Lowestoft Life - 4th May 2024

Another early emptying of the moth trap was disappointing and I quite literally only had a Hebrew Character and an Early Grey but with the sun already shining I hustled myself out of the door for a walk.  Despite being a Bank Holiday Weekend it only took a few minutes to get to the North Denes Oval where a cloud of Wood Pigeons greeted me although I am not sure what they are looking for on the near perfect sward.

I walked as far north as the end of the cliffs at Gunton Warren and although it was a pleasant enough amble it was incredibly quite with just six singing Whitethroat, three Chiffchaff and two Blackcap and only a Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat hinting at arrival.  A single Swallow and three Yellow Wagtails went south and two Grey Wagtails seemed to be lingering around the hidden house with the running stream.

Sixty Carrion Crows were waiting in the car park for a dog walker to arrive and through them dog biscuits as she walked along.  They all recognised her car and flew straight o to as she pulled in.

Foxglove

I had all kinds of wonders in my head – Subalpine Warblers, Orioles and Woodchat especially with the latter on my old work patch at Rainham Marshes.  I stopped and scanned but there were just dapper little Linnets and the odd Robin and Whitethroat to catch my eye.

Linnet

I popped into Ness Point on the way back home where many of the town’s noisy Kittiwakes were feeding offshore and two Turnstones and a tardy Purple Sandpiper were seen before a wave moved them on.  The male Black Redstart was in fine song but incredibly mobile with numerous song perches while two more Swallows and a Tree Pipit also headed south.  

Home for second breakfast and then out again for a bit of shopping but even this gave me a singing Lesser Whitethroat from the car at Oulton North Station and when I got home there was another male in a garden across the road shortly followed by two zipping Sand Martins!

The home stop did not last long and we were soon at Blythburgh and in the little railway car park where a nice gentleman pointed me in the right direction for a walk.  About forty years of birding in Suffolk and I have never ever stopped here.  The old railway line was hedge lined and a Nightingale was belting out in the scrubby area below the church before I popped out on the river bank.

I ambled inland for a bout half a mile with saline marsh and reedbed on my left and tidal river and extensive marshes on my right.  A Common Sandpiper flickered away from me and two Oystercatchers were not amused at my intrusion and threw a strop while up above two Buzzards did their best to make sure a high flying intruder was aware of their presence.  One of them had wonderfully forked tail due to missing feathers.

Common Sandpiper 

Oystercatchers 

Buzzards

Buzzard

Reed Buntings, Reed Warblers and a Chinese Water Deer were in the phragmites but it was still a little cool for insects with just a single Large Red Damselfly seen and it was good to find two Meadow Pipit territories.

Reed Bunting

Chinese Water Deer

A male Marsh Harrier quartered the distant reeds and there must be a suitable spot for Sand Martins beyond the Sorrel covered hill to the north as at least 30 were constantly whizzing about and disappearing behind it.

I looped back to the very fine Holy Trinity Church but could find nothing different in the graveyard bar a fine male Holly Blue actually on Holly flowers and ten came back through the village to the car with that Nightingale still keeping me company.

Holly Blue 

A spot of lunch and then a short walk across the road on the path heading east.  The tide was out and a few Shelduck and five Curlew were visible but I was pleased to pick up five Whimbrel too along with three Bar-tailed Godwits and a superb full summer plumaged male Spotted Redshank who seemed quite content running Greenshank-like through the muddy channels with his bill scything from side to side.

Whimbrel & Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Whimbrel

A male Reed Bunting put on a fine show as I retraced my steps to the car before I headed for home for some time in the garden while the weather kindly gives us a day of dry and warmth.

Reed Bunting