A little Bit(tern) of Norfolk

The plan was get to the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper early, then pop in and get the drake Blue-winged Teal at Salthome before stopping off at Titchwell for the Little Bittern, the reality was get half way to the Sharpie find out its gone then head to Norfolk.We did however have a rather good day with 23 species of wader, with highlights being 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and a couple of Dotterel as well as numerous Curlew Sandpipers and a few Little Stints. The best bird of the day however for me was the juvenile Little Bittern that showed superbly after a nail biting 2 hour wait.

Back to Thorpeness for the Wryneck

After co-finding a Wryneck on Friday evening myself and Craig H headed back to see if it was still around and check for any other left over migrants. The Wryneck soon showed but was very flighty, so we enjoyed it from a distance in light drizzle.

Wryneck.

 

 The rest of the caravan park remained quite with the exception of a lone dark phase Arctic Skua passing south offshore.

A bit of Suffolk and a bit of Norfolk

Craig and the new BINs bus, those PG tips don't stand a chance.

Myself and the Craig's started early doors at Covehithe and we soon found 10+ Curlew Sandpipers and a few Dunlin still in residence. An juvenile Arctic Tern headed south with a few commons. A Wheatear was on the beach and a flock of 8 Sanderling played chicken with the incoming waves.

After a hearty breakfast we headed north in to Norfolk to twitch the Western Bonelli's Warbler. It soon became apparent that the bird was elusive and in all honesty I wonder if it was there at all as several people had a pale Chiffchaff which they kept calling as the Bonelli's.
We headed off to Cley and after a piece of cake we scoped the pools at Cley and soon found the Red-necked Phalarope as well as 8 Spoonbill, 10+ Little Stint, 30+ Curlew Sands, a Wood sand and several each of Ruff and Dunlin.
A brief stop at Walsey hills resulted in excellent views of the Red-backed Shrike.

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Orfordness - 6th August.

A trip over to fantasy island aka Orfordness with Craig and Roy got off to a superb start with a flock of 7 Little Stints! Also present on the Ness were several each of green and common Sands, greenshanks and Whimbrel. 4 Little ringed plover were a nice sight and showed well just of the green trail. A short sea watch produced a juvenile Marsh Harrier in off, a dozen or so Grey Plover and a lone Common Scoter. Passerines were represented by 2 Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, and a few fresh looking Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff. 2 smart Ruff rounded of a nice day out. Water levels are low so future trips for waders may have to wait until more rainfall maintain levels.

Whinchat

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.

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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.

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