Out in suffolk

As i had a few days off work last week decided to head for suffolk and decided to head for Minsmere so started off into the woodland toward the Island Mere with lots of Warblers and Marsh Tits calling around, finally felt that spring was here. At the hide quite a bit around with a pair of Garganey around though mainly sleeping a little gull though sadly seemed to have got its legs trapped in some netting though still flying about and a Water Rail was calling from the reeds. Then walked back where had a nice view of a Blue Tit checking out a nesting site , a brief Stoat while photographing the singing wrens before walking around the main Marshes where had big numbers of Barnacle Geese along with Redshanks, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwits in the Summer Plumage along with the resident Avocets. Then walked along the beach where i had 2 Sandwich Terns fly over and quite a few Whitethroats in the scrub but playing hide and seek before heading back to the Island Mere Hide where we had super views of a Female Bittern feeding out in the open next to a Snipe and a Jack Snipe magically.

Chiff-chaff

Wren doing a Treecreeper

Whitethroat in the gorse

Flying Barnacle Geese

Fishing Bittern

Jack Snipe in the reeds

Then while driving to my place of stays had a nice sunset over the area so being fenland could't resist a sunset images.

The the next day when up to Dunwich Heath a great Heathland site known for its Dartford Warblers no sign at first but plenty of Red Deer and lots of Whitethroats, Linnets and Goldfinch around. After waiting a while was rewarded with a sighting of a male amazing in a tree before it flew to where a female giving excellent views of the pair.

Red Deer

Sunny Sunday

On sunday had a pleasant walk around Maple Lodge Nature Reserve for our monthly RSPB walk a charming reserve with lots of different habbit with a wide range of birds out the water a nice Selection of Birds with Teal, Gadwall, Pochard, Little Grebes and Mallard with Ducklings the hightlight. In the wooded area nice to see Treecreepers nest building and a few migrants coming in with Chiff-chaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap singing along with the year round birds of Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Red Kite and Buzzard also had the bonus of a couple of Butterfly with a Female Brimstone in the woods and a Peacock feeding.

Later on did my butterfly transect at Heartwood forest where i had 5 Peacocks beating last years total already a Small Tortishell and a great view of a flyby kestrelalong with singing Chiff-chaff and Willow Warbler and my first Swallow of the year. Then headed to Hatfield Aerodome to have a little hunt where the only usual bird was a pair of White Emus along with a few more singing Chiff-chaffs and Willow Warblers.

Gadwall

Male Pochard

Flower in the woods

Kestrel in flight

The surprise Emus

Another sandy visit

Decided on another trip to sandy as it was still grey and cold on my day off on thursday so started at the hide where I had nice views of at least 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers feeder where I had one  1 Male and one 1 Female feeding nearby. On the main Feeder had upto 3 Lesser Redpolls, Nuthatch which unusually was ground feeding and  a selection of themore usual garden birds. Around the water edge were quite a few Blackbird one quite showy gathering nesting material. Later on had a flythrough Green Woodpecker, a Nice Stock Dove and Pheasnts and Red-Legged Partridges. Then headed back to the house feeder where had a nice showing with upto 3 Brambling, least 10 Lesser Redpolls and 1 Mealy Redpoll which is the latest that i seen this species.

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding on the ground

Blackbird Gathering nesting material

Red-legged Partridge

Male Pheasant

Blue Tit in the yew

Redpoll in the yew

Siskin in the yew

Brambling

Brambling feeding on the ground

Out and about

A warmer day off at the weekend though still a bit, headed to Gallow bridge where a Stone Curlew had been for the last few days but it decided to do a bunk but had a Perergine over and a nice selection of birds at the feeder with the Reed Bunting showing well even a few Greenfinch which are getting very rare locally. Decided to head for Otmoor as i was in the area where I had a good number of Lapwings least 40 and some winter ducks which seems amazing in april with Wigeon, Pochard and Shoveler in good number along with a supporting cast of Redshank and Snipe despite it feeling more spring like that it had recently.

Reed Bunting feeding

Dunnock

Chaffinch

Blue Tit

Green Finch

Lapwing

At dusk

With the clocks go forward and a rare sunny day meant that after work on tuesday headed down to Verulamium Lake take some pictures of the local ducks and the landscape by the lake as the sun was setting still cold but what a difference a bit of sun makes.

Tufted Duck

Canada Goose

Mallard

Grey heron coming into roost

Herons Nest