Nikon P300

Trying out a new camera, a Nikon P300. Its a great little camera and below are a few images from it I snapped down on the River Deben late yesterday. A more in-depth review to follow.

Daurian Shrike -Dunwich

More to follow of todays antics.

October 11th

It was almost back to a full complement with the boys back from Shetland so I thought it best to show them a Yellow-browed Warbler, after all they had only seen 30+ in the last week. The Thorpeness bird showed really well and called non stop for about 2-3 minutes. Vis mig was good with 150+ Siskin, 75 + Redpoll, 8 Crossbills (plus 13 at North Warren earlier), 150+ Goldfinches and a Tree Sparrow that got us going as it called briefly as it headed towards us. After a couple of hours it was evident that nothing was fresh in so we took the decision to twitch the ultra showy Woodchat Shrike at Links Road. The bird performed superbly and allowed so good photos before my battery died!!

The Links Road Woodchat Shrike.

Sandhill Crane

Finally got round to adding my footage of the Sandhill Crane at North Warren before it took flight and headed to Boyton for all to see (except those on Shetland).

Monday 10th - As you were.

With a switch in the wind came a switch in the number and variety of birds recorded whilst seawatching. In 2 hours I recorded just 44 Brent Geese, whilst Bonxies increased to 18, however most gutting was I missed a Fea's Petrel that went north!
The Pied Flycatcher from yesterday was still present, but the bird that got the pulse racing the most was a Swift that dashed past me heading south, the shouting of "come back!!" worked and it banked back round and hawked over the common for several mintues enadbling me to nail it as just a Common Swift.

Sunday 9th October - Thats more like it.

Some overnight rain and it felt a bit rare when I reached the caravan park. The high pitched whistle of Redwings and the distinct call of Song Thrushes was coming from every bush and a Dartford Warbler called from scrub near the car park. My first Bramblings of the year passed overhead with Siskins and Redpoll. A lond bird flew in front of me and landed in the edge of a hawthorn, it turned out to be a Pied Flycatcher and showed well if briefly before heading to the group of bigger trees at the centre of the caravan park. I reached the clifftop and began seawatching, over the next few hours I recorded the following, a probable Cory's Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, 3900+ Brent Geese, 3 Pale-bellied Brents, c520 Gannets, 11 Arctic Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 9 Bonxies,10 Red-throated Divers, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, a 2 Short-eared Owls in off. Several Skylarks were also seen to come in off. One thing I found interesting is that although Landguard Bird Observatory recorded high (9000+) Brent Geese, they only logged 50+ Gannets, I assume these birds are coming in close in shore between Thorpeness and Felixstowe. After a good seawatch I walked around the allotments finding a very vocal Yellow-browed Warbler, I assume it is a diffrent bird to Fridays.

Friday 7th - Where did the north wind go?

Looking at the weather forecast a strong northerly was promised so I headed to Thorpeness in the hope that a good seawatch was afoot. However it soon became apparent by north the weatherman meant west! I struggled to see much and gave up after an hour so bashed the bushes. Highlight was my first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn that called 3 times in as many hours and evaded views. A Lesser Whitethroat showed well however and had characteristics of an eastern type as it was quite sandy brown on the mantle and lacked a lot of grey in the crown and face. 8 Crossbills flew south and the odd flock of Siskin and Redpolls headed south.
North Warren held a few fresh in Wigeon and amungst them was a Chiloe Wigeon now coming out of eclipse plumage.