Week commencing 15th October

Monday 15th

Lots of rain around this morning so a bit of a slow start. Dark Sky App said rain would stop by 10 am so just before then set off to Cock Up Bridge. The rain finally stopped at 10.07 so impressed with the prediction.

Headed out along the cycle track towards the Upware Bridge. A few Wigeon on the Cock Up Bridge pool along with a couple of female Teal. While scanning the posts along the drove road to the old barns spotted a very nice Short-eared Owl, first of the year and the earliest recording I've had since the one on the 23rd October 2015.

Female Marsh Harrier present, which was the first for a while. Good numbers of Snipe present and a single Redwing over.

Tuesday 16th

Trip over to the coast this morning. Plenty of reports of Yellow-browed Warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail so set off with a great deal of hope! As the sun rose the clouds lowered and the traffic went berserk! Took nearly an hour longer than normal to get there! This country is grinding to a halt in one giant roadworks.

Anyway fairly quiet still when I arrived at Holkham and the dogs were glad to get out of the car! Lots of flocks of Tits to go through but no rarities. Plenty of Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue and Great Tit. One flock had a Chiffchaff tagging along and a pair of Blackcap were showing well. 

Had a great view of a young Peregrine as it passed overhead and a Buzzard sitting on a post proved to be a willing subject.

Throughout the walk flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare were passing over heading in land from the sea. Mixed in were a number of Mistle Thrush but the greatest surprise was a Swallow coming in off the sea with a number of Redwing. It was great to sit and watch these winter visitors continuing to arrive off the sea to join us for the winter.

Mistle Thrush 

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Fieldfare: first photo of the winter!

Lots of   birders down by Jordan looking for the Bluetail and Yellow-browed so passed quickly by! But did manage to track one down in a flock of Long-tailed Tit behind Washington Hide later in the afternoon. A successful day!

Week commencing 7th October

Sunday 7th

Really nice morning so decided to give the dogs a treat and head out to the lower section of Burwell Fen. Good numbers of Reed Bunting around and a pair of Stonechat showing well.

A couple of Kestrel were hunting over the fens but little else.

Kestrel

The early part of the week has slipped by without anything to report bird wish. Monday spent doing a refresher First Aid course which went well; good to see I could still pump that chest with the old vigour of the past. 

Tuesday 9th out to Burwell Fen to cover the lower section. Little seen except a pair of Stonechat and a couple of Common Gull.

Wednesday 10, back to Welney for another course! BBC in to film the Cranes but non present!! Quick trip to the Main Hide produced a couple of Marsh Harrier (male and female). Wigeon around but not in great numbers. 

Thursday 11th

Freedom! Nothing on other than finishing the girl's money boxes! So off to Cock-up and along the Burwell Lode to the Horse Bridge and back down Harrison's Drove. Cetti's calling but not showing and a small flock of Long-tailed Tit moving through the hedges but again little else. Never mind the dogs had a good walk and it was a glorious morning if breezy!

Strange, unusual plants appearing in Wicken Fen

Max reads the sign with interest.

And responds to this new threat in only a way a dog can!

Week commencing 1st October

Monday 1st 

Fancied a morning over by the coast so set off for Warham in order to check out The Pit and Whirly-gig for any sign of migrants. Sad to say very little around other than Little Egret, Curlew and a few Golden Plover on the marshes. The hedgerows only held Blue Tit, Goldfinch and Dunnock. Distant views of six juvenile Gannet. However it was nice to be out on the marshes for a while.

Tuesday 2nd

Quite heavy rain this morning so delayed start of the walk until it was easing. Decided to do the whole of the Burwell Triangle from Cock-up and back. It had been reported that a small flock of Fieldfare were about so something worth looking for!

Sadly no fieldfare but did have a male Marsh Harrier, which I haven't had for a while. Other than a Buzzard and a couple of Kestrel little else around with the exception of a single Green Sandpiper on the Reach Bridge pool.

Thursday 4th

A misty autumnal morning so off to Cock-Up Bridge Car park and then to decide where to go. No sign of the Little Owl by the barn, so in the hope of finding any autumn migrants headed up along Burwell Lode towards Horse Bridge.

The first mists of Autumn

Sadly no migrants around but good views of Stonechat and plenty of Cetti's Warbler calling. So returned to the car after an hour and off to Fordham for breakfast!

Friday 5th

At Welney all day. Good numbers of Common Crane on both sides of the reserve. Greenshank, Ruff and Snipe in front of Lyle Hide.

Ruff

Ruff

Ringed Black-tailed Godwit with Teal. Although rings look white and red it was Lime Green over Orange

The big treat was a Bittern fly by of the Main Hide. It landed just beyond the swan tunnel but no reappearance. Good number of Whooper Swan, mainly on Lady Fen.

Saturday 6th

Short visit to Tubney Fen resulted in two Redwing over. First of the year!