Sizewell - 31/07/11

Starting in the late morning myself and Craig checked Minsmere for the Cattle Egret. We viewed from the raptor watch point in the overflow car park. We scoped several Cattle but could not find any egrets amongst them, a flock of c30 Crossbills flew south calling emphatically as the went. We decided to head to Sizewell in search of tern etc. around the outfall. We saw a nice juvenile Black Tern, 3+ Arctic Terns, and around 40 Little Gulls which were increasing in numbers as we watched.

Bridle Guillemot

I received this picture of a bridle type Guillemot sat on sizewell beach. Seeing this form at this time of year must be a rare occurance, would have been handy if the underwing colour could have been noted.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.2

Suffolk coastal tour.

Well with mid-summers day behind us it must be autumn, time for the wanders. An early start and first stop was Covehithe broad but with the exception of avowed was waderless. Out to sea a couple of gannets an auk species on the sea and a fulmar were noted on the walk north to Benacre broad. The broad held 5 Egyptian geese, 2 med gulls and a few avocets and ringed plover. A couple of crossbills called whilst we sat in the hide. On nearing the car a raptor was spotted heading north. It was larger than the displaying Marsh harrier and remained on flat wings., it lacked a pale head or carpal patches whilst the upper and underwing seemed to show a kite type wing pattern when it briefly turned. However it remained distant and kept heading away so had to stay as a possible Black Kite at best. Next stop.was southward where the best birds to be found were 9 med gulls, with the boating lake looking excellent for waders.A stop at hen needed held a lone Green Sandpiper but little else and only a few black wits were present on the estuary although good numbers of avocets were noted.
We reached Island mere just before midday and the female fudge duck was soon found loading near the island in the thrall of mounting ducks. A couple of Greenshank also flew over. After a quick bite to eat we headed to south hide to look for the rosy tern and we also received news the fudge duck had relocated to the pool behind south hide. On reaching the pool however it soon became clear this was a Drake bird and not the female we had seen an hour or so earlier on island mere! On south scrape no rosy tern but a French rung med gull was seen. The levels held 2 Spotted Redshank and a Ringed Plover and the presumed Cape Shelduck. East scrape was home to the rung Spoonbill and 2 of its companions, and the large gulls have begun to build up with several scruffy mounting individuals. I don't think it will be long before a good wader is found to get the autumn of to a start.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.2