abroad. So there it was in front of me & there it perched in its neat grey & bandit black mask for a few minutes, before unfortunately it flew off towards the farmland building, disturbed by a couple of dog-walkers, what else?
No sooner had it gone that I spotted a distant Green Woodpecker (1) & alarmed birds also showed themselves as Blackbird (4) & Chaffinch (~10).
Unfortunately the shrike didn't come back despite a good few minutes spent on refreshments in the car-park, but on the way out there seemed to be even more activity amongst the scrub between the car-park & the main road, as well as the goldfinches, Redwing (2) , Great-Spotted Woodpecker (1) & Goldcrest (1) were also seen.
27 species, 1 new.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
RSPB North Warren, Suffolk, 26/03/2008
Weather: turning gloomier with showers promising to be imminent.
I got to North Warren in Aldeburgh after the long day at Minsmere & because of the pending drive back to London I decided against doing an hour's walk on the marshes of the reserve, especially as it looked quiet from my initial scan. For completeness though the scan did pick out Skylark, Great Tit, Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon, Little Egret, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Magpie &, of course, Black-Headed Gull.
I got to North Warren in Aldeburgh after the long day at Minsmere & because of the pending drive back to London I decided against doing an hour's walk on the marshes of the reserve, especially as it looked quiet from my initial scan. For completeness though the scan did pick out Skylark, Great Tit, Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon, Little Egret, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Magpie &, of course, Black-Headed Gull.
RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk, 26/03/2008
Weather: things had brightened up somewhat from Southwold but the threat of rain remained; milder but still chilly. From 10am.
The sightings started straightaway in the car-park & on the visitors' centre's feeders: Chaffinch, Dunnock, Great Tit, Black-Headed Gull (many flying & so noisy they were clearly heard from the scrapes), Blue Tit, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Coal Tit.
Emerging from the visitors' centre I was assailed by the very loud noise of a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, although it was some distance away & was not seen. Heading for the beach past some heathland, reedbeds & scrapes yielded: Robin, Long-Tailed Tit, a squealing Water Rail which unsurprisingly didn't show itself, Pheasant, Moorhen, Lapwing, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose & Mallard. Then a piercing call from low in the reeds, a call I hadn't heard before, signalled the presence of a Cetti's Warbler, however it proved to be as elusive & secretive as the rail: I didn't see a flicker of motion from within the reeds.
Continuing towards the beach & a Snipe in flight, & when scanning the sea wall, where I was headed, I picked up a Green Woodpecker, also in the reeds or on the grassy banks beside the scrapes: Mute Swan, Reed Bunting, an overflying Cormorant & Gadwall & just before the seawall a couple of amorous looking Stonechat.
On the way up I bumped into a few birders who excitedly informed me that three black-necked grebes were on the sea so I made haste to the wall, however when I got to the beach & set-up all I could see where Red-Throated Divers! Yesterday I wondered how long it would be before I saw my second diver: I didn't have long to wait, less than 24 hours in fact. They were quite abundant in pairs or small groups, & even though some had much darker heads than others it was impossible to see one with the characteristic white flank of a black-throated diver. However whilst scanning the sea, in a vain search for the grebes I did pick out a few Gannet, far out flying north. Nonetheless I couldn't find the grebes or pick-out a black-throat so I departed the beach reluctantly & with slight disappointment; exacerbated after later talking to someone who had been on the beach at the same time as me who had seen the grebes - can't win them all.
Into the first, East Hide, for: Coot, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Wigeon, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Turnstone, & a few resting Black-Tailed Godwit. Another by now familiar gull was also present, Mediterranean Gull: a former rarity now well-established along the whole of the East Anglian coast.
Following the path south alongside the main scrape I picked out Redshank, Teal, Meadow Pipit & Grey Heron one of which was very near to a Red Deer which was nonchalantly feeding in the reeds. Reaching the turn back onto the main reserve & amongst copious brambles a couple of Goldfinch. Heading into the reeds & a couple of quartering Marsh Harriers became visible, just as I was wondering where they were, & another loud call from a Cetti's, but again no movement & no chance of seeing it, if only they were as bold as the Pied Wagtail I saw moments later.
Into the South Hide for Little Grebe, Tufted Duck & a brief glimpse of a Bearded Tit, better than the other glimpses I've had, this time I could see its russet tail. Looking back at the main scrape revealed Herring Gull & Common Gull, & just before I departed the hide a lone Pochard keeping company with a pair of 'tufties'.
I visited the West Hide but no sign of the reported penduline tits & though I was tempted to hang about with the half dozen other birders who were waiting for them I decided to get some food at the centre & there I was rewarded with a Blackcap on the feeder right out of the window where I was sat. It then crossed my mind to go back to the seawall for another go at the grebes but on the noticeboard there had been no reports of them since the morning so I decided to nurse my disappointment & save my energy & visit the other hides. Walking to those hides through the trees I glimpsed another Goldcrest. After waiting for so long to see one yesterday, they were now like buses, with two coming along in quick succession; I also saw another later on just before I joined the road for the walk back to the centre. Before that though from the Bittern Hide I spotted a Little Egret on the distant fields. Then from the Island Mere Hide Shoveler & Goldeneye (& the Pochard again).
Finally on the way back to the car in the trees I heard but didn't see an early Chiff Chaff, but did see Wren, Jackdaw, Nuthatch (the first one on this birding odyssey) & flocks of Starlings preparing to roost.
A lovely day, a huge reserve with plenty of potential for exciting birds, if I had seen the grebes & the Cetti's it would have been one of my best ever days, & a pity its not under 2 hours to get to from London.
60 species, none new (unfortunately).
The sightings started straightaway in the car-park & on the visitors' centre's feeders: Chaffinch, Dunnock, Great Tit, Black-Headed Gull (many flying & so noisy they were clearly heard from the scrapes), Blue Tit, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Coal Tit.
Emerging from the visitors' centre I was assailed by the very loud noise of a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, although it was some distance away & was not seen. Heading for the beach past some heathland, reedbeds & scrapes yielded: Robin, Long-Tailed Tit, a squealing Water Rail which unsurprisingly didn't show itself, Pheasant, Moorhen, Lapwing, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose & Mallard. Then a piercing call from low in the reeds, a call I hadn't heard before, signalled the presence of a Cetti's Warbler, however it proved to be as elusive & secretive as the rail: I didn't see a flicker of motion from within the reeds.
Continuing towards the beach & a Snipe in flight, & when scanning the sea wall, where I was headed, I picked up a Green Woodpecker, also in the reeds or on the grassy banks beside the scrapes: Mute Swan, Reed Bunting, an overflying Cormorant & Gadwall & just before the seawall a couple of amorous looking Stonechat.
On the way up I bumped into a few birders who excitedly informed me that three black-necked grebes were on the sea so I made haste to the wall, however when I got to the beach & set-up all I could see where Red-Throated Divers! Yesterday I wondered how long it would be before I saw my second diver: I didn't have long to wait, less than 24 hours in fact. They were quite abundant in pairs or small groups, & even though some had much darker heads than others it was impossible to see one with the characteristic white flank of a black-throated diver. However whilst scanning the sea, in a vain search for the grebes I did pick out a few Gannet, far out flying north. Nonetheless I couldn't find the grebes or pick-out a black-throat so I departed the beach reluctantly & with slight disappointment; exacerbated after later talking to someone who had been on the beach at the same time as me who had seen the grebes - can't win them all.
Into the first, East Hide, for: Coot, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Wigeon, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Turnstone, & a few resting Black-Tailed Godwit. Another by now familiar gull was also present, Mediterranean Gull: a former rarity now well-established along the whole of the East Anglian coast.
Following the path south alongside the main scrape I picked out Redshank, Teal, Meadow Pipit & Grey Heron one of which was very near to a Red Deer which was nonchalantly feeding in the reeds. Reaching the turn back onto the main reserve & amongst copious brambles a couple of Goldfinch. Heading into the reeds & a couple of quartering Marsh Harriers became visible, just as I was wondering where they were, & another loud call from a Cetti's, but again no movement & no chance of seeing it, if only they were as bold as the Pied Wagtail I saw moments later.
Into the South Hide for Little Grebe, Tufted Duck & a brief glimpse of a Bearded Tit, better than the other glimpses I've had, this time I could see its russet tail. Looking back at the main scrape revealed Herring Gull & Common Gull, & just before I departed the hide a lone Pochard keeping company with a pair of 'tufties'.
I visited the West Hide but no sign of the reported penduline tits & though I was tempted to hang about with the half dozen other birders who were waiting for them I decided to get some food at the centre & there I was rewarded with a Blackcap on the feeder right out of the window where I was sat. It then crossed my mind to go back to the seawall for another go at the grebes but on the noticeboard there had been no reports of them since the morning so I decided to nurse my disappointment & save my energy & visit the other hides. Walking to those hides through the trees I glimpsed another Goldcrest. After waiting for so long to see one yesterday, they were now like buses, with two coming along in quick succession; I also saw another later on just before I joined the road for the walk back to the centre. Before that though from the Bittern Hide I spotted a Little Egret on the distant fields. Then from the Island Mere Hide Shoveler & Goldeneye (& the Pochard again).
Finally on the way back to the car in the trees I heard but didn't see an early Chiff Chaff, but did see Wren, Jackdaw, Nuthatch (the first one on this birding odyssey) & flocks of Starlings preparing to roost.
A lovely day, a huge reserve with plenty of potential for exciting birds, if I had seen the grebes & the Cetti's it would have been one of my best ever days, & a pity its not under 2 hours to get to from London.
60 species, none new (unfortunately).
Southwold Pier, Common & Quay, Suffolk, 26/03/2008
Weather: overcast & with showers threatening, but which never really materialised; the freezing northerly wind had finally dropped leaving milder conditions.
Southwold was my overnight stop-off in order to be close to Minsmere, & before I departed I took the chance to scan the sea from my B&B bedroom window. It was the first time I'd been able to check the sea, mainly because I didn't get chance at Titchwell due to the foul weather, & I was soon rewarded by spotting some ducks, Common Scoter, but little else.
I also had a quick drive round Southwold, over the common & to the quay where I spotted the usual gulls, Common & Black-Headed, & hedgerow birds, Great Tit & Chaffinch. At the Quay I couldn't help but notice House Sparrows in good voice as well as Meadow Pipit, & on the way back over the common a Marsh Harrier flew over spooking the Lapwing, Mallard & Moorhen. A scene I'd become familiar with these past few days.
12 species, none new.
Southwold was my overnight stop-off in order to be close to Minsmere, & before I departed I took the chance to scan the sea from my B&B bedroom window. It was the first time I'd been able to check the sea, mainly because I didn't get chance at Titchwell due to the foul weather, & I was soon rewarded by spotting some ducks, Common Scoter, but little else.
I also had a quick drive round Southwold, over the common & to the quay where I spotted the usual gulls, Common & Black-Headed, & hedgerow birds, Great Tit & Chaffinch. At the Quay I couldn't help but notice House Sparrows in good voice as well as Meadow Pipit, & on the way back over the common a Marsh Harrier flew over spooking the Lapwing, Mallard & Moorhen. A scene I'd become familiar with these past few days.
12 species, none new.
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