As is the norm for half-term, I spent some of the time back home in Suffolk visiting parents and getting the car nursed for the winter. Mother had not yet caught up with the King Eider that has been lingering off Dunwich, and frankly I was keen for better views than I had managed earlier in the year at West Runton.
From Dunwich beach, I picked up the bird distantly loafing near the sluice, so we walked south for better views. The scrape had a few duck on it, along with 5 Bewick Swans, which clearly suggests we are in for a terrible winter. By now, the Eider could be considered to be lingering off Sizewell, so the hoped for amazing views were not really obtained. Better than nothing, that's King Eider in 2 counties this year!
We searched for the reported Rough Legged Buzzard pair near Reydon, but only managed a glimpse of a distant Buzzard sp. Westleton Heath was short of a Shrike, but we enjoyed watching a Red Deer stag and his harem from the deer watch point.
Lackford Lakes is a cracking little reserve, so on the friday took a non-birding friend for a trundle. Large numbers of Siskin across the reserve, plus Tree Sparrow and Lesser Redpoll in scrub around the carpark. The first Goldeneye had returned, along with the expected Wigeon, Gadwall and Shovelor, all showing off nicely. My friend was suitably inspired to set up a new feeding station in his garden. That's the ticket, I thought.
Spent this morning exploring Eccles, Waxham and Sea Palling. Shit all birds, but some super new habo to delve into. Managed little, and oddly the best was at sea- a Red Throated Diver, 6 Common Scoter and a few Gannet seen off Waxham.
The missus is really nailing this birding lark; a text from her whilst I was on route alerted me to the presence of 8 Waxwing not far from our place. I picked her up on the way through and sure enough, just round the corner from the Whalebone pub, were 5 of the 8 Waxwing looking superb at the top of a tree. Seaduck, Siskin, Swans and Waxwing....maybe Autumn is over, but I could easily adapt to this winter medley.
From Dunwich beach, I picked up the bird distantly loafing near the sluice, so we walked south for better views. The scrape had a few duck on it, along with 5 Bewick Swans, which clearly suggests we are in for a terrible winter. By now, the Eider could be considered to be lingering off Sizewell, so the hoped for amazing views were not really obtained. Better than nothing, that's King Eider in 2 counties this year!
We searched for the reported Rough Legged Buzzard pair near Reydon, but only managed a glimpse of a distant Buzzard sp. Westleton Heath was short of a Shrike, but we enjoyed watching a Red Deer stag and his harem from the deer watch point.
Lackford Lakes is a cracking little reserve, so on the friday took a non-birding friend for a trundle. Large numbers of Siskin across the reserve, plus Tree Sparrow and Lesser Redpoll in scrub around the carpark. The first Goldeneye had returned, along with the expected Wigeon, Gadwall and Shovelor, all showing off nicely. My friend was suitably inspired to set up a new feeding station in his garden. That's the ticket, I thought.
Spent this morning exploring Eccles, Waxham and Sea Palling. Shit all birds, but some super new habo to delve into. Managed little, and oddly the best was at sea- a Red Throated Diver, 6 Common Scoter and a few Gannet seen off Waxham.
The missus is really nailing this birding lark; a text from her whilst I was on route alerted me to the presence of 8 Waxwing not far from our place. I picked her up on the way through and sure enough, just round the corner from the Whalebone pub, were 5 of the 8 Waxwing looking superb at the top of a tree. Seaduck, Siskin, Swans and Waxwing....maybe Autumn is over, but I could easily adapt to this winter medley.
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