Suffolk Birding (4 Viewers)

[jimbob]

I am going to lackford lakes tomorrow, yet I am having an issue finding a more up to date sightings or even a members page that contains sightings. Can anyone remedy this please?

Many thanks

https://twitter.com/SWTLackfordLake

They tweet with some regularity. Worth messaging any questions directly to them.

Jim.

 

[keen newbie]

It's always when you're not there....My wife looked out the window and said "I've just seen a small bird disappear into the hedge, it had some red in it and a reddish head" Time to get the bird book out methinks.

 

[a_j_steele]

If you head in to Great Yarmouth from the south along the A12, there is a road to the left at TG514075. Follow the road past the playing field until you see a turn off to your right with parking places. You can carry along to another parking area closer to the river wall at TG510075. Follow the river wall head west for a kilometre or so past Humberstone Farm to an obvious kink in the river wall.

Yes the Shorelarks are still at Covehithe Broad.

Gi

Many thanks connected with the shorelarks on friday, also a couple of snow bunting was a nice bonus

 

[jimbob]

Afternoon,

How does one access the Quay at Beccles? I may have a look for these Scaup before work tomorrow morning.
One of my students said you needed to go past B&M but directions after that were a little fuzzy....

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Alison Allen]

Afternoon,

How does one access the Quay at Beccles? I may have a look for these Scaup before work tomorrow morning.
One of my students said you needed to go past B&M but directions after that were a little fuzzy....

Cheers,
Jim.

Hi Jim.
Drive in to Beccles on the back road via Gillingham and its the road on the left after you've gone over the bridge, just before the one-way system starts, sign-posted The Quay. Good luck

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Gawp at some Scaup!

The two Greater Scaup were showing well at Beccles Quay today, although they do disappear at times...

 

[GavinM]

Has anyone clocked the very small yellowish warbler that's been hanging around the Denes in Lowestoft in the bushes by the oval? It's got me scratching my head.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

I haven't been that way for about a week Gavin but I have seen Chiffchaffs in Flycatcher Alley several times this winter. Three were reported at Lowestoft North Denes on the 23rd, according to the Lounge Lizards site. Could it be one of them or do you think it is something more interesting?

Ron

 

[GavinM]

Hi Ron,

The only reason I don't think it's a chiff chaff is the call being a single long note. It is quite small and quite yellow/green though. I'll try and get down there again with some better bins tomorrow. And thanks, I'd somehow forgotten about lounge lizards!

Edit: It was still there this morning but I couldn't get so close. I think it might be a wood warbler. The colour and the call are right, it's very 'skulking', even if place and time are wrong. Might be worth a look if anyone's down there.

 

[keen newbie]

Parked in a lay by having my lunch, I managed to get a very close look at a Redwing which was foraging on the ground about 2 meters from my van. I've only seen one through my bins, so it let me see for quite a long time how much a pretty bird it is close up. Also spotted woodpecker turned up and made it's way up a sycamore tree, before going away. Some finches of some sort were busy on some old seed pods, but I couldn't see clearly enough without my bins, what they were. Sometimes you can wander into woodland and wait and wait, but right here within meters of a busy rd and only a handfull of trees and my van very very close, it was a busy day. Maybe they know that there is discarded food been chucked from vehicles parked up.

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Owls & Waxwings

A solitary Short-eared Owl was huddled down on the saltings at Orford this morning (thanks to John Richardson for pinning it down for us!)

At Kesgrave, at least ten Waxwings feeding on Oak buds...

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Great Whites at Lakenheath!

Three birds present today: let's hope they stick around until the Spring!

 

[andygolfer]

a visit to thetford forest 27-2-15

I ventured over the border into Suffolk on 27th Feb and spent the day around Mildenhall and Brandon area.
Started off at Mildenhall looking for the often reported waxwing, we told by a house owner it had been in her tree 1/2 hour earlier but we couldn't find it, a report said it was back again about 1/2 hour after we left so not a good start.
Next off to the forest to see if we could see a goshawk and we struck lucky, photo below but rather distant but far better than nothing, also found woodlarks, treecreeper and several goldcrests and a couple of adders!
final stop for the day was Lynford Arboretum hoping to see Hawfinches and Nuthatches and managed both plus a siskin or two. Nothing exceptional considering where we were but I thought a report in the section was well overdue.
2 pics of goshawk (juvenile), plus nuthatch, hawfinch & goldcrest attached

 

[andygolfer]

hollesley common 5-3-2015

another trip into Suffolk last Thursday, once again failed to see waxwings, this time in Ipswich, someone else found them though. Then it was on to Hollesley Common for the great grey shrike (pic attached) which we found almost immediately on the common opp Red Lodge as recommended on all the reports. Several woodlarks showing as well and dartford warblers- often following the stonechats along the fence across the common. not near enough for decent photos unfortunately. also some goldcrests and a sole siskin (plus chaffinches) around a puddle near the car park.

After that it was off to Boyton Marsh for the afternoon (see separate report) although we did return to Hollesley later after going over to RAF Woodbridge to watch an osprey practising on the runway - that's a helicoptery thing (USAF Cv.22) , not the bird of prey. We found the shrike again on our return in the evening so it doesnt venture far

 

[andygolfer]

Boyton Marsh 5-3-2015 (p.m.)

an afternoon spent here last Thursday. Started off with a distant view of a tawny owl holed up (literally) in a large tree and that was before we parked! Yellowhammer in the farmyard hedge and then again on opp side of hedge followed by first of several little egret in adjacent field plus a sole pied wagtail. The first lake had several varieties of wildfowl visible (nothing unusual though)and a stonechat immediately in front of us which posed nicely and some curlews landed in the field to the west of the lake. Then it was up onto the sea wall and a walk to the southern end of the site, tide was receding but a disapointingly low number of waders visible on the foreshore, just dunlin, oystercatcher, redshank, and sanderling noted . On the landward side of the wall large numbers of widgeon on the marsh and a good selection of gulls and wildfowl on the scrapes although nothing unexpected (for the record the wildfowl included canada & greylag goose, gadwall, mallard, shelduck, shoveller, teal and aforementioned widgeon) plenty of lapwings and mute swans on the fields and a single grey heron overflew. A small group of linnets settled in the top branches of a large bush next to the sea wall.
Marsh harrier noted towards Gedgrave marshes on return walk and 4 black tailed godwit on lake near the farm which we didn't see on outbound walk.
A pleasant afternoon in a nice location despite nothing exceptional noted. some pics below

 

[keen newbie]

Nice pictures there Andy. Thanks.:t:

 

[Carol Baldock]

yes I enjoyed the pictures too Andy, thank you :t:

 

[Carol Baldock]

I've just joined and hence just seen and enjoyed your pictures of the three Great White Egrets at Lakenheath, thank you David :t:

 

[Peewit]

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

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Two Black Redstarts were around the net posts and caravan park railings at Lowestoft North Denes this morning, although rather elusive at times.

Ron