Suffolk Birding (2 Viewers)

[Jonny Rankin]

The pool is a gravel pit. There is a small car park at Temple Bridge - near where the No.1 is marked on the leaflet map - cross over the river, head left and there is a footpath that goes adjacent to the river and overlooks the gravel pit.

Gi

Sweet! I'll check it out next time.

 

[Original PaulE]

Sweet! I'll check it out next time.

hi jonny cheers again for the info
i did go up to the river if you follow the path the gravel pit is on the right with the river on the left there was quite a bit of wildfowl mostly tufties and pochard and a couple of great crested grebe it's not hard to imagine some good stuff getting on there in the winter
the heath was great i think my favourite were the woodlarks mainly because they were so close and also the hobby as it's nice to get one at rest in the scope and not just zooming about.
does the heath get much in the winter for instance it looks quite good for short earred owl or merlins do you know if they get in there
cheers

 

[cjay]

My patch is 2 miles inland from the sea at Lowestoft and had Honey Buzzard no 15 fly over today! A single Wheatear was there and I get more satisfaction seeing one here than on the immediate coastline.
Three Stonechats and five singing Cettis Warblers were great!

 

[Jonny Rankin]

hi jonny cheers again for the info
i did go up to the river if you follow the path the gravel pit is on the right with the river on the left there was quite a bit of wildfowl mostly tufties and pochard and a couple of great crested grebe it's not hard to imagine some good stuff getting on there in the winter
the heath was great i think my favourite were the woodlarks mainly because they were so close and also the hobby as it's nice to get one at rest in the scope and not just zooming about.
does the heath get much in the winter for instance it looks quite good for short earred owl or merlins do you know if they get in there
cheers

Had a quick look on birdguides and as you mentioned there's been reports of Great Grey Shrike & also Hen Harrier over the winter.

It looks ideal for Merlin to me & they are so mobile over the winter I'd be shocked if one didn't pop in. Similarly it looks spot on for Short Eared and its not too far from one wintering site I know of. I have only been three times so far but each time it has kicked up treats!

I am hitting Lackford this morning, but if I bump into anyone my try & cadge a lift round the corner to Cavenham!

 

[Jonny Rankin]

My patch is 2 miles inland from the sea at Lowestoft and had Honey Buzzard no 15 fly over today! A single Wheatear was there and I get more satisfaction seeing one here than on the immediate coastline.
Three Stonechats and five singing Cettis Warblers were great!

Blimey! That is a great patch... I've yet to experience the H-Buzzard influx for certain...

Had 3 Buzzards at height over Landseer Park Ipswich a week ago last Sunday but no bins to check em properly! Aside from that have had Common Buzard over the flat and plenty of Osprey... but no Honey's!

Defo rewarding getting Whetear inland... I had a female on a lunch break next to Needham Lake in the spring.

 

[Jonny Rankin]

Superb few days at Lackford...

1 Oct - Osprey, Common Buzzard & Hobby
2 Oct - Pair of Pintail, Snipe, Green Sandpiper
3 Oct - Brilliant views of male Crossbill.

House Martins remain in good numbers over the sailing lake, Siskin numbers on the reserve are increasing daily. Although I missed them a flock of 20 crossbill was reported yesterday. Mixed feeding flocks are also present with Tits, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest making there way through the Alder trees.

Exciting times... not long till the Bitterns return! :t:

 

[Cortonbirds]

"No spring Chicken" I live in Hopton myself too It would be interesting to know your name and we could share some local info etc.

James Brown

 

[On-Firecrest]

Orford Ness

I'd been planning to do a recce of Orford Ness for a while now, and with nothing rare enough to distract me, this weekend seemed as good a time as any.
Whilst the birds wern't great, a few Gannets passed on the sea, a Spoonbill on the Lagoon and a few Wheatears and a Blackap in the bushes, there was a certain appeal to it's bleak wilderness, flat never ending shingle and surreal abandoned millitary buildings. I'll definitely be back!

Cheers
Steve

 

[cjay]

Not much a few miles inland of Lowestoft. Of note Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, eight Bearded Tits, two Cettis Warblers. The wind probably put everything down. I am looking forward to visiting Lowestoft next week. Perhaps sea watching will produce. My recent claim of my no 15 Honey Buzzard was the cumalative total seen in the Lowestoft area, not my own personal tally. I did not make that clear, sorry.

Carl.

 

[Cortonbirds]

The cumilative total of Honey Buzzards in the Lowestoft recording area in September was in fact 27 Colin. I saw 5 including regular sightings around the Corton sewage works area where birds lingered to feed and roost. Anyway nice to hear your out birding again mate.

 

[cjay]

Thanks. the name is Carl Jay, you must have me confused with someone else.
I did not realise that Lowestoft had produced so many Honey Buzzards, must be a good migration route

 

[Cortonbirds]

Sorry about that I assumed you were someone else. Check out our Lowestoft website for bird sightings..the september page makes for some interesting reading http://home.clara.net/ammodytes/

 

[cjay]

Although due to the weather I did not go out Birding, this afternoon I had three Fieldfares fly over my house from the east. Roll on the morning I hope the weather clears.

 

[cjay]

Brilliant day In Lowestoft.

Had a great day on the coast on Lowestoft. On the North Denes two Wheatears one 1st win male Redstart. c 20 Robins and c.9 Dunnocks a Chiffchaff by Warren House Wood best bird by far was a Yellow Browed Warbler which flew in off the sea, perched on the sea wall and flew into the scrub by birds Eye CP at 2:30pm. it was seen again for a few minutes before flying off inland. I met another birder at Ness Point who told me of the Redstart so I walked back to the Denes to see it, on the way back I saw the warbler flying in, talk about fate. I saw everything it was a text book bird.

Off shore 65 Gannets south in an hour between 8am and 9am two Common Scoter south seven Cormorants south, two Red throated divers south.
an Immature Shag on the groynes and the ad YL Gull of the twelve Turnstones present one had a yellow colour ring and a yellow tag bearing the letters AMA

Carl.

 

[cjay]

Back to my inland Patch, Plenty of migrant turdiae about today
c.30 Blackbirds all together flitting from the trees
17 Redwings in a Hawthorn nearby.
Five Fieldfares overhead.
Five Cettis Warblers in song throughout.
20 Lapwings in flight over marshes
4 Grey Herons
c.20 Long tailed Tits
three Siskins, three Bullfinches, a singing Chiffchaff
Six Goldcrests in Tit flock.

 

[Des!]

Hi

I'm over in Hopton this weekend & looking to get out on Saturday.

I'll be staying at Hopton - Any suggestions (Other than Minsmere) of places to go or walk?

Cheers!

De

 

[GiG]

Hi

I'm over in Hopton this weekend & looking to get out on Saturday.

I'll be staying at Hopton - Any suggestions (Other than Minsmere) of places to go or walk?

Cheers!

De

Hi Des,

Corton is nearby and 'Cortonbirds' - James - has a web site with a handy site guide Corton Birds.

Also check out this site, which will give news in NE Suffolk along with site guides - Lounge Lizards.

Try Kessingland with the walk from the car park along Church Road, at the back is a track to the sewage which is worth checking out, then across to the beach and down to Benacre Broad.

Gi

 

[Daffyduck]

Hi, I visited Minsmere today and saw:

Great White Egret (from Island Hide), apparently its carrying a french tag....
5 snipe, 2 pintails, teal, widgeon, shovelers, avocet, stone chat on bushes near beach, 10 redwing flew over, spotted redshank, redshank, black tailed godwit, egret, little stint, ringed plover, lapwing, lots of green woodpeckers around and a couple of cetti warblers. Couldnt see the reported garganey.

Had good views of red deer (doe) on the path towards Bittern Hide - at one stage only 20 feet away! You could hear stags roaring in the distance.

Tina

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Had good views of red deer (doe) on the path towards Bittern Hide - at one stage only 20 feet away! You could hear stags roaring in the distance.

Tina

Some of the young Red Deer at Minsmere are extremely confiding. I took this photo recently and this one didn't seem to be at all bothered by the people watching it.

Ron

 

[Daffyduck]

Great Photo Ron:t: