Lowestoft Life - 22nd October 2023

A quick pop out just pre-dawn saw me watching the sunrise from Pakefield Beach while Meadow Pipits and Finches bumbled south.  I was only there for a little over an hour but in the calm clear conditions I clocked up 183 Meadow Pipit, 14 Brambling, 22 Chaffinch, 14 Goldfinch, 17 Lesser Redpoll, two Linnet, 15 Greenfinch and three Skylark.

pre-dawn

And people have asked why I wanted to move to Suffolk...

I even found a trio of new birds for The Patch with two Reed Buntings and a Ring Ouzel that flew powerfully south followed by hearing Russian White-fronted Geese when I was unsighted just inland from the cliff top.  I scurried to get a view and picked these two geese heading towards Kessingland before heading inland and over The Hollies.

Russian White-fronted Geese 

There were more Robins ticking in the scrub but I will have to keep looking for that rare warbler.

I had been home just a few minutes when news broke of a Pied Wheatear at the Net Posts at the North Denes.  Serendipitously we were meeting the Wrens for a birthday breakfast in the Lighthouse Diner at 9.30 and by arriving a little early Antony and I managed to get some good views of this first winter male as it spotted prey from the eaves of the static caravans.  There were more boisterous Robins and a single Swallow hawked around us.

We even made it back to the diner with three minutes in the Brownie Bank before a sumptuous breakfast that has quite literally seen me through the entire rest of the day.  Thoroughly recommended but cash only!

A stroll afterwards gave much better, closer and more prolonged views of the Pied Wheatear before it nipped over to the Net Posts before deciding all of its own accord that it was time to move on and up it went inland and over the root tops and down Lowestoft High Street.  

I have only seen two in the UK – both in Norfolk, both autumn first year males, at Winterton in September 1989 and on top of Choseley Barn in October 1999 so this delightful bird was very much appreciated.

Pied Wheatear 

A fine start to any day.