Good day in Suffolk Glossy Ibis + all the Redpolls & Bewick's

Off to Suffolk for the day,Jimmy & I have waited for the weather to improve & Thursday is going to be rain free,so after a couple of hours we arrive at Hazelwood Common just after 8 am to hopefully catch up again with the Redpolls for a new year tick.
As we park it's a shock to see that the field where they have been feeding for the last few weeks has been turned over.
A walk down the side of the field soon dispelled our fear when we pick out the Arctic Redpoll in the bushes with many Lesser Redpoll, it took a little while to locate the Mealy but we found two as the flock fly over to the ploughed field to still feed there.
A walk down the track to the hide over looking Hazelwood Marsh only gets us one tick with a Snipe.
A nice first time visit to this Marsh & it is full of bird life, nothing that we needed for a tick but we do get to see a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a Crow as it flies right over our head for a great view of it. A fellow birder tells us there is a Glossy Ibis at Eastbridge so although not needed for a year tick having seen one at Abbott's hall farm last week this one gets us a much better view.
Heading off to Dunwich Heath we divert to look for the 9 Bewick's Swans on a field off Lymballs Lane we drive all around the area but can't find them, so off to tick Dartford Warbler that we saw within minutes of arrival at the heath.
On the way to Minsmere we try again for the Swans but still no luck.
At Minsmere a Marsh Tit is seen at the feeders for a tick. We spend some time in the Bittern hide but no sign of it but we do pick up a tick with Bearded Tit. A walk down to a couple of hides is a bit disappointing with not much about at all.

Dartford Warbler

At Minsmere just nice

Before we head home we try one more time down Lymballs Ln & this time we find the nine Bewick's & a bonus tick when a Woodcock flies up from the grass verge. So a nice day & we end up with 9 year ticks.

Glossy Ibis

Arctic Redpoll

                                                                           

Little Bunting Walthamstow

On leaving Brian last night we had no plans to go anywhere because of the bad weather forecast.
So a bit of a surprise when my phone goes & it's Brian who is on the way over to pick us up for a short trip to Walthamstow Reservoir to look for the Little Bunting that the local birders had got yesterday.
It's only a short drive & we arrive in the car park to be told it's not open till 9.30 but with our permit it's all go.
only a short walk to East Warwick res where we meet up with Stuart & Harry. We scan from the North bank of East Warwick where we are joined by a few more birders,a Sparrow Hawk perched in a large tree above the bushes we are looking in stops any real activity, but we need the Hawk for a year tick & we do get a great view in the scope of it.
After a while the Hawk flies off & some Buntings start to fly into the bushes but it's a good hour before Brian spots what he thinks might be our bird & we all move back down to the path & yes Brian has it in the scope sitting in the bush to give everybody a great view.
Brian is the only one of us to bring his camera & he gets a record shot for us but the light is very bad.
 On the way out we pop up to the other reservoir for Brian to get a year tick when we see a male Scaup. So a nice easy couple of ticks & back home before 10 am for breakfast.

Brian's record shot

Last year's Great Barford bird

2015 Cardiff bird that we all saw.

Capel Fleet & Shellness gets us 7 ticks.

We pick up Brian & head off to Capel Fleet in Kent arriving at first light, we stop half way down the track to watch a Barn Owl flying low across the field a good start to our day.
At the mound  a single Hen Harrier is soon spotted along with many Marsh Harrier. The place is full of flocks of Linnet & Corn Bunting on the wires & dropping onto the road to drink gives us good entertainment for the whole time we are here.
 A dead Swan brings the Hooded Crow into eat for a good year tick.Buzzards are seen at regular intervals one looking very light but we soon ruled out it being the Rough leg.
On leaving the hill we stop half way up the exit road to scan some Geese & get lucky when we get 3 year ticks with many White-fronted Geese along with a few Barnacle Geese & we also spot 3 Whooper Swans.
It's off to Shellness to scan for Lapland Bunting. A walk along the sea wall gets Jimmy & I a couple of ticks when we see a single Knot & loads of Sandling. All along the beach on all the posts the place is alive with Redshank, Dunling,Oystercatcher,Turnstone & one Grey Plover.
We scan the opposite fields but it is hard work finding the Bunting, it takes more than an hour before Brian gets us onto a single Lapland Bunting & a few Snow Buntings to give us 7 day ticks.
Before going home we pop into Oare Marsh but the Dowitcher is not seen despite it being reported at the place we are scanning,still that's life I suppose. A really good day's birding spoilt a little bit by wasting our time at Oare when we should have called it a day & gone home.

The Knot

Some of the Birds on the beach

                                                                 
                                                                             

A Kestrel feeding on the Swan

The light coloured Buzzard

                                                                   

Glossy Ibis,Shag, Ring-necked Duck,Smew

Jimmy & I head off to Abberton to look for Smew & Shag as they were reported yesterday.
We arrive around 8 am & from Layer Breton causeway we soon pick out 6 Redhead & 1 male Smew they are a long way over but we get very good scope views.
A short drive round to Layer De la Haye causeway & the Shag is showing well for another year tick.
As we watch the Shag swims over to the sluice that is right where we are watching & even I can get a photo of a bird this close.
Abbott's Hall Farm is next on the list, Jimmy says we had been here before but I couldn't recall when.
A fairly long walk down to the pond where we find the hide & once again we spot the Ring-billed Duck without to much trouble, the only trouble is it stayed asleep for most of the time spent here.
We then go looking for the Glossy Ibis.
Luck is with us as we pick a route down to the Salt marsh & as luck would have it a para glider flies over & the Ibis is flushed & flies across the marsh towards us but turns & flies away & lands out of sight it never shows again while we where here, that was a real bonus tick for us.
So four year ticks & all of them seen within minutes of looking for them & not even cold standing on the causeway.

Smew

                               

The Shag

Shag

Scaup + Slav Grebe at K G Reservoir

After seeing on the wicki that a Slav Grebe & a Male Scaup jimmy & I shoot over at 8 o'clock this morning.
The water was very calm with no wind but a bit cold, we see loads of Tuffed Ducks as we scan them for the Scaup but it was the Slav that we found first on the south end of the south basin but right over the back. we walk up towards the north basin scanning as we go & it is right at the north end of the south basin we find the Scaup in with the Tuffed.
The reservoir is full of Goldeneye well over 20 plus many Little Grebes then we see one Male Goosander.
On walking back we scan just before we head down to the car & spot another Slav swimming with the other Slav.
So 2 nice ticks & only 10 minutes from home & we didn't get blown away.

day 2

Saturday we meet up with Brian for our first trip of the year to Dungeness, a quick look in at Oare Marsh is a bit disappointing with no sign of the Dowitcher but 2 ticks for the year Kingfisher & Green Woodpecker.
So onto Dunge & first up we tick Tree Sparrow then onto the reserve for the long staying Long-eared Owl. An Iceland Gull is spotted from the first hide where we are told of a Black-throated Diver over the road from Arc hide so no messing we are over there & get a good tick when it is seen within minutes of arrival.
The Great white Egret drops in for another year tick while in the hide.
Up on the beach we spot a Caspian Gull & tick Gannet & Guillemot, further up the beach by the new hide the Diggers were pushing lorry loads of stones around the hide to stop it falling over after a really high tide had nearly washed the hide away.
A Glaucous Gull is reported being around the power station, we have to wait a fair while before the Gull flies up out of the P station  & we get a great flight view of the bird.
A Kittiwake is the next tick before we head off to Elmley & then finish the day off with a trip to Capel Fleet where we see a nice Male Hen Harrier to round of a nice day with a nice lot of ticks over the last two days.
                                                   

The Caspian Gull 1st Winter

Two great days birding 22 year ticks.

Jimmy & I set off up the A10 looking to find where the Parrot Crossbills have been showing in Broxbourne Woods at the Monks Green entrance, despite Jimmy getting some help on twitter as where to find them we have trouble locating the road that would take us into the woods.
Once we did find the right place after an hour looking for it we get very lucky when the Parrot Crossbills are showing & we are onto them by the cross roads just before the gate. Three males one female are seen, we spend some time looking at the Crossbills & On the way out we tick Linnet as a flock fly across our path.
Next we head a few miles to Bramfield Church where a small flock of Hawfinch  are seen within a few minutes of arrival also a nice tick when a single Brambling shows in the same tree as the Hawfinch.
 So a great start to our day as we leave Bramfield behind & head to Lemsford Springs that once again is not far away. I pick up the entrance key from the wardens house  that lets us into the reserve & also opens both hides. I really like being here it seems so peaceful as we pick out 4 Green Sandpiper a couple of Grey Wagtail that gives us another two ticks.
While here a beautiful Red Kite displays just above us not needed for a tick as we have seen a few already this year but always a great sight to watch this fabulous bird. Bit disappointed not to see any Snipe here as for the last few years we have seen them.
So ends day one. Saturday tomorrow & Brian is not at work so looking forward to a good day birding.
                                                           

Green Sandpiper

Grey Wagtail

Parrot Crossbill

Map of Lemsford Springs

Today's  Parrot Crossbill

Four ticks at Connaught Water

A quick visit to Epping Forest today gets Jimmy & I a few ticks when we see 7  Mandarin Ducks on Connaught Water along with 3 male & 1 female Goosander.
Only being ten minutes from home makes this an easy tick & after walking in the forest around the water we pick out Nuthatch & Jay plus a few Goldcrest.
So 4 year ticks & back home inside an hour.

Mandarin

Goosander

Mandarin Ducks

Off we go on 2018 list starting off in Norfolk.

It's Norfolk to start the new year. arriving at Holkham around 8 am we already have a couple of ticks on the way when we see a couple of Barn Owls flying low on a field just past Fakenham & a single Blackbird starts the year off well.
We give ourselves one hour to find the Shorelarks as we only put £2 in the parking machine for that time. As it turns out we find a small flock of 5 after about 20 minutes & only just made it back to the car in time  having picked up a few ticks on the way. A quick look in at Brancaster Staithe gets us a Water Rail plus Black & Bar-tailed Godwit.
Off now to Thornham where we pick up a quick tick when a flock of Twite fly close to the car park.
Titchwell now picking ticks up on the way up to the beach where we find a very large group of birders scanning the sea.
Here we pick out Merganser, Long-tailed Duck, Great northern Diver,C Scoter,Red-throated Diver & a bonus when we see a Little Gull hang about in front of us. In the hide a Water Pipit is ticked plus loads of Waders. At the feeders we get a few ticks & see a lot of Treecreepers a little bird that I love watching. On the way back in the car park a Goldcrest shows well.
On the way to Cley a Male Merlin is seen sitting on a gate. At beach rd Cley we stand by the car & hope the Snow Bunting will fly past & that turns out to be a great decision when a very large flock of them fly past & then turn & land on the beach very close to us.
One last place to visit before the light goes see's us head to Stiffkey, on the way we pick out 2 Cattle Egret in a flooded field that used to have cows in.
At Stiffkey a real bonus when a Male Hen Harrier comes in to roost always a great sight to see.
The last bird of the day is seen when 9 Grey Partridge fly up from the side of the road.
With a few ticks picked up today at Roding Valley Meadows my total is a good 98.

Twite

Treecreeper

Treecreeper

Shorelark