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Sunday, 26 May 2013

A raptor day in East Anglia

Red Footed Falcon is a bird I have wanted to see for years and with the long-staying bird at Lakenheath RSPB reserve in Suffolk continuing to delight the crowds, I was keen to get over there sharpish! So yesterday (25/05) we both, (along with Jon & Kirsty) started early and headed straight for Lakenheath with the plan to go on to North Norfolk afterwards.

We arrived at the reserve at 07:40am with the car Park largely full, wow! It was very clear and the sun was out but it wasn't half cold! We started at the New Fen viewpoint, with the news that the bird was about. We soon had good views of a couple of flyby Bitterns and at least 2 Marsh Harrier

Walking along the north side of the reserve by the river, Dave picked up a couple of distant Common Crane in flight which we all saw briefly and then the Red Footed Falcon suddenly appeared along the west edge of the west wood, get in there!!! We watched him hunting over a channel and over the reeds, coming back to the trees to perch up. It was clear though that he was favouring the south side very close to the path. After enjoying goods scope views for a bit we made our way around to the south side, seeing a day-flying Barn Owl and navigating a very angry Mute Swan with her cygnets!

News broke of an apparent Savi's Warbler in reeds round on the southern side, however there was no sign. On this side the Red Foot performed amazingly well, hunting insects and perching several times on the edge of west wood, along with 2 or 3 Hobby.

















We then moved further east along the path and the views of him just got better and better, seeing him hawking insects low over our heads as little as 15 feet away!





















Below are a couple of amazing shots taken by Dave using Jon's camera.















Eventually, we dragged ourselves away to somewhere in Norfolk (not allowed to say where!) to look for a pair of Montagu's Harriers! I'd never seen a male before and I was pretty dam excited. We arrived to be told that the female was in the field and had been seen flying around a bit, with no sign so far of the male. We must have waited a good 45 minutes when eventually I picked up the stunning male Montagu's Harrier flying in with something in his talons, yes! As it flew in, up came the female. Surely they wouldn't...but sure enough they did an incredible food pass, with her dropping it mid air but swooping down to, in the end catch it! Absolutely amazing! Below are a few images Dave managed to capture of the whole thing.























The male flew around quite a bit, even chasing off a fly-by Lesser Black Backed Gull! He then eventually landed on a bare bit of earth and just sat preening for ages and in fact, that's where we left him!
After having a bit of late pub lunch, Dave and I went on to Titchwell. Was hoping to see the Temminck's Stint that was there however for all the time we were there it stayed at the back of one of the islands and failed to show itself. Still, highlights there included a Spoonbill (note how it's sat down on it's knees!), an Eider & female Common Scoter on the sea and several Little & Sandwich Terns. There was also a decent array of waders, many in summ plumage including several Sanderling, c.30 Turnstone, c.50 Bar Tailed Godwits, c.30 Grey Plovers, a Knot, 2 LRP and all the usual commoner species.



  


    











The last part of the day was spent at Dersingham Bog, near Kings Lynn to watch Nightjars. Rather suprisingly they were a complete no show, despite it being such a clear, still evening. I guess it was to do with the fact that it was really cold. We did have a roding Woodcock, singing Tree Pipit, a male Stonechat, 1 or 2 Cuckoo and a pretty tame and manky Roe Deer.

Minsmere

On Sunday 12/05, me, Dave, Katie and Jon headed to Minsmere for the day. It was a flippin early start but had had lots to see! We arrived at about 08:40am and firstly had a look for Stone Curlew along the entrance track. Sure enough a very distant pair were eventually found along with the added bonus of a nearby singing Woodlark.

















After that we set out first to look for a reported singing Savi's Warbler near to the west hide. Initially we heard nothing so set about scanning the scrapes.
As to be expected the place was full of birds. Highlights were a brief Whimbrel, 2 Little Tern, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2-3 1st summer Med Gulls, a Bar Tailed Godwit, several Kittiwakes, lots of feral Barnacle Geese, a couple of booming Bitterns, a couple of Marsh Harrier, Avocets & a Common Sand.


















Once we'd finished there we headed back down to the Savi's Warbler and we were in luck. While we didn't see it, it did give several loud bursts of song very close to the path. It just wouldn't give itself away! Also here was a brief Hobby overhead and nearby in the woods, a roosting Tawny Owl very high up in a pine.

We then went up to Dunwich Heath, enjoying a fly-over Peregrine close to south hide and a singing Nightingale in bushes close to the North Wall. There was a bit of a wind and while several Dartford Warblers did show on the heath, they were pretty dam elusive! Also there were 2-3 Hobby, a pair of Stonechat and a Cuckoo.





















Next, after a couple of very tasty sausage rolls at Dunwich lighthouse, it was back down to the reserve. Walking along the beach we managed to see my first ever Harbour Porpoises with at least 3 cruising along. Also seen were a few Kittiwakes and a Hobby over the sea. Below is a great capture of one of the Porpoises by Jon Philpott.




















Back on the scrapes we had another scan, revealing much of what we'd already seen, plus 3 Turnstone & around 20 Black Tailed Godwit. We all then walked further along to the south levels, viewing a 1st summer Spoonbill, singles of WhimbrelBar Tailed Godwit and Greenshank. We finished with visits to Island Mere and Bittern Hides. Best things seen were a few Bearded Tits, great views of at least 7 hunting Hobby and further goods views of a male Marsh Harrier (both  captured brilliantly by Jon Philpott below).





















Finally we had one more try for the Savi's Warbler in the pouring rain and a after a bit of a wait in the rain, it reeled it's head off for a while before falling silent. The rain was just getting heavier so we decided to call it a day and make the long journey back home. 

Greylags




















Greylag Goose family by Mary's Lake, Earls Barton GPs 08/05

Friday, 24 May 2013

Northants & Ouse Washes

On Saturday afternoon (04/05) I decided to treck all the way out to Polebrook Airfield. My main quarrel here were Turtle Dove & Nightingale. On the way I popped into Stanwick GPs in the hope the morning's Avocet maybe still about. I was in luck, with it continuing to strut around the A45 lay-by pit. Also there were a couple of LRP, a Dunlin, 2 Yellow Wagtail & a very vocal Cuckoo.















At Polebrook it wasn't long before I was enjoying the purring of a male Turtle Dove. It was a pig to see with only a brief perched view before it and another cruised over my head. Also in the same area were a couple of equally elusive male Nightingale competing away with their typical loud bursts of song.

There had been various reports of Red Footed Falcons at Ouse Washes, with certainly a single male confimred through photographs. This would be a lifer for me so Dave and I headed there on on a stinking hot day to see what we could find (Sunday 05/05)




















Typically the Falcon had been reported right at the far end of the reserve so off we trudged along the bank, stopping at several of the hides on the way up. First good bird was a very lost adult Whooper Swan amongst the local Mutes out on the washes feeding away. There were plenty of waders to be seen, including 2 Greenshank, c.20 Black Tailed Godwit, several Avocet, several Ruff (including a stunning black male with full ruff), 2 Ringed Plover and several Dunlin.

















About half way along the bank Dave just happened to turn round and to his suprise a Common Crane was cruising low over our heads!! It showed really well as it slowly gained hight and drifted off south, Brilliant! Slightly further along the bank we heard further Cranes and jumped up the bank to see two more cruising distantly north. Below is one of the shots Dave quickly rattled off.


















It was my first visit to the washes and I have to say it looks like a great site! A couple of Marsh Harriers cruised about, a drake Garganey showed in front of one of the hides and the whole reserve was full of breeding Redshank and quite a few Snipe including a drumming male which was nice. There was though sadly no sign of any Red Footed Falcons, despite several Kestrel false alarms! On the way out of the reserve we managed great views of a singing male Corn Bunting in a rape field right by the road. Was great to get such close views. We then heard of a Wood Warbler back in Northants and thought it had to be done so we headed to Badby near Daventry, via Northampton.
















We eventually found the belt of trees it had been heard in earlier in the day. The location was along a lane just off the A361 near Badby. But in the evening sun there appeared to be no sign, with two other birders soon heading off despite a good search. Just as we were contemplating heading home there it was, the unmistakable song of a male Wood Warbler!! We had to hear it again just to check we weren't hearing things and soon enough it began to sing it's heart out, bloody brilliant. It showed really well too for the next 20 minutes or so. This was a long overdue county tick and my first Wood Warbler for some years.

Recents Photos

Red Crested Pochard (pair)
Hardingstone GP 24/04/13

Black Tailed Godwit
Clifford Hill GP 25/04/13

Little Ringed Plover
Clifford Hill GP 25/04/13

Part of 38 Black Tailed Godwit flock
Summer Leys 26/04/13

Yellowhammer
Harrington Airfield 27/04/13

Avocet
Stanwick GPs 04/05/13


Robin
Summer Leys 06/05/13