Skip to main content

I got 99 problems but a patch ain't one HIT ME

Any excuse to get that lyric into a blog post title; needless to say I am up to 99 for the patch year list. A reeling Grasshopper Warbler brought up the number of Jay Z early this morning, although not in the usual early arrival spot, this one was in the corner of the reserve near the gun club. Elsewhere, 3 pairs of Shelduck on the lagoon smashed my record count for this species. Interesting to watch the reaction of the 2 resident pairs as the third arrived. Very aggravated, but the peace that ensued suggests the lagoon can cope with 3 pairs. However, a lurking Fox may have had other ideas this morning, eyeing up the Shelduck and the Gadwall with intent. Great mammal moment.

Marsh Harrier activity has been very interesting of late. 4 Different individuals have been seen in the last 2 weeks:

  • A regular 'silver'backed' male, colouration similar to that of 'Eastern' Marsh Harrier. He was seen dropping food into the reedbed, and (presumably) a female below responded.
  • A second male, typical plumage
  • A third male, juvenile, almost cream head and brown upper-parts rather than silver. A confusing individual on first glance.
  • An adult female, rarely seen but present in the last 2 weeks. Perhaps on a  nest.
A first at Church Marsh- I heard Reed Warbler before Sedge this year! No doubt Sedge have been present longer, but when I returned from Scotland it was Reed I encountered first. Also of note, a 'mixed singing' Willow Warbler. The tone was clearly that of a Willow Warbler, but this bird was copying the song pattern of a Chiffchaff. I have never come across this before but it would seem it is not as rare as my own experience would suggest. More information on this here: http://deanar.org.uk/general/articles/wwmixedsong.htm#wwccswitcher 

Other firsts for the year included 21 Sand Martins over Rockland Broad (2 over the house this morning) and 2 House Martin, over the house. 

Yesterday Debs and I enjoyed a pleasant (and in the end frustrating) trip to Minsmere. The frustrating bit was driving away, discussing the fact we had not found a RR Swallow, only to be told we had missed one near the old carpark! That's birding I suppose. We can't really complain, for this wonderful reserve still provided us with a great range of species. A Nightingale was singing near the work centre, and was our first bird upon arrival. Not bad! I also came across an alba Wagtail, then realised others were lookin at it too, so not really a find! A striking bird, although picture below doesn't really do it justice. A Raven had been reported from the reserve, and we did see a large Corvid getting stick from the local Lapwing. It could well have been a Raven, but I won't be submitting it! The scrape was decent, with Med, Caspian and Little Gull, Dunlin, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Sandwich Terns in-off.
With things to do like prepare for an Easter Egg Hunt, we had lunch in the car before heading home. 

Finally, the last 3 nights, I have stood outside around 9pm and listened to the eerie screech of a Barn Owl. He's back. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grey Phalarope- a new patch bird

The 7th of April was another bitterly cold Spring day, hats and gloves in prime position on pegs and in bags ready to be deployed. A few brave Garganey have been reported north of the river, but it was a bird from the north itself that had me rushing for the thermals and the telescope late in the day.  I was thankful for the local Whatsapp group who were quick to report that a Grey Phalarope had been seen on Rockland Broad. This tiny Wader would have come in on the northerlies over the last few days, although to grace one of the broads is a real surprise, since most stick pretty close to the coast before moving on. Indeed, my experience of the birds has usually been on a sea watch in the Autumn, waves crashing and foam flying, my eyes straining to pick them out as they fly low just above the surf. They are fantastic birds, and now one was here on the patch. I had a brief panic when I realised my scope was in my car at the garage (thankfully I do have a much older spare) but once th...
Post a Comment
Read more

A weekend to live long in the memory

Saturday 12th, I picked up Connor around 6.30am and we headed to Waxham with migrant hunting in mind. It was clear that the NW blow and rain had dumped many common migrants. Every bush had a Robin, some more than one. There were also almost equal numbers of Song Thrush and Blackbird. As the sun rose, slowly more birds became active. Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Goldcrest and ticked and tacked from cover. Superb stuff! Overhead, Brambling and Redpoll were moving, and some did rest long enough for decent views. Heading out into the dunes towards the pipe dump, we encountered a female Redstart and a Woodcock on route. Still, birds were arriving including more Thrushes and even a few Skylark. Without much success around the pipe dump itself (a Robin with a sore throat gave us a headache for a while) we headed back to the car and onto Horsey. Although there were less birds around by mid morning, little clumps of cover were alive with activity. In the same patch of scrub and pines that last ...
3 comments
Read more

Claxton-on-sea!

 Although it was not quite the Christmas we wanted here in the valley, the rain has bought its own gift. A grim vision of the future, perhaps. But right now, the patch is peaking and is alive with birds, and for that I am thankful. On Christmas eve, it was a job to navigate away from the village due to standing water that had left abandoned cars and undelivered presents in its wake. The rain had been persistent and unforgiving, the ground, saturated. Over on the marsh, where there had once been a muddy puddle amongst the pasture, a city had sprung from the leak, with a plethora of new occupants noisily laying claim to a patch of sodden marsh. Wigeon and Black-headed Gulls in their thousands now wheeled and whistled over and amongst the newly formed pools, accompanied by smaller numbers of Teal and Shoveler. A flock of two hundred-strong Lapwing enjoyed feeding on the less damp spots where green grass was still exposed, and thrown in for good measure have been a couple of Ruff, the ...
4 comments
Read more