Was great birding on the 1st, was joining in the BINS New Years Day Bird Race with friends for a bit of fun. Started at Lound where the highlight was 130 pink-footed geese that flew over and vocal tawny and little owl. At Ness Point took ages to see purple sandpiper but did see an adult male black redstart between there and Hamilton Dock. Leathes Ham was nice as Ron says with lots of cracking pintail and the black-throated diver and rb merganser nearby on Lake Lothing.
Went to see the hoopoe without success, initially from the gates on Riverside road, went back out to Waveney Road to view through the buildings but with time pressing had to move on - that was until I got a text to say the hoopoe had been seen again and we got excellent views. A treat too as a new Suffolk bird, one I'd dipped a couple of times before and which I thought I would eventually catch up with so had never made to much effort to see one but would never have thought I would be seeing my first on January 1st!
Continued down to Kessingland - se owl, wf geese, snow bunting and four grey partridge which were a nice surprise - near Beach Farm. The Blyth next then Wetleton Heath and Minsmere. As we had spent so much time in the Lowestoft area we missed out Boyton and Hollesley and went to my patch on the Deben at Melton seeing the curlew sandpiper and greenshank.
Down to the Orwell with great northern diver, too late at Lings Lane for corn bunting and finished at Holbrook Creek as it got dark and was raining. Still managed reed bunting calling, woodcock, heard snipe and brent geese out in the bay.
A good laugh, 111 species which is the same as last year and a lifer as well. Missed species such as kingfisher, mistle thrush and goldcrest! Looking forward to doing it again next year!
Gi
