A day out

I've been getting my birding fix by stealing an hour here and there locally mostly Fishers Green or Rainham after school runs for the little ones but with a nice forecast for Saturday and no planned family duties for me and the Jims we organised a trip.

The plan was to start with the Hume's Warbler in Lowestoft Suffolk so we set off early to arrive for 7.30am and joined a few other guys to search the area around the Tennis courts where the bird was known to be wintering. Time went by and we were joined by Mark F. Dave B. and Mike O'H. we had a good catch up as we waited for the bird to join us which it eventually did as Mark and I picked up the call before another guy also heard it and managed to pick it out high up. It dropped and moved to feed in a bush with a Firecrest.(Mark did tell me the name of the bush but I've forgotten it). Over the next hour or so we had good views of both the Hume's and the Firecrest although they were very mobile and difficult to hit with the camera. A Barnacle goose flew over which gave the Jims a third year tick of the day. The Hume's is my fifth after birds in Yorkshire, Norfolk and Kent (2).

Firecrest

Firecrest

Hume's leaf Warbler

We moved on and decided to try Ness Point for Purple Sandpipers as it was just a couple of hundred yards away but despite a good search we failed to find any in a very high and turbulent tide and decided to try next for Shore Lark at Kessingland knowing that four birds had been wintering there. It was a short five mile drive away and we parked in a layby before walking out to the beach forgetting a) the steps down and b) just how big the beach is at Kessingland. The steps and the walk would be too much for Dad so he sat this one out on the bench above the cliffs as Jim and I took on the challenge of the walk to find the Shore Larks which proved successful as we enjoyed good views of the four birds out on the shingle having first navigated the uneven steps and the very wet areas between the cliff and the shingle. We told Dad we had the bird but talked him out of attempting the descent instead heading back to join him at the bench.

Shore Lark

Shore Larks

Shore Lark

I drove the car through the caravan park to save Dad part of the walk back from the bench and we set off north before stopping again at Ness Point for another search for Purple Sandpipers which this time proved fruitful although again involved a lengthy walk. We also found a partially leucistic Stonechat here and a Rock Pipit with a blue ring which a local said meant it was ringed in Finland.

Purple Sandpiper

the partially leucistic Stonechat

Turnstone

Having finally year ticked Purple Sandpipers (and I know the tick isn't important but an excuse to find and enjoy these winter visitors each year) we moved on and with me wanting to see the Iceland Gull at Sea Palling and the Jims still wanting winter Swans this year left us with a short debate about in which order we tried for both and we ruled out going for the American Wigeon due to the length of the walk Dad would have to do for it.  I decided we'd got to Sea Palling first and we headed north 25 miles to the beach car park and paid the £1.50 fee for an hour before setting off along the beach to the large throng of Gulls feeding on the tide line. Among the majority of Herring Gulls and Black-headed gulls we found first the juvenile Iceland Gull and then a couple of Caspian Gulls. I can't believe it's almost five years since I last saw an Iceland Gull (Wantsead April 2021) Our hour passed too quick before we headed off to get the Jims a year tick at Ludham airfield where a mixed herd of 50 Whoopers and Bewick's was quickly found before the 120 mile journey home. I added four year ticks and Jim managed eight with Dad seven after not seeing the Shore Larks. (Firecrest, Barnacle and the two Swans that I'd already seen this year)

A terrific day of birding in Suffolk/Norfolk with the Hume's being a Suffolk tick for me too.

Year list now 162

Tundra Bean Goose

I've been keeping an eye on the Tundra Bean Goose on my visits to the valley and it remains loyal to the field opposite Holyfield fishery in Fishers Green lane. The 12 Russian White Fronted Geese remain but are a little more mobile and take more time away from the field. 

Yesterday I took Jim to see it as he needed it for his local list too and we managed good views. A walk out to the weir and back gave good views of a couple of Raven and we also has two single birds fly over later. Lots of winter thrushes remain and we checked a few tick flocks hoping for Firecrest but found only Goldcrests for our effort. There are a few winter ducks hanging on and we found three Siskin with a small Goldfinch flock. The general feeling is one of quiet with little of note so spring migration can't come quick enough.

Russian White fronted Geese returning to feed in the fields

Among the Greylags are a couple of ringed birds so I've noted the details and sent it off to the ringers for their interest. 

Greylag U456

My daughter has had some good news and her treatment appears to be having a positive effect so we celebrate that for now but having been through similar troubles I know its a long road and the worry never really leaves you.

Hoping for a day out to the coast this weekend if nothing changes in the next few hours.

patch tick Tundra Bean Goose at Fishers Green

As per my previous blog post I've been visiting the patch trying to connect with the wintering Tundra Bean Goose but it had given me the slip until yesterday morning when just as I was going to give up the bird walked out into my scope. It was in the bottom corner of the field so a walk along the public footpath was in order, aware that an approach too close could flush the mixed flock/gaggle. I managed to get to a point where I could see the birds and grabbed a few record shots that crop down well enough to post. The large group of Greylags have got used to people on the footpath and just walk away to a distance they feel safe at but the wintering Russian White fronts and the Tundra are as you'd expect a little more prone to disturbance but they were settled and comfortable with me at about 100yards away.

The Tundra Bean Goose goes on the Lee Valley list as bird 170 and is my second new bird of the year following the Caspian Gull on KGV.

I also saw a Treecreeper and a Sparrowhawk whilst watching the geese.

I also ran the Jims down to Rainham in search of a couple of year ticks for them but we only managed one with at least 8 Water Pipits on the cut grass behind Butts hide. 

Local

I've grabbed a couple of hours this weekend on the local patch at Fishers Green but failed to add anything to the year list. My main purpose on the patch is trying to add Tundra Bean Goose to the patch list.

The Tundra Bean Goose was first reported on Seventy Acres lake on 28th January among the Greylags but it flew off after just five minutes of being found. It wasn't seen again until 4th February when it was again with the Greylags on Seventy Acre lake and it was reported again on 6th. I have scanned every Greylag in every field around Fishers Green/Holyfield farm etc but failed to see the Tundra and yesterday watched the lake to see if the bird returned at all to roost which I guess is why the sightings are on the lake later in the day but even with another go this morning the bird has thus far eluded me.

I found twelve Russian White fronted Geese in the fields opposite Holyfield fishery on the track down to Fishers Green which was good as there wasn't any at the farm when I checked. These same twelve birds were still there this morning.

Black Swan

In all I've seen 62 species over the last couple of days at Fishers Green but none are new for the year so the year list remains at 152. (Also seen the resident Black Swan)

Fishers Green goose hunt

Rainham

I had two hours free yesterday morning so popped down to Rainham after the school run. I hadn't found any Corn Bunting at Rainham this year despite a report of four birds in the usual location below the tip so I walked down that way with Steve B and sure enough there was a single Corn Bunting singing its heart out from the favoured Buddleia bush so that was quickly put to bed and Steve later found a second bird up on the hill. I pointed out a couple of Stonechat which was new for the year for Steve and then we went to task counting Black-tailed Godwits which we settled on a count of 140. A few Avocet and Redshank were also on the mud with good numbers of Teal and a few Gadwall and Shelduck.

Down on Wennington marsh Steve pointed out the six White-fronted Geese and in return I found him his first Rook of 2026 for Rainham. I counted the Great-black-backed Gulls and after three counts settled on 136 as a total but of note was the lack of many juvenile birds amongst them. This has to be the biggest gathering I've seen of this species out on the marsh. 

Finally I walked the reserve which I don't do very often. I counted 27 Pintail on the Purfleet scrape and quite a few Snipe. Further round and I found a flock of 60+ Fieldfare and then from Butts I watched as hundreds of Lapwing filled the sky for about thirty minutes reluctant to return to ground but couldn't find the expected Peregrine amongst them although I did pick out three Golden Plover and 20+ Dunlin in the flock. A flock of 20+ Snipe was also notable and proved something was disturbing the whole area and my thoughts were probably a fox had got beyond the fence or was it an Otter which is now on the reserve?  I did see two Marsh Harrier but this disturbance seemed a little more than the usual you'd have from a passing Harrier. On the tip a sizeable Starling murmuration was notable.

As I walked past target pools I had my first Bearded Tits of the year which a fair bit of "pinging" and the occasional view as they moved across the top of the reeds.

On the way home I stopped at Dagenham chase and with a tip from Steve I managed to see my first Firecrest of the year.

Year list now 152

Red-breasted Goose at Paglesham

I had a few hours free in the middle of the day today so asked the Jims if they wanted to try for the Red-breasted Goose at Wallasea Island and despite the heavy rain they decided to join me in the limited time we had. I've already been to Wallasea this year but didn't find the Goose but recently the bird has been seen more often on the other side of Paglesham creek so before heading into the reserve today we drove down to East End Paglesham and very quickly found the Red-breasted Goose in a large flock of Brents.

The bird was distant and the rain was heavy but I managed a record shot.

Red-breasted Goose with the Brents

On the reserve we walked in the rain out to the hide and managed to add Ringed Plover to the year list amongst the 59 species seen on this visit which included Hen Harrier, Grey Plover and Avocet to name a few.

Kestrel

We got wet, very wet and headed home in good time.

Year list now 150

Bittern

There's nothing better than having a good bird close to home and over the years the Bitterns wintering at Fishers Green have given me real value for the time invested in the hide waiting to see if they show. This year a lone bird has arrived on 17th January and I've spent a few hours since watching it or on occasion not seeing it but today was a good day. I arrived at 7.45 to find the bird out in the open and watched it just sitting there until 8.30 when a couple of other birders arrived and with the door opening it ran for cover. After about half an hour it returned to the open area and eventually started to hunt fish although I have to say its not the greatest as it misses most fish it darts into the water for in fact I hadn't seen it make a catch until today and even then it only got one fish. I do enjoy sitting waiting for the bird to show and then watching how it goes about its business. Saw a Black Swan today which is a first for the valley even if it isn't yet tickable (not considered self sustaining yet!)

Here's a few of the 110 pictures I took today 

Some days the bird doesn't show at all, some days you can see it hidden in the reeds but it doesn't come out and then there's days like today when it just goes about it's business forgetting people are looking at it a few feet away in the hide.