Suffolk Birding (5 Viewers)

[Jonny Rankin]

Minsmere and surrounds...

Great day out at Minsmere and surrounds today. Started with Woodlark and went on to include 2 red-head Smew, 3 Spoonbill, Ruff, Stonechat and tens of Red-throated Diver!

One of the Spoonbill was a dutch-colour ringed bird. Ringed as a nestling last year and since seen at Havergate Island and North Warren on the Suffolk coast.

Beauties!

Ain't Suffolk great :t:

 

[andygolfer]

A great morning/afternoons walkabout, Andy.

It is amazing what you see even in the shortest amount of time.

Nice to see Linnets in their little groups.

Love the Godwit photo

Regards
Kathy
x

thanks for the comment Kathy (and the others).
I like to put a bit of a report on the places I go to even if I see nothing unusual as it gives future visitors, especially those unfamiliar with the area, an idea of what they should hope to see on an average day rather than on a day when everybody is converging on a site because of a rare visitor.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours at Carlton Marshes and was shocked to see the damage caused by last Sunday's fires. The reedbeds have been wiped out on the Spratts Water side of the drainage channel but, hopefully, they will soon regenerate. There were plenty of singing warblers in the trees on other other side of the channel, including Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and my first Sedge Warbler of the year.

The scrape was a lot drier than on my previous visits. I don't know if this is a deliberate action to allow maintenance or construction work to take place but there were few birds to be seen there. No sign of any Little Ringed Plovers while I was there.

The relatively bare fields allowed me to spot Chinese Water Deer, a couple of Brown Hares and a Weasel scurrying across the bare earth to the reeds.

Ron

 

[Shaky09]

Reeves's Pheasent - just a quick post to say on my way home from seeing family on Sunday , as I passed the Bury golf club I saw on the verge side opposite a Female Reeves's Pheasent. Will post a pic on blog this evening. Thought I would let any one know who may be interested.
Happy birding
Shaky
@Shaky_theHammer

 

[Phil Andrews]

Request for Information

Dear Suffolk Birders,

My good friend Gary Prescott (aka the Biking Birder) is repeating his adventures of 2010 by cycling around the UK visiting every RSPB and Wildlife & Wetlands Trust and seeing as many species as possible, all in aid of charity gaining sponsorship as he goes (RSPB, WWT, Asthma UK and an orphanage in Peru where he spent some time on previous travels). Further details and his travels so far this year are on his blog (sort of uptodate): http://bikingbirderridesagain2015.blogspot.co.uk/

This time around he has altered his schedule to maximise his birding opportunities as he aims to connect with over 300 species (he is currently on 204 as of this evening) and as a result is spending to whole of May in East Anglia.

Gary would be very grateful for any information regarding the following birds that are currently missing from his year list; I appreciate some could be sensitive breeders whilst others are relatively common (but time is of the essence in trying to connect as quickly as possible):-

Garganey, Grey Partridge, Quail, Crane, Golden Pheasant, Montagu's Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Hobby, Spotted Crake, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Stone Curlew, Caspian Gull, Turtle Dove, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Nightjar, Red-backed Shrike, Woodlark, Shorelark, Grasshopper Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Golden Oriole, Little Tern, Black Tern, Ring Ouzel, Tree Pipit, Snow Bunting, Lapland Bunting

Any information (depending on its nature) can be posted on the forum, PM'ed to me to pass on or emailed direct to Gary at: [email protected]

Many thanks in advance
Phil (and Gary)

 

[mxhornet]

I ran the Suffolk Heritage Coast Marathon today, ok not of much interest I guess. However the scheduled route was changed as the NT have closed a path on Dunwich Heath due to Dartford Warbler nesting adjacent to the path.

 

[Sharp Shin]

Off shore from Felixstowe Ferry, the shingle island at the mouth of the estuary is proving highly attractive to Little Terns. A few days ago, there must have been 25 or more on the island and several others flying around and fishing. The air was full of their 'squeaking door hinge' calls, and I overheard a couple of walkers on the seawall footpath say "what the heck is that noise?".

Stewart

 

[BirdPics]

Hey Suffolkers, thinking of heading up tomorrow, possibly to Minsmere but was wondering there are any other good sites at the moment, where would you go? Thanks.

 

[Original PaulE]

Hey Suffolkers, thinking of heading up tomorrow, possibly to Minsmere but was wondering there are any other good sites at the moment, where would you go? Thanks.

Lakenheath is a good prospect even if you don't see pratincole and little bittern you have still got crane ,hobby, bittern ,beardie etc etc

cheers

 

[BirdPics]

Lakenheath is a good prospect even if you don't see pratincole and little bittern you have still got crane ,hobby, bittern ,beardie etc etc

cheers

Yeah that's where I think I'll be heading. Thanks

 

[stuarta21]

Hi don't suppose anyone in the Bury area has seen a Golden Oriole today? My parents have been at a county cricket match and noticed a bright yellow bird in a nearby tree.

 

[Alcina]

Hi don't suppose anyone in the Bury area has seen a Golden Oriole today? My parents have been at a county cricket match and noticed a bright yellow bird in a nearby tree.

I would think a yellowhammer is more likely? Ask them where in the tree it was perched?

 

[Jonny Rankin]

Golden O!

Hi don't suppose anyone in the Bury area has seen a Golden Oriole today? My parents have been at a county cricket match and noticed a bright yellow bird in a nearby tree.

Hi Stuarta,

I live in Bury, albeit on the other side to the cricket ground. In answer to your questions I haven't seen or heard any Golden Oriole! I think I am correct in saying the cricket ground is proximate to Nowton Park, which would be a great spot for a passage Oriole!

The Lakenheath birds are imprinted upon Black Poplar and seem very loyal to poplar plantations, however, a lot of birds on the other side of the channel are generalists. Indeed last month I had a singing male in the municipal graveyard on the outskirts of Bordeaux.

As far as 'yellow birds' go, Yellowhammer (as put forward by Alcina) wouldn't be too surprising as there is plenty of farmland the other side of the Sudbury Road. I have also had canary on the loose on my side of town!

So, basically I cannot be of too much assistance but it could have been an Oriole! :t:

Cheers,

Jonny

 

[Jonny Rankin]

Phoenix... ?

Hi fellow Suffolk birders,

Is this thread undergoing a Phoenix from the ashes moment? It would be timely with two county megas at large; Little Bittern and Collard Pratincole, both at Lakenheath.

In addition there was a Black Stork in County airspace yesterday morning and we have a wealth of breeders at large; Nightingale, Turtle Dove and Cuckoo to name a few.

Could this summer see the Suffolk thread reach the heady hight of participation seen by our Northern neighbour, perhaps with a higher quality of posts and discussion? Given we are a more refined birding county comprised of more discerning observers.

I hope so.

Happy birding one and all,

Jonny :t:

 

[stuarta21]

Thanks both for the replies, confident it wasn't a yellowhammer they've both seen them in the past, bird was bigger than that.

 

[Nick Moran]

Illegal bird killing in the OSME region is the theme of this year's OSME Summer Meeting, to be held at The Nunnery, Thetford on Sat 4 July.

Full programme: http://osme.org/content/osme-summer-meeting-and-37th-agm

Brief talk/speaker outlines: http://osme.org/content/illegal-bird-killing-osme-region-osme-summer-meeting-update

Hope to see some Suffolk birders there!

 

[Sharp Shin]

European Bee-eaters at Theberton.

For those who’ve yet to catch up with them, here are a few notes about the Bee-eaters that have recently taken up residence in east Suffolk. I managed to see them early this morning and what a lovely experience to watch them and hear their call - quite Mediterranean!

In early July, following a period of very warm air drifting up from southern Europe, a group of 10 or so Bee-eaters toured around east Suffolk. After a short stay in the Leiston area, they eventually decided on a roosting area near Theberton – south of Moat Road, near Theberton Lodge. They have been reported from there since 7th July.

To see the birds, an evening visit or an early morning visit is necessary. Evening visits are likely to provide the best experience, but there will always be the risk that the birds change their roosting location on the very evening you go. If they are reported as roosting in the evening, a morning visit should provide more certainty of seeing the birds, but it may only be a short period before the birds fly off (after their lazy start soaking in the morning sun and waiting the bugs to take flight). This morning, they flew off north-east at around 6.15am (but it has been earlier on previous mornings).

There isn’t a lot of parking in the area, so I can’t provide information on where the best place might be. This morning, I managed to find a safe, off-the-road spot at the entrance road to the Lodge.

Good luck - Stewart

 

[Penny Clarke]

120+ birders there tonight I was told and they didn't come into roost, so that's that! My weekend is now going to be very sad indeed! Gutted.

 

[Carol Baldock]

HELP PLEASE - just got home from Theberton bee eater twitch. Bee eaters didn't come in to roost . Apart from a police car running a red light and nearly hitting us on the way home, when we got back we realised that my husband Rob has left our scope there- we were tired having been there since 4pm and each thought that the other had carried it back to the car. He has left to go back - 2.5 hour round trip. If anyone saw it ( Opticron GS 665 GA, with HD zoom lens , after we left at c 9pm, please could you let me know . Thank you

 

[Phil Andrews]

HELP PLEASE - just got home from Theberton bee eater twitch. Bee eaters didn't come in to roost . Apart from a police car running a red light and nearly hitting us on the way home, when we got back we realised that my husband Rob has left our scope there- we were tired having been there since 4pm and each thought that the other had carried it back to the car. He has left to go back - 2.5 hour round trip. If anyone saw it ( Opticron GS 665 GA, with HD zoom lens , after we left at c 9pm, please could you let me know . Thank you

Carol - you need to phone Justin on 07500 924564 who has it (message went out on RBA just after 9pm)