Three days birding. Day one - March 29th.

John · #1 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:09 PM

I will start a different thread for each day I was out birding

I had planned to have both the 29th and 30th off from work as I was owed two days holiday from last year and they had to be used by the end of March.

My first port of call was to Amwell Gravel Pits, near Hertford after a Little Bunting that had been there for a while. I set off at 05 am to quite misty conditions. Driving down the M1 the daylight revealed an extremely dark cloud cover with quite a bit of low mist over the countryside. Just below Luton I hit the roadwork’s and unfortunately lost quite a bit of time there and arrived onsite at 07:30am, about an hour later than I had planned.

It was an extremely dreary day. Heavy mist, extremely black clouds and intermittent rain. It was almost dusk like conditions. It was also bloomin cold. On top of all that the bird didn’t show, even though I stood my ground until 11am.

Well that was a good start to the day – not. My next site on my itinerary was a place called Mistley, near Maningtree on the Essex / Suffolk border. There was a long staying Long-billed Dowitcher there so off I set and arrived at 1:30pm to even worse conditions that I had left behind me. Torrential rain, extremely heavy mist, the tide was out and all the waders (which I could hear) were lost in the mist. I sat for half an hour and ate a sandwich but even after that time the mist was just the same, the rain was equally as bad and the waders were equally as noisy, and lost in the mist.

It had been my intention to spend a few hours at Minsmere but I had lost so much time at Amwell Pits that it was pointless calling in. Mindfull that I am going there for two days at the end of April I decided to carry on to Ness Point, Lowestoft after the resident Purple Sandpipers. These had eluded me when I went after them in January but not this time. I was onsite by about 15:20 and ten minutes later was capturing some on camera. There were five of them amongst about ten Turnstones. Below are two photos of the Purple Sand and a Turnstone.

Purple Sandpiper.

Turnstone

The day had got slightly brighter at Lowestoft but at my next, and last site of the day, Buckenham Marshes (close to Strumpshaw fen) the weather had really begun to close in. Reported here for quite a while was an American Wigeon. Thankfully it wasn’t raining but it was so dark that even though I took my camera there was no chance I was going to use it. Along the path I met an old mate from Birdforum. He helps out at Rainham marshes, London. He and his friends had done the route and were on the way back. They hadn’t seen the Wigeon but had seen some Sand Martins and a couple of Little-ringed Plover’s .

The LRP’s were easy. I found them straight away but the Sand Martins took about an hour to locate. Eventually I located them and amongst them were 6 Swallows. That was at least a good end to the day. Along the way I approached an old mill at the far side of the reserve and as I got close up and explosion of wings, close by, and a white blur as a barn Owl shot out from one of the windows and just missed me by a couple of feet. I don’t who was surprised the most, the Barn Owl or me. I certainly missed the chance of a photo of the bird but to be honest I just stood still for that bit too long taking in the spectacle of the Barn Owl as it quickly flew off into the distance.

A quick stop in Brundall for a bag of chips was on the cards and once consumed I was on my way to Heacham where I was staying at a bed and Breakfast for a couple of days.

Day two will follow as soon as I have typed it up.

John

rlchew · #2 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:28 PM

Hi John

I thought you hadn't been around for a while. Using up annual leave .... that sounds familiar

.

It sounds like the weather was not too favourable for you. I was off work on Thursday and Friday and quickly realised that I should have taken Monday to Wednesday instead.

Excellent report as usual from you.

I haven't been up to see the Long-billed Dowitcher at Mistley yet and must do so before it moves on .... it would be an Essex tick for me. The last one that I saw was down at Oare Marshes in Kent.

I usually see Purple Sandpipers down near Margate in Kent but I am aware of the Ness Point site too. I would have thought that they would have moved on by now though. Excellent photo by the way.

No photo of Barn Owl then? .... a "white blur" is no excuse

.

I look forward to part 2.

Richard

nightshade · #3 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:32 PM

I always look forward to your reports, lots of info good images
nearly as good as being there without the carbon footprint

John · #4 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightshade

I always look forward to your reports, lots of info good images
nearly as good as being there without the carbon footprint

Mark43 · #5 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:42 PM

Hi John

Nice report as always.

Can't seem to catch up with Purple Sandpiper although i know where they are in Sussex.

Were those 2 pics digiscoped or DSLR'd.........great pics whichever method you used.

dbozkurt · #6 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:46 PM

What weather you have been having we have had a superb week on the islands. I am so glad you got your purple sandpiper, why is it called purple. It doesn't sound like the shorts got an airing!!

Going to settle down with my tea and wait for the next day!

Debs

GuyF · #7 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:46 PM

Sounds like a great day. Shame that you didn't see your American Wigeon or Little Bunting, but it sounds like you still had some really nice birds, and a lot there that I'd like to see. Nice pictures of the Sandpiper, I've never got close enough to one to get a shot.
Looking forward to the next two reports,
Guy

John · #8 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark43

Hi John

Nice report as always.

Can't seem to catch up with Purple Sandpiper although i know where they are in Sussex.

Were those 2 pics digiscoped or DSLR'd.........great pics whichever method you used.

Hi mark

I rarely use the digiscoping method now as I much prefer the DSLR system. Obviously if something is distant then the digiscoping camera comes out but I am suprised at just how much you can crop down on a DSLR image and still retain much of the detail.

John

Kymba · #9 (**permalink**) 31-03-2007, 10:21 PM

Great report of your day out John

Can't wait to read day two, hope the weather was better though

aeshna5 · #10 (**permalink**) 01-04-2007, 05:55 AM

I'm pleased after your dismal start you managed to catch up with some of your quarry- I'm sure you were particularly pleased with the Purple Sandpipers after previous comments you'd made about them here to Debs.

John · #11 (**permalink**) 01-04-2007, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I'm pleased after your dismal start you managed to catch up with some of your quarry- I'm sure you were particularly pleased with the Purple Sandpipers after previous comments you'd made about them here to Debs.

I must admit the Purple Sands have long been a thorn in my side regarding getting good images of them so I am well pleased that I got one at last.

John

JeffH · #12 (**permalink**) 01-04-2007, 01:41 PM

That sounds like a fine start to your latest birding tour John. A couple of disappointments and some unpleasant weather but you still had some good sightings and managed to pull out some great shots. Can't wait to read about your other days

Jeff

ianrose82 · #13 (**permalink**) 01-04-2007, 03:13 PM

A dismal start to your break John but hopefully the Sandpiper made up for it.
I hesitate to tell you that the Little Bunting was around this morning between 7 and 8

Ian
Bird Photographs

John · #14 (**permalink**) 01-04-2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianrose82

A dismal start to your break John but hopefully the Sandpiper made up for it.
I hesitate to tell you that the Little Bunting was around this morning between 7 and 8

Ian
Bird Photographs

It's been showing well every day since I went there. Typical!!

John