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A most superb day at Breydon (1 Viewer)

Karl J

Well-known member
Wed 25.07.03 . A bit cloudy but some sunny spells. Warm


After a crack of dawn start, to finish off the painting I'd not been able to do on Tuesday, we decided to go for a walk along Breydon water for a bit of good old R&R.

Leaving Asda car park about 11 ish we walked along Weavers Way footpath, the tide was out so not too many waders at the eastern end as yet, but there was a healthy sized crowd of gulls and tern, and a few Oystercatcher, Shelduck and some Starling flitting about. Heading around the edge of the water in among a grassy outcrop a flock of about 50 Golden Plover sat quite still and further along past the 2nd hide, the noisy flock of Tern busily made lots of noise, calling loudly and every now & again we'd have one flying over with a fish hanging from it mouth, 2 or 3 more in hot pursuit. In total I'd estimate about 200 Common & the same number Sandwich Tern. A group of Whimbrel flew in from upriver also in amongst them was a Curlew which made for an easy id when compared together like that.

As you go further upriver the estuary gradually narrows and the path sort of sticks out into it, making a sort of headland. The fairly narrow mudflats here were full of ~200 of each of Black Tailed Godwit and Avocet, some Whimbrel ( ~ 50 ) & a few Curlew and Redshank as well as the odd Dunlin or 2 and a single Little Egret, so this made for a good spot for a sit down and rest a while. As we sat there several individual groups of Avocet & BT Godwit flew in to make a total of about 400 of each.

Up and away again and past the lonely Lockgate mill, an old abandoned marsh windpump, onto the new pumping station. This is where I'd seen a flock of Wagtails a few days prev. and couldn't work out if they were Yellow or Grey or both (another thread). Looking through them again was quite hard work as they kept flying off, but all I definitely saw were dark legs so it appears they're all Yellow Wagtail. Sitting on the river wall is a perfect spot for lunch, with the Swallows flitting in and out of the nest, the wagtails flying about. A Greenshank picked about in the rocks and mud down on the river and over in the fields a strikingly coloured male Marsh Harrier slowly quartered low above the meadow, also a flock of Lapwing flew over quite high.

Walking back with the binoculars put away as this was now talking time & not birdwatching time ( ... oh really ! ) , things went from good to absolutely superb. Over the fields to the left was a Kestrel, hovering, as they do. I always have to admire this superb skill, it absolutely amazes me, hence the binoculars came out again. Walking back towards Yarmouth was pretty uneventful for the most part as the tide was now in and so the waders had headed up to the far eastern end. Apart from a group of 4 Curlew Sandpiper flying off from their hiding place in a field and a few Starling & Redshank not much happened for a while.

However, shortly before the path goes directly alongside the railway track an odd looking black bird, one that I've definitely not seen before, was sitting quite still looking about. I wont go into the exact id process as thats part of another thread ... here ... but I'm as certain as I'm ever going to be ( after a good long observation session and library / online research) that it was an Arctic Skua. Now that may not be much to some people but, for me, it's hard to say how excited and beyond belief I still am.... Superb.

After a good hour or so a, by now, very bored Rebecca was quite insistant that we weren't sitting around any longer, so off back we headed. Going past a large dyke or pool on the left a small bird dived repeatedly under the water, I've seen these before and never really given a second thought, instead just cast it off as some chick or other. But, a recent post by birdman ( ? ) made me stop and take a bit more stock of it..... a Little Grebe. Birdman ( ? or whoever .. ) if you're reading this - I am indebted, I believe.

Second 'first ever' of the day, and its only a mile & a half from home !


A short while later, past the massed blanket of Sea Lavender at the far eastern end of Breydon we returned indoors, a quite fantastic day over. A good point at which to hang up the binoculars for the holiday, back to work on Monday, and leave it a week or so before going out again I think.

The total list is here if anyone wants to read it :

Cormorant
Common Tern ~ 200
Sandwich Tern ~ 200
Little Egret x 2 ( maybe 3)
Black-tailed Godwit ~ 400
Avocet ~ 400
Whimbrel ~ 100
Curlew ~ 10
Oystercatcher
Curlew Sandpiper x 4
Greenshank x 1
Redshank
Golden Plover ~50
Dunlin
Lapwing
Grey Heron
Shelduck
Coot
Little Grebe
Mallard
Pied Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
House Sparrow
Starling
Black-headed Gull
Marsh Harrier x 1
Kestrel x 1
Swallow
Crow
Magpie
Meadow Pipit
Wren
SedgeWarbler
Woodpigeon
Arctic Skua

.... that should total 35

Butterflies : Piinted Lady, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Peacock, (?) Skippers, Common Blue, Large White.

And 1 x Emporer Dragonfly
 
Nice report Carlos and a good list of birds,ESPECIALLY the Arctic Skua.Must be nice to have found it yourself and persevered with the ID,despite some initial scepticism.
I note that in the Collins Guide it is referred to as Parasitic Skua,which is a bit confusing.
 
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Yea I was looking that up too. I was mentalling writing a letter to them expalining they had not included this bird. Then I saw the Latin name & it clicked,(Sorry must be the Painkillers)

CJ
 
A great read and the pictures were good too. I would be glad to see the Arctic Skua and Yellow Wagtails as they would be lifers for me.
 
yes Yellow wags have always been synonymous with that part of Breydon. As we are within the realms of grazing marshes they can be quite common.

Sadly I have seen Yellow wags nesting in potato fields. They successfully raise their first clutch but the second brood is often destroyed by spraying with Acid to kill the top growth. the same goes for birds that nest in oil seed rape.

Thanfully the Yellow wags at Breydon are very safe.
 
Just thinking about this, if you do go there Friday Colin it'd be good to know what numbers of birds a more experienced birder comes up with.

I have to admit when they go beyond one binocs width I still get a bit lost. Added to that of course the Avocet, Tern and gulls all being black & white !
 
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