Visit to Shut Heath Woods

Jimmy & I head to the woods looking for the Lesser-spotted Woodpecker that has been seen here, we arrive at about 8 o'clock & park just inside the two big gates that lead to the woods, a short walk over   a rough field & we are in the woods.

We hear tapping but it's a Greater-spotted not our target.

As we walk the first birds we see are a few Tree creeper's always a treat to watch these busy little birds at work,over the time spent here we see loads of them.

We hear many Nuthatch but never got to see any although we never tried to hard to find them as we were on a mission to find a L S Woodpecker.

As we reach a clearing 3 Buzzards are showing along with a Sparrowhawk, I take a quick photo but it's rubbish so in the bin with it.

We meet up with three old boys that we had meet at another twitch when looking for & finding Waxwings earlier this year.

They are on the look out for the same bird as us & like us it was there first visit here.

we find a seat & sit & have a good old talk to them, they are heading up to the highlands a week after we are going, so plenty to talk about.

The idea to sit on the seat was because their friend had sat here the day before & seen the target bird but it didn't work for us, so a nice couple of hours spent in a very nice place that we will return to at a later date.

5 ticks in Suffolk + 8 Adders.

Up to Minsmere this morning, first stop up on the Heath & the first tick is showing right by the car as we see the first of a few Dartford Warblers also many Skylarks & Linnets are seen, after having our fill of the Heath we head to Minsmere & are told that Garganey & Spotted Redshank are to be seen from from North hide, a quick visit to the hide & both are seen, the Garganey sleeping so not to much time spent looking at them.
We pop in the Bittern hide & the Bittern shows within minutes flying in over the reeds before dropping out of sight.
On the way to Island hide we stop off to look for Snakes, we had to look hard to find them but after we find one seven more are found, both Male & female Adders soaking up the warm sunshine.
The Otters have been seen from Island hide so Brian heads down there on his own as Jimmy & I stay with the Adders, when he returns the Otters had not been seen so that saved us a walk.
Off to East hide now & after scanning all the Gulls we find 3 Caspian Gulls.
Another year tick for us when 2 Barnacle Geese land on one of the Islands in the middle of the water.

Adder

Adder

Spotted Redshank

                                                                 

The pair of sleeping Garganey

Cranes, Woodlarks,Bearded Tits, Whoopers.

This is going to be the right day for Goshawk, the sun is going to shine all day, so we head first of all to Lakenheath to grab any year tick that may be about.

As soon as we arrive we are meet by 2 Cranes flying over the top of us, so of to a good start.

We take the top route along by the river, all along the route we hear many Cettis Warblers, then half way down I pick up my first Kingfisher of the year, it's a beauty giving a great view as it flies along the river past us, can't beat seeing a nice Kingfisher with the sun shinning on it.

When we arrive at Joist fen there are a pair of Marsh Harriers fairly close by & a Sparrowhawk drops into a bush near by us.

A fellow tells us that the Cranes are in a field further along the river, so we head down past the barn & pick out the 2 Cranes a long way off so no photos.

As we scope the Cranes we pick out 15 Whooper Swans near by them, so 3 year ticks & only been here a short time.

On the way back we pop in the new hide & get good views of Bearded Tits tick number 4 & Reed Buntings.

Not the biggest hide but nice if only about 8 people are in there. If the Oriel shows this year I think this might be a good place to see it in flight across the trees, if this is the case you will have to be quick to grab a seat as there are no top windows for people standing to see out. Up by the visitor centre the Water Rail shows well along with Wren & Reed Buntings plus Goldfinch.

About 11 O'clock now so off to find the Goshawk, with Ollie's farm out off bounds at the moment we are going to try Mayday Farm.

Parking is easy & we are soon walking down to the first clearing, we get talking to a local who has been on site for about 3 hours & has had no sight up till now, so not looking good.

But while talking to him he puts us onto a Woodlark in the field behind us, Jimmy & I go for a better look but only get to see the one bird despite hearing many all around us, still tick number 5 for the day.

Another birder tells us he has just seen Crossbills down by the next clearing, so with no sighting off the target bird we go in search off them.

There is a man made pond here & it's not to long before we see a pair of Common Crossbills fly into the trees near by for tick 6.

As it turns out they do not drop down for a drink while we are here but Siskin, Coal Tit,Redpoll,all do.

We take a fairly long walk down to another open clearing just in the hope of picking out a Goshawk but despite it being the perfect day for seeing them it's not our day.

Just a couple of  the many Bearded Tits

Blue Tit

Water Rail

A few of the birds taking a drink

The board at Mayday Farm

Female Reed Bunting.

Chinese Pond Heron + Black Redstart at Reculver

We set off heading for the third week running for Dungeness, but Brian thinks it's time we had a look for the Pond Heron, it's been around a few weeks now so today we decide it's time to see it.
We arrive in Hythe & find Turnpike Hill without to much trouble, a good lot of cars are already here, we sit in the car for a good time & then get out to have a walk around the local roads in case it turns up elsewhere.
We give it a good couple of hours before we head down to a local canal to scan the Gulls, nothing we need here for me but Jimmy picks up a Song Thrush for a tick so after about an hour we give it one last go for the Heron,we drive round a few roads then settle back where we started earlier in Turnpike Hill, we give it some time but it looks like a no show
Brian starts the motor & as he puts it in gear the Heron flies right over our heads & drops down behind the trees & out of sight, so 3 hours spent looking for it to show & all we see of it is about 15 seconds of the bird, still a view is a tick so off we head to the next port of call about twenty miles away.
Sandwich Bay in search of a couple of Shore Larks, when we find out the Checkers pub is located it's a shock to find out that it's £7 to go up to the beach, we tell the  fellow on the gate that we are just after doing a bit of bird watching & he tells us that the road is full of potholes that are filled with water & if we want to try he will waive the fee, so nothing ventured nothing gained off we go to give it a go.
On a very cold beach a few people are looking for the Larks but nobody was on them & it turns out that we don't get to see them. On the way here we stopped off at Dover Harbour to get a tick with a few Shag swimming about amongst the  boats.
One more place to visit while here & that is Reculver, a Black redstart has been reported & we get on the Bird as soon as we arrive just a little walk from the car it's spotted on the rocks, so the day ends on a high with another year tick for all three of us.

Black redstart

Black Redstart

A trip to Rainham.

A nice Saturday morning few hours spent walking by the river at Rainham spotting a good few Rock Pipits,& Reed Buntings popping up amongst the rocks as we brave the cold wind that always seems to be blowing here.The aim was to find a Water Pipit but no luck today.
We head up to the stone barges in the hope of seeing a Yellow-legged Gull, but once again not to be, plenty of Gulls about but nothing that we needed for a tick, we see 1 Black-tailed Godwit with a few Redshank plus 1 Marsh Harrier also seen. Plenty of Shelduck & Wigeon but the only year tick for me was a Linnet, spent over 5 hours just walking the river & scanning the Barges gives us a nice morning birding without even going on to the Reserve.

Not a Water Pipit

Linnet