19th-25th December

Sunday 25th - a family Christmas day walk around the village in the afternoon resulted in not one but two Shotesham ticks in the space of less than a minute! As we walked along Wash Lane, a male Goosander flew west overhead, but this was eclipsed soon after as a ringtail Hen Harrier crossed the lane in front of us. We later also saw it hunting between Market Lane and the Little Wood. Fantastic Christmas treat - 114 species for the village now. Also of note were a Little Egret, lots of Fieldfares (and a few Redwing), close views of a Marsh Tit in the Wash Lane house garden, and some rather early flowering Lesser Celandine by the stream between Stubbs Green and the Market Lane ford.

Saturday 24th - went to Horsey with the boys to see the Grey Seal colony. Seemed to have expanded further this year, with pups as far north as by the Gap car park - a chalked up sign said 320 pups so far. Birds in the area included 23 Cranes in flight over Horsey Mere, 2 Goosanders flying north, a close-in first-winter Kittiwake and a distant skua which was presumably most likely a Pom, although I couldn't rule Arctic out on the views obtained.

Friday 23rd - my final chance at a walk at the Nunnery Lakes this year. No sign of any hoped-for Smew or Waxwing, but I did finally see the young male Goldeneye that had been around a while. A Buzzard with some pale-based uppertail feathers caused only momentary excitement.

Thursday 22nd - after a period of grotty cold weather, the warm sunshine today inspired Mistle Thrush and Goldcrest to start singing at the Nunnery.

Always nice to see a "real" duck at the Nunnery Lakes

Studies in relaxation, Horsey

GBB and Grey Seal, Horsey

12th-18th December 2011

Sunday 18th - Did the WeBS count at Whitlingham in the morning. Counts included Water Rail, 46 Pochard, 126 Teal, 54 Cormorants and a female Red-crested Pochard on Thorpe Broad. In the afternoon, went to do the harrier roost survey again at Sutton Fen; rather cold today, with driving snow at times. At least five Marsh Harriers seen, with at least two of them roosting in the reedbeds here. Also Water Rails, Snipe, Cetti's, Tawny Owl but no Hen Harriers again and still a lack of Bittern sightings, which is becoming a little surprising.

Saturday 17th - no birding today, but a notable sighting at the ski slope where Gimli (aka Duncan) was spotted coming down the slope...

Wednesday 14th - No time to go out at lunch, but a welcome office tick as two Little Egrets flew past the window at dusk, my 57th species from the window!

Tuesday 13th - Quick walk down the lakes revealed three Goosanders on D lake.

The one and only skiing dwarf

5th-11th December 2011

Rather a quiet week, daily highlights now given in reverse order (to go with the flow of the blog posts):

Sunday 11th - seeing as we hadn't been out much recently, we had a family walk today. Drove to Thetford station and then got the train (or bus, as it turned out) to Brandon. We then walked back through the forest. Bit rainy at first, and felt like we were getting a bit lost towards the end, but a good hike all the same. Nothing outstanding seen but a few Crossbills over at Santon. Someone else had reported a Great Grey Shrike during the day, but we didn't chance upon it unfortunately.

Wednesday 7th - Nunnery Lakes at lunchtime, with Water Rail and Little Grebe of note

Monday 5th - another blank in my monthly search for the Stoke Holy Cross puffballs in the morning.

28th November - 4th December 2011

Monday 28th - A flock of about 200 Lapwings over the A11 at Roudham in the morning - used to be regular in winter here but rather scarce recently. Two Crossbills heard (and seen) flying over from the office window.

Tuesday 29th - I'd taken the day off to go Christmas (and birthday, in fact) shopping, but my usual hopeless shopping skills were honed to a fine level of efficiency with news of a Semipalmated Sandpiper showing at Cley. A few hours later, I was peering out of the Daukes Hide. I quickly found an obvious stint amongst the Dunlin flock on Simmonds scrape, but Phil Heath exclaimed that it couldn't be the Semi-p, given the length of the bill, and that it must be the Little Stint that had been reported earlier. I kept looking therefore, and soon found a wader, smaller than the Dunlin (if not massively so) and with a notably short bill and dumpy back end (v short primary projection). Thinking this must be the bird, I then watched it carefully for over an hour, with the other stint occasionally wandering through my scope. Later on, I moved to the right-hand hide and watched both birds on Pat's Pool (where a Green-winged Teal was also present), but as the evening drew in, another birder explained my mistake, which was then confirmed by Richard Millington. In fact, the stint was the "Semipalmated", albeit unusually long-billed, and the bird I'd been watching was in fact still not identified by Richard or others. Options revolved around hybrids and "runt Dunlin"; John Marchant later suggested arctica Dunlin? So, I returned home, with a tick under my belt, but a lingering sense of annoyance about the afternoon.

Wednesday 30th - Nunnery Lakes at lunchtime was enlivened by a photogenic Little Egret by the hide, and one of those orange-winged flies on the kissing gate, showing how mild it had remained. During the day, however, doubts were beginning to spread that the Cley Semi-p might in fact be a Western. Hmm.

Thursday 1st - I woke early, and as I felt quite awake, decided to take the alternative route from home to work, i.e. the one that went through Cley. I was in the hide at first light, and over the next two hours saw the Western Sandpiper (as seems to be the popular opinion at time of writing!) reasonably well at times, although mostly asleep and distant. The "other wader" was only seen briefly and distantly, and other birds included the Green-winged Teal and two Water Pipits. I'm also pretty sure I heard a Sandwich Tern early on, as a load of gulls left Simmonds Scrape at dawn, but I couldn't get onto it. I couldn't add much to the Semi-p/Western debate with the views I was getting however, so at 9 am I headed off to Thetford (making up my hours in the evening - for any colleagues reading!)

Friday 2nd - no sightings of note, but the drive to Swanwick in the afternoon was notable for the lack of kites along the A14 in Northants.

Saturday 3rd - all day at BTO conference in Swanwick.

Sunday 4th - one Red Kite seen near Kettering on the way home.

The "other wader" at Cley - the one off to the left. Still to be identified.

One of those orange-winged flies, Nunnery Lakes

Little Egret, making the Nunnery Lakes look almost exciting

21st-27th November 2011

Wednesday 23rd - Nunnery Lakes lunchtime walk produced a "seen" Water Rail by the confluence of the river and the cut channel, our regular Aythya hybrid of New Zealand Scaup like appearance, three Wigeon, a Little Egret and my first pair of Goosander here this winter.

Friday 25th - No Cranes from the train across the fens again, but several hundred wild swans at the Ouse Washes as usual too far to differentiate.

Saturday 26th - With my parents down for the weekend, I took Dad to Buckenham and Cantley on a wild goose chase. Only literally though, as we did (after some searching) eventually convince ourselves of a small flock of very distant Bean Geese, as well as about 70 White-fronts and 300 Pinks. As well as the other usual species here, the highlight was a fantastic female or immature Merlin, which was amazingly my first since 2008 - I really must get out more. Good views of it perched on the fence posts, at a safe distance from the Peregrines, and chasing Linnets. Not close enough really for photography unfortunately. In the afternoon, after the boys had done their skiing we walked around Whitlingham where a single adult Yellow-legged Gull was present.

Sunday 27th - Taxiing in the morning, and a walk around the village in the afternoon was notable only for a pair of Egyptian Geese in the field by Rogers Lane.

New Zealand Scaup type hybrid at the Nunnery Lakes with Tufties.

Merlin at Buckenham, wishing it was a larger predator...

14th-20th November 2011

Monday 14th - had to go to some NBN-related meetings in Peterborough. Passed Lakenheath at dawn, seeing at least four Marsh Harriers rising from a roost. Later, about 1000 swans were visible around the Ouse Washes from the train, and as usual they were mostly too distant to identify to species; some in flight were definitely Whoopers though (and given the late arrival of Bewick's this year, perhaps most were Whoopers).

Tuesday 15th - Nunnery Lakes at lunchtime, given that Dawn had seen 3 White-fronted Geese over the reserve on Sunday, and Nick had eight over first thing today, I wandered down with some hope but low expectations. However, I struck lucky, with a fine flock of 10 flying east overhead against a clear blue sky, my 151st species for the Nunnery. No photo unfortunately, as I was trying to contact John on the phone. Three Wigeon were also new in, whilst a Common Darter was a sign of the continuing mild weather.

Wednesday 16th - another lunchtime walk at the lakes, but nothing of note except for the latest hybrid goose (Ross's x something?)

Thursday 17th - a Crossbill heard from the office window, but nothing down the lakes.

Friday 18th - London all day.

Saturday 19th - did the Whitlingham WeBS a little later in the day than I usually do, which may have been the cause of the highlight: three Yellow-legged Gulls with about 100 Lessers that had clearly dropped in for a bath from the pig fields. Little else of note though, except for some Hedgerow Cranesbill (I think) in flower, which to my limited botanical knowledge seems rather exceptional. In the afternoon, we went for our second try at counting roosting Hen Harriers at Sutton Fen. No luck again, but at least six, probably more, Marsh Harriers, and a Peregrine again.

Sunday 20th - foggy all day. Could have gone off to look for the long-staying Hume's Warblers in Lowestoft, but failed to muster the enthusiasm. A Nuthatch in the garden was the highlight.

Hybrid goose (probably involving a Ross's Goose), Nunnery Lakes.

Perhaps Hedgerow Cranesbill at Whitlingham? Whatever it is, it's flowering rather late.

7th-13th October 2011

Another quiet week. On Thursday 10th, Tony Leech came down to the Nunnery for a lunchtime foray, which produced a surprising amount of species - full list to appear yet but I recall the Weeping Widow and the Whitye Knight. A Red Admiral was still flying also, as well as Tree Bumblebee. Finally got down to the Nunnery Lakes Friday lunchtime where no winter geese but a record count of 4 Little Egrets. Nice to see some Fly Agarics out now by D lake too. Grabbed some oak leaves and that evening confirmed three more leaf-miners for the Nunnery year list - Ectoedemia quinquella, subbimaculella and heringi.

On Saturday, the boys and I managed a couple of hours at Buckenham in the afternoon, where both Water Pipit (flying over calling) and Short-eared Owl (hunting over Claxton Marsh) were belated year-ticks. Also the usual flock of Barnacles numbered 22, accompanied as ever by the assumed hybrid Barnacle x Snow. Walk round Tasburgh on Sunday morning produced an even later Red Admiral, whilst 300 Golden Plovers were a surprise find along Leafy Oak Lane on an afternoon bike ride.

Fly Agaric, Nunnery Lakes

31st Oct - 6th Nov

This week almost disappeared without a single thing to jot down. Work busy and didn't manage to get out for a single lunchtime walk all week. Saturday back at the Nunnery meeting the BTO Regional Network, which also didn't get me out (although one of the local Tawny Owls was hooting towards the end of proceedings). 

Finally, on Sunday I had no work. The kids were orienteering with the scouts, so Trudy and I walked through some bog-standard Norfolk countryside around Pulham Market. Just 31 species on this walk, with the most notable being a surprise flock of six Pink-feet low overhead, not a usual area for this species. Also there had clearly been  an arrival of Fieldfares and Redwings during the week, with several parties of both seen. Back home and got the moth-trap on Sunday evening, being rewarded with the first December Moth of the year; they always appear around now, despite the name.

Week round up: 24th-30th October

The week started in frustrating fashion, with a Monday morning text that an Isabelline Shrike had been present the previous afternoon at Horsey. Most annoying. Anyway, all was well in the end...

Tuesday 25th October. Fieldfares over home and Nunnery. Vapourer at the Nunnery.

Wednesday 26th October. Got up early and pegged along to Horsey. Had a tense wait, due to a train to catch, but at the 11th hour the Isabelline revealed itself and showed splendidly. Appears to be a nominate race bird (same as my previous record, at Holme in 1996). Also a brief Firecrest and 34 Cranes. Then bombed back for the train and spent the day in London with the family at the coolest building in Britain, the NHM. Posh BTO do in the evening too on the Mall.

Thursday 27th October. Nothing much at the Lakes.

Friday 28th October. Little Egret and Water Rail at the Lakes. Decent mothing at home overnight with 25 of 11 species, including Sprawler and Feathered Thorn.

Saturday 29th October. Bit of a waste of a morning really. Went to look for a Grey Phalarope at Breydon south wall and failed. Then up to Horsey for a second look at the shrike, but that had gone. Seawatching pleasant but nothing exciting. Then news of a Grey Phal still at Waxham. Decided to twitch it but in the time it took me to drive north, it clearly flew south and was then showing from Horsey. Went home, Phalarope-less. Walked at Surlingham Church Marsh in the afternoon, where 70 Teal on the pool.

Sunday 30th October. Around home all day. Walk around the fields in afternoon turned up an unusual late sighting of an Aeshna hawker at Stubbs Green Pond but I didn't clinch it. Looked blue spotted, but with spots too large for Migrant, and overall too large. Perhaps a late Southern. Perhaps a mega, thrown away.

Isabelline Shrike, Horsey

Week round-up: 17th to 23rd October

A bit of a quiet week really, with the wind switching back to be more west (or later south). Highlights were:

Monday 17th October. The trap (from the previous night) contained just single Green-brindled Crescent, Turnip and Brown-spot Pinion (and the bulb had exploded overnight in the rain).

Tuesday 18th October. Walk at Nunnery Lakes at lunchtime produced a single Little Egret and an interesting hybrid goose; vague hopes of turning it into a whitefront but photos show that it clearly isn't - it's a big adult goose, presumably containing some Greylag and who knows what else.

Wednesday 19th October. Belated WeBS count at Whitlingham before work included 72 Mute Swans, 13 Teal, 3 Kingfisher, 71 Gadwall, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon and a Black Swan.

Thursday 20th October. Highlight at work was an adult Whooper Swan on D lake that I found at lunchtime, only my second lakes record and first since 1999. Successfully twitched by Neil, and later by Dave, Chas and Ian, but had gone by the following morning.

Saturday 22nd October. Morning walk around Strumpshaw with the boys - a brief Water Rail by the visitor centre and a brief Bittern in flight by the riverbank that dropped into the reeds before Tom and Dunc ran to catch up. A couple of Fieldfares also along the riverbank, and at least five Cetti's heard. Bike ride to Hempnall in the afternoon produced nothing apart from a sizeable flock of gulls following the plough, mostly Black-heads. Trap in the evening produced single Large Yellow Underwing, Brown-spot Pinion and Beaded Chestnut.

Sunday 23rd October. Lazy morning then, after taking Tom to play football at Horsford, Duncan and I walked through Horsford Woods. Quiet, with just 15 species recorded included a couple of Crossbills over.

Dodgy hybrid goose, Nunnery Lakes

Undodgy Whooper Swan, Nunnery Lakes (is that the dodgy goose with it?!)

Week round-up: 10th to 16th October

Monday 10th. A few Redwings heard passing my office window in Thetford.

Thursday 13th. First chance for a walk down the Nunnery Lakes this week. Six Crossbills flew over, which I thought would be the highlight, until I found an extremely late Sedge Warbler in front of the hide. A real surprise, and indeed my first October record ever. I scratched my head for a while to try to turn it into something rare, including Aquatic, Paddyfield and Pallas's Gropper. But it wasn't, of course. Also of note were at least 2 Chiffs still and five Redpolls that flew over, presumably Lessers.

Friday 14th. Seeing as so many Yellow-browed, Great Grey Shrikes and (especially) Short-eared Owls had turned up on the coast on Thursday, I took Friday morning off and went to thrash Horsey/Waxham. A nice few hours, although the hoped-for Hawk Owl failed to materialise again. A fine pair of Cranes were present by the entrance track at first light, but more spectacularly, my largest ever flock of 38 were later seen distantly to the west flying south and dropping in to the marshes; I think it was reasonable to think this amounted to 40 birds. At least 2,500 Pink-feet came up from roost also. A short seawatch from the gap was unremarkable except for 4 Little Gulls and a very distant falcon dive-bombing gulls over the waves - probably a Peregrine but I couldn't really rule out Merlin at the range. Walked north then, with many redpolls around - speaking to ringers later they'd caught about 120 Lesser Redpolls, so pretty safe to record to species today. A Lapland Bunting also called in flight overhead in a small flock of Chaffinches. After much searching however, I was delighted to find a silent Yellow-browed Warbler creeping around the north end of the Waxham Sands bushes - always a real thrill. Just one Wheatear around the pipe dump, then another short seawatch produced a Bonxie and a Sandwich Tern. On a little further to the bluetail bushes, but not much else to show for it, and I turned back and headed home. Other migrants here today included 2 Brambling, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Swallow. Annoyingly, I got home and discovered that a Radde's had been seen that afternoon at Waxham churchyard. Then news broke from Warham...

Saturday 15th. Up at 0430 and Stu and I drove up to reach Warham in the dark, where about 300 birders had gathered in hope of relocating Britain's third Rufous-tailed Robin. It was not to be, however, the bird having done a bunk in the clear skies overnight. Only a Brambling here of note, as well as Grey Partridge calling pre-dawn. Stu had to get back, so we headed home. After taking the kids skiing, and then a quick look round the Wild About Norfolk event, we had a family harrier roost evening! We met Richard Mason at Sutton Fen, which is out of bounds to the public, to take part in a national Hen Harrier roost survey. Bit quiet in the event, with no Hens and only about three Marsh (roosting across the river anyway), but a Peregrine was a bit of a surprise, and three Swallows were also rather late. My first Fieldfares of the autumn came over too.

Sunday 16th. Bit tired so shamelessly bunked off the WeBS and slept in. Lazy morning and then we spent the afternoon canoeing from Wroxham upstream and back. Failed to hear any Yellow-broweds from boat, the meagre highlight being a single Barnacle Goose with the hordes of Greylags (and 44 Egyptians).

Birders at Warham, not seeing Rufous-tailed Robin

Family at Sutton Fen, not seeing Hen Harriers

Week round-up: 3rd to 9th October

Following the excitement of the Sandhill Crane chase, this week was rather quiet:

5th October - confirmed the continuing absence of Sandy Stilt Puffballs in Stoke Holy Cross (trying to check once per month this year). Walked around the Nunnery Lakes and saw nothing of note.

6th October - drove to Oxford with Andy Clements for meeting with Paul Jepson. Traffic fairly tedious but 21 Red Kites along M40 (with a few just into Oxford) on the way there, and 12 on the way back again.

7th October - Nunnery Lakes: the returning Barnacle Goose that had been added to the TEAL list the previous day, along with 3 Teal and 2 Snipe. Moth-trap in the evening gave 17 moths of 10 species, including Green-brindled Crescent new for the year.

8th October - at last, Redwings arriving with 40 over Poringland in the morning and 4 at home in the afternoon.

9th October - excellent views of the juvenile Woodchat Shrike at Lowestoft beach car park. We were in a bit of a hurry to get Tom to a football match so no time to search for the Yellow-browed Warblers, but a brief seawatch produced quite a lot of Brents (Landguard apparently had 9000 today!) and my first Bonxie of the year (finally putting my year-list on 200). We later had a look at Breydon, but saw little of note with the tide right out, except for a Wheatear. A quick look off Yarmouth beach produced lots of Gannets and 150+ seals on Scroby Sands, as well as at least 10 Med Gulls around the beach and offshore.

Woodchat Shrike, Lowestoft

Mediterranean Gull, Great Yarmouth