Seawatching, Brecks and Pied Flycatchers (08-13 April)

Tuesday 08 April. Widewater 06:10-09:10, light/mod NE, clear, with RP: Brent Goose 140E, Common Scoter 32E, Great Crested Grebe 1 offshore, Oystercatcher 5E, Avocet 1E (06:31), Little Ringed Plover 1N, Whimbrel 2E, Curlew heard, Black-headed Gull 58E, Mediterranean Gull 70E, Sandwich Tern 16E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 5E., Linnet 3N. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: Green Woodpecker heard, male Kestrel, 2 Long-tailed Tits, several Chiffchaffs and 2 Whitethroats. M25/M20: Ring-necked Parakeet. Cavenham Heath with DB: Egyptian Goose, 2 Shelduck, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 3 Stone Curlew, 4 Lapwings, Raven, singing Woodlark and male Stonechat.

Mediterranean Gulls east off Widewater

Stone Curlew at Cavenham Heath

USAF Boeing Stratotanker low over Cavenham Heath (it can carry 114,000 litres of fuel, enough to keep my car going for over a million miles!)

Wednesday 09 April. Lakenheath from dawn with DB: 30 Greylag Geese, 30 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 30 Teal, 3 Pochard, 7 Tufted Duck, Water Rail (heard), Common Crane, 9 Avocets, 4 Lapwing, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Snipe, 4+ Bitterns heard booming, 5 Cattle, 2 Great and a Little Egret, 7 Marsh Harriers including a superb adult male, 2 Barn Owls, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, several Cetti's Warblers heard, Chiffchaff, several Sedge and Reed Warblers (mostly heard), 73 Fieldfares (my first this year!!), Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinches and 3 Reed Buntings. Santon Downham with DB: Egyptian Goose, 3 Stock Doves, 2 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, male Stonechat, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Linnets and heard Brambling, Redpoll and Siskin. DB also had 3 flyover Crossbills. Nunnery Lakes with DB: An Egyptian and 15 Canada Geese including one with red AHT neck ring, 6 Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Oystercatchers, Curlew heard calling on nearby heath, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Swallow. High Lodge Compartment with DB: Woodcock.

Barn Owl at Lakenheath

Crane at Lakenheath

Mandarin at Santon Downham

Thursday 10 April. Cavenham Heath with DB: 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Shelduck, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 2 Stock Doves, 7 Stone Curlew (included yesterday's 3), 5 Lapwings, Curlew, 2 Great Egrets, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 2 Woodlark and male Stonechat, 2 Meadow Pipits, female Brambling, Greenfinch, 20 Goldfinches and 3 Reed Buntings. Lackford Lakes with DB: 12 Egyptian Geese, 4 Shelduck, 8 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 55 Teal, 3 Pochard, 17 Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Great Egret, male Goshawk, 2 Marsh Harriers, Red Kite, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Peregrine, Cetti's Warbler heard, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Grey Wagtail, Santon Downham with DB: 3 Mandarin, Buzzard, Coal Tit heard, Marsh Tit, 3 Brambling, 3 Siskin and a Yellowhammer. High Lodge Compartment with DB: 2 Woodlark, Stonechat and Tree Pipit. DB saw briefly and heard Woodcock.

Stone Curlew at Cavenham Heath

Tree Pipit in Thetford Forest

Friday 11 April. Mill Hill with Otis. Stock Dove, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker heard, male Kestrel, Skylark and Cetti's Warbler heard, 6 Chiffchaffs, male Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, Greenfinch heard, 2 Linnets and 2 Goldfinches.

Grizzled Skipper on Mill Hill

Saturday 12 April. Widewater. 06:25-09:20, light/mod NE/ENE, hazy, with RP: Brent Goose 393E, Shoveler 1E (male), Common Scoter 24E, Oystercatcher 1E, Whimbrel 4E, Turnstone 3W, Black-headed Gull 25E, Mediterranean Gull 13E (adults), Sandwich Tern 47E:2W, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 1E, Little Egret 1E, Linnet 4E. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: Buzzard, Green Woodpecker and Skylark heard, 2 Chiffchaffs , male Blackcap, Whitethroat heard and 2 Linnets. Lancing Ring: Green Woodpecker heard, Jay, 7 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps and male and female Pied Flycatcher (found by James Grundy).

female Pied Flycatcher at Lancing Ring

male Pied Flycatcher at Lancing Ring (found by James Grundy)

Sunday 13 April. Widewater. 06:25-09:20, moderate W/SW, clear, with RP: Brent Goose 1E:2W, Shelduck 2W, Velvet Scoter 1E (male at 08:10), Common Scoter 34E, Great Crested Grebe 1 on sea, Oystercatcher 2E, Whimbrel heard, Turnstone 2E, Mediterranean Gull 2E:4W (adults):others heard twice, Sandwich Tern 20E, Red-throated Diver 4E, Black-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 4E:3W and Little Egret 1E. During the seawatch harsh parakeet calls were briefly heard overhead. Maybe half and hour later they were heard again and the 'Middle road' female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets flew over quite high to the east. Adur with Megan and Otis: 46 Turnstones, Greenshank and Skylark heard.