STONECHATS AND SNOW BUNTINGS

   Monday saw me walking one of my favourite circular coastal routes along the beach from the car park at Dunwich, past the shore pools, out to Westwood marshes and then back along the track to Dunwich village again. The day started in glorious sunshine and as soon as I left the car park a pair of Stonechats appeared flitting from perch to perch and although it was difficult to get close to them I managed to get a few shots which were enough to wet my appetite for a return visit to concentrate on these delightful little birds.

   Moving North with the sea on my right and the marshes and pools on my left the occasional waders were seen which included Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher along with the ever present Little Egrets, gulls and swans. About a mile along the coast I spotted a bit of a commotion over one of the shore pools as two Marsh Harriers rose up into the sky and then realized that the cause of this was a beautiful male Hen Harrier hunting over the marshes. Unfortunately the Hen Harrier was too far off for any photographs but as it was the first good sighting of a male this winter it made my day and made me remember how lucky we are in this area to get these increasingly rare birds visit us in the colder months. As far as I know there were only 3 or 4 pairs that bred in England this year and already 2 of the fledglings that were fitted with satellite trackers have disappeared in mysterious circumstances so to see one of these 'grey ghosts' hunting put a renewed spring in my step through the energy sapping shingle I was walking through.

   Just as I reached the point where I would normally turn inland a flock of about 40 birds took off from the marsh and flew along the shingle bank for a couple of hundred yards before settling again. Looking through the binoculars I could see that they were Twite but try as I might I could not approach them close enough for any pictures which was a shame but not totally unexpected as these birds always seem to be flighty. The last time I got close enough for photography was about 4 years ago when they had a regularly topped up feeding station along the shingle which I believe was for survey purposes. It was at this point that I nearly walked onto a group of about 20 Snow Bunting that were feeding just above the high water line and were very well camouflaged amongst the shingle. Crouching down to get a lower field of view I spent the next hour taking pictures of these very confiding birds that carried on foraging at a distance of only about 20 feet from me.

   Regretfully leaving the Snow Buntings I headed inland to find the track that headed back to the village of Dunwich stopping along the way at one of the view points overlooking the Westwood marshes and reed beds where I was lucky enough to see 2 Bitterns flying over the reeds as well as several Marsh Harriers and quite a few geese. Walking along the edge of the forest a Muntjac deer was too quick for me to photograph but looking out towards the marshes I spotted a few Red deer in the reeds at the edge of the marsh. All too soon I was back at the car park where the Stonechats were still putting on a show for a couple of photographers but I decided that the light was getting too bad but I will be back soon.

SUNSHINE AND WINTER VISITORS AT MINSMERE

   The weekend at last saw an end to the murk of the last few weeks revealing bright winter sunshine so it was with some optimism that I made my way to Island Mere hide to try and see the regular Otters and Bitterns that have been making appearances there. The early dawn light was fantastic but as the morning wore on it became apparent that the stars of the show were not going to make an appearance so at about 10 am I reluctantly left the hide and walked around the reserve to see if anything else was more cooperative.

   Walking along the path past the flooded konik field I spotted some swans swimming in the shallow water and feeding at the reed edges. Closer examination revealed two of the birds to have yellow and black bills and they turned out to be Whooper swans that have recently returned from Iceland. I wonder if these two swans are the same pair that spent the winter here last year, I certainly think its possible as Whooper swans are known to favour regular wintering sites. I took some pictures of them at close quarters in the bright light but it wasn't until I moved on that I realised that the camera was still set for the murk so consequently they appeared very vivid and I had to tone them down a bit later on the computer.

   Making my way to the shore I walked along the beach and dunes on the lookout for any Snow buntings but there were none to be found, in fact wildlife of any description was very scarce so I moved back inland a little to the North bushes which are covered in berries at the moment. Almost immediately I saw a flock of thrushes moving through the bushes, stopping now and then to gorge on the berry bounty so I manouvered to a position where I was partially hidden and waited for the birds to land on the bushes near to me. As they approached I could see that they were both Redwings and Fieldfares, the latter being much larger as well as more wary but eventually they settled to feed and I managed to get some pictures of them eating the berries.

   Both of these species are winter visitors that breed mainly in Scandinavia, North-east Europe as far as Russia and some in Iceland although there are very small numbers known to have bred in this country, mainly Scotland. As well as the size difference Fieldfares are much greyer in appearance especially on the top half of their bodies whereas the Redwings have a prominant pale stripe above the eye and a reddish flank below the wings. These were super subjects to see and photograph and the way they gorging on the berries the bushes will soon be bare for the rest of the winter and the birds will move on to more productive areas. Finally as I was waiting in the bushes I felt a presence and turning to my left slowly observed a Muntjac watching me from about 20 ft away and managed to get a single shot before it hastily disappeared from view.

WINTERTON BEACH WALK

   Last week on a calm day I decided to drive to Winterton and walk along the beach looking for the small flock of Snow Buntings that had recently arrived for the winter. Setting off northwards from the car park I immediately spotted a couple of pipits near the sea wall but as there were several people and dog walkers around I carried on up the beach and after 20 minutes or so came across a large group of Sanderlings resting at the tide line.I stopped to take a few pictures but the light was very subdued so I didn't linger and carried on passing only a few gulls and Cormarants resting on the groynes.

   As I neared the Horsey end of the beach a group of gulls and crows were feasting on the corpse of a seal pup and were reluctant to move far from their meal as I passed. Shortly afterwards I reached signs informing me that the beach ahead was closed to allow the seals to pup in peace so I moved up into the dunes and continued up to the seal watch points where I joined several other people looking at the first of the seasons pups on the beach along with a few females but all in all the area was still relatively quiet. Another couple of weeks should see the the pupping season really start in earnest by which time the beach will probably be covered in pups and their mums with the bull seals getting aggressive with each other as they wait for the chance to mate. I kept looking out to sea in the hope of seeing the Humpback Whale that had been offshore here the day before but there was no sign and on returning home reports said that it had been seen further north at Happisborough, never mind maybe next time.

   Leaving the seals I made my way back towards Winterton eventually locating the flock of Snow Buntings which numbered around 15 individuals but unfortunately for me they were very flighty and did not allow close approach. The reason for this was soon obvious as I watched several dogs repeatedly chase the birds around the beach with the owners seemingly oblivious to the antics of their pets! A little further south and the Sanderlings came back into view again along the tide line but this time they were more dispersed all along the beach. The light was much better so I spent some time with them taking pictures as they ran in and out with the waves allowing me to approach fairly closely. Occasionally dogs would disturb them and they would rise up, form in to a flock, fly along the beach a little way and then resume feeding on the shore. Very confiding little birds with great characters, constantly on the go and a joy to observe and photograph. No Snow Bunting pictures but a great day for a walk without too many people around once you get away from Winterton.

DESERT WHEATEAR MAKES UNUSUAL VISITOR TO LOWESTOFT

   On Thursday 6th November a Desert Wheatear was found by the sea wall near the Links road car park at Lowestoft North beach and it proved to be a most confiding visitor. The Desert Wheatear looks quite similar to the normal Wheatears we get coming through every spring and autumn but has a predominately black tail to go with its sandy plumage. As their name suggests this bird originates from the deserts of North Africa where it spends its winters before migrating to the Arab peninsular, Asia, Mongolia and eastward to China. Every year one or two of these birds lose their way on the journey back to Africa and end up being blown to our shores but it is amazing that this bird turned up at Lowestoft at the same time as another one appeared just a few miles up the coast at Gorleston.

   The bird at Lowestoft was a first winter male and as I said earlier was very approachable and when I arrived on Saturday morning already several photographers had surrounded it snapping away. It was amazing that it did not seem to mind us being around it and carried on feeding oblivious to the sound of shutters being fired. Apparently the bird at Gorleston which is a female is also nearly as confiding which I put down to the fact that they don't come into contact with humans much so have little reason to fear us. As for the chances of either bird making their way back down to Africa, it will depend largely on the wind changing direction to aid them and also their ability to feed up before crossing back across the channel and heading down through Europe. As I said it is a most unusual visitor here but in its own area is not a threatened species at all being common across Africa.

A WALK AROUND HADDISCOE ISLAND

   Only a couple of pictures in this post but a fantastic walk around Haddiscoe Island which is about 11 miles in total and which you should allow several hours to complete especially if you stop to observe the wildlife. Parking the car under the large bridge I set off along the footpath leading from the small bridge along the flood defence wall where several of the nearby marshes had been flooded by the recent high tides allowing gulls and a few waders to take up temporary residence. A Grey wagtail was immediately spotted in one of the boatyards and once I moved away from the buildings and alongside the reed beds a small group of Stonechats sat on top of some of the higher reed stems.
   Moving along further a few Reed Buntings were seen along with lots of Bearded Tits in family groups that would rise up from the reeds calling to each other in the gentle breeze. In all along the walk I counted over 100 Bearded Tits which would indicate that they had a good breeding year which is fantastic as they are always a delight to see. As I neared the end of the island quite a few Lapwings could be seen along with several Curlews whose voices carried over the marshes. Herons and Little Egrets were plentiful along with a distant Great White Egret that seemed to spent most of its time in a ditch only giving occasional views of its head and yellow bill.
   Reaching the halfway point of the walk near the Berney Arms I stopped and sat on the river bank for a bite to eat and watched a Short Eared Owl flying on the far side of the river. All at once another got up, followed by another and another until there were 5 in the air at the same time which made quite a sight. One of the birds flew over to my side of the water and landed on the marshes behind me allowing me to get a couple of snaps. These are amazing birds to watch with their bright yellow eyes and the fact that they spent a lot of time hunting during the day. Each autumn birds arrive from the continent to spend the winter on our marshes in hopefully for them our milder climate and each spring most return although some do breed here mainly on the uplands of more northern areas.

   Continuing the walk along to Reedham more Bearded Tits were seen although this was not so regular as the winds increased. Swans were everywhere and lots of geese could be seen on the Acle marshes and also coming in from over Breydon Water and now and then a Hare could be seen running over the marshes. During the walk I only spotted a couple of Chinese Water Deer which was unusual but I did come across a couple of deer corpses that had been shot so it looks as if a cull has taken place which is a shame as this species is fairly harmless and doesn't do much damage to our native flora. What annoyed me more was the fact that the bodies had just been left to rot and not even taken for food but all in all its a fantastic walk well worth doing if you have the time especially during the autumn and winter when the flood defence banks are cut which makes it easier going.    

UNUSUAL VISITOR TO BENACRE SLUICE

   Following the arrival of a Hoopoe on the beach at Benacre sluice on Saturday and the dismal light when I made a brief visit Sunday yesterday dawned bright and breezy so I made my way back to the sluice hoping that the bird had decided to remain for another day. This was the first time I had seen one of these remarkable birds in this country having previously observed them in Spain. Although not really rare they are unusual in this country as they normally habitat the more southerly European regions and birds here are normally ones that have overshot their intended destinations. Some birds winter in Africa although others remain in the Mediterranean area throughout the year. Very occasionally they have been known to breed in this country but more usually a 100 or so individuals are seen on migration each year more often on the south coast.

   They tend to be seen on short grass or bare ground where they feed on beetles, grubs, caterpillars and large insects and this particular bird seemed to be doing very well finding plenty of food among the grassy dunes near the sluice. It was a very very obliging bird which as long as you were still would approach quite closely without any undue concern. The large crest on the head is normally held flat but when the bird is about to fly it raises up and together with the back and white plumage on the wings makes for quite a show as can be seen below on a picture taken in the poor light on Sunday.

   Walking back to the car from the sluice I spotted a pair of Skylarks on the short grass that seemed to allow people and even dogs to approach closely before flying and with a bit of patience I was able to get these shots of the birds in the low bright sunshine.