Going for Goshawks

We dropped into Lackford Lakes at first light this morning finding Lesser Redpolls and Siskins on the feeders and a pair of Bullfinch in the bramble behind before we moved on to the sailing lake. We'd missed all the larger gulls which had already left the roost but did manage to see a pair of Goldeneye making little Goldeneyes.

A pair of Goldeneye in the early gloom at Lackford Lakes

Blue Tit

Siskin

Siskin

Our next stop was Nunnery lakes parking in the BTO offices we walked around the back to the lakes and found two Jack Snipe on the island on the second lake. A Treecreeper entertained me on the walk back to the car park.

Treecreeper

Our main target today was Goshawk so we moved on to Cockley Cley and parked up in order to scan the tree tops finding upwards of nine Buzzard in the air together before we found a pair of displaying Goshawk. The pair gave great scope views as they danced together over the tree tops on several occasions before we left in search of Willow Tit. We parked up and walked the tracks and although we saw what looked like Willow Tit in the tree tops we are aware that the location also holds Marsh Tit and without the benefit of call we couldn't label this bird. We left the old fella and walked back to the car and as we got within twenty feet of the car we heard the distinctive call of the Willow Tit to finally nail it to the year list.

Common Buzzard

Our next stop was on the way back down at Santon Downham where we failed again to find Woodlark but did see another Goshawk and a Sprawk before we left. We decided to stop off at Lackford on the way home and see if the larger gulls had returned to the roost and we hit the jackpot.
First a second winter Yellow legged gull followed by two adult Caspian Gulls and then the Kumliens gull.


Year list now 162

Pochard

Tufted Duck