OK, let's see what turns up - BY 2021

[shazdwn]

Great linnet shots

[TonyQ]

A beautiful Linnet!

[Kitsafari]

lovely linnet indeed.

[Soukous]

38 minutes ago, Kitsafari said:

lovely linnet indeed.

 

thanks Kit, colourful but still a long way behind the bright plumages you've been treating us to

[PeterHG]

On 5/13/2021 at 11:42 AM, Galana said:

I think so. There is not enough to deny you and quite a bit to support you such as that 'ear' patch and the completely grey crown and 'darkish' legs.

In spite of that I still feel this is a Common Whitethroat. The buff tinge on the underparts point that way and it just does not have the feel of a Lesser Whitethroat to me. But I do love these discussions

 

and I agree: beautiful shots of the Linnet!

Edited May 15, 2021 by PeterHG

[Soukous]

10 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

In spite of that I still feel this is a Common Whitethroat.

 

Oh Poo! Then it looks as though  I'll have to find another Lesser Whitethroat. 

[PeterHG]

Just now, Soukous said:

Oh Poo! Then it looks as though  I'll have to find another Lesser Whitethroat. 

This is just my opinion, for what it's worth (and I've been known to be wrong many times ;)).Feel free to count it as a Lesser, you did get support for that call, too!

[michael-ibk]

FWIW (not much) I agree with Peter. My immediate reaction was common Whitethroat. 😔

 

Love the Linnet! 

[Soukous]

18 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

FWIW (not much) I agree with Peter. My immediate reaction was common Whitethroat. 😔

 

 

so chance of getting one past you guys is there 

[PeterHG]

21 minutes ago, Soukous said:

so chance of getting one past you guys is there 

 

[elefromoz]

On 4/24/2021 at 4:01 PM, Soukous said:

this one screams out SPRING

Lovely photo, Indeed it does, if I ever get back that way, I think I will search out the Nightingale. Id love to see and hear one. I am just a bit jealous of all your Warblers and other "singers". 

[Soukous]

OK, as my Lesser Whitethroat was vetoed thisbecomes #90, and there is a story to go with it.

One of our local papers, which I confess I do not read, had this story a couple of days ago

 

Relief for kittiwakes as controversial netting removed

https://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/lowestoft-bt-building-kittiwakes-netting-removed-7975904

 

Apparently every year Kittiwakes return to this particular road in Lowestoft to nest, using window ledges in place of their normal perches on cliffs.

The local British Telecom office decided they did not like this and put up netting to prevent the Kittiwakes from settling. They clearly did not appreciate how much other locals seem to like having these birds nesting and there was a local outcry of protest which resulted in BT removing the netting.

As I was not far away ( doing my Little Tern watch) I went to take a look. Crikey, there are Kittiwakes on the roofs, ledges and gutters of just about every house in that short road. Not the prettiest perch, but that's where they choose to nest.

 

#90 - Kittiwake - Rissa tridactyla

Lowestoft, Suffolk. May 2021

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

My first session as a Little Tern warden didn't get off to a great start. Although yesterday there were in excess of 100 Little terns on the beach, heavy overnight rain and generally foul weather seems to have deterred them from taking up residence - yet.

I got rain, hail and strong winds, but no Little Terns. After being soaked for the second time I decided to call it a day.

What I did see were 4 pairs of Ringed Plovers, 3 Shelducks, 2 Avocets, 5 Dunlin and 1 Sanderling.

 

A couple of weeks ago there were plenty of Sanderlings here, but it is the end of their season and most of them have departed. So I was very happy to at least get a shot of this last one, even if it was running away from me.

 

#91 - Sanderling - Calidris alba

Kessingland, Suffolk. May 2021

 

 

[Soukous]

Here's the dilemma. You've arranged to go out birding for the morning with a friend but the weather forecast is dreadful. Do you go ahead anyway or call it off?

We decided to go ahead anyway. The destination was RSPB Lakenheath Fen, where there are supposed to be around 50 Hobbies at the moment.

Well, a cold wet morning meant that, if they were indeed there, they were not coming out to play.

 

We did see a Crane though, albeit quite distant.

 

#92 - Common Crane - Grus grus

Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk. May 2021

 

 

 

There would normally be dozens of Swifts over the reedbeds, but not today.

Time for an ebc

 

#93 - Swift - Apus apus

Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk. May 2021

 

[Soukous]

Eventually we had to admit defeat and head for home, no Hobbies for us today.

 

As we walked back along the river wall I was taken completely by surprise as this Common Tern dived down into the reeds below us.

 

#94 - Common Tern - Sterna hirundo

Lakenheath Fen, May 2021

 

[Soukous]

Overall a disappointing morning, especially as we then moved on the a place where a Stone Curlew sighting was pretty much guaranteed. Well, about as guaranteed as te Hobbies it turned out.

 

The only other tick for the morning was this drab looking Moorhen. Luckily the company was excellent.

 

#95 - Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus

Suffolk, May 2021

 

[Galana]

Good to see another recruit to the EBC elite.

A Crane sighting is not to be sniffed at either.

[Soukous]

16 hours ago, Galana said:

Good to see another recruit to the EBC elite.

 

Honoured indeed, when is the annual outing?

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Soukous said:

when is the annual outing?

There are two outings planned for 2021 so far.

The first is on North Uist from 3rd July. It starts with a get to know you session on the Uig-Lochmaddy Ferry after getting under way at 14.30.

The second, specialising on Wildfowl, is scheduled from 16th to 20th November at Caerlaverock Farmhouse.  Limited availability remaining.  Free 24hour access to W&WT reserve by negotiation. Participants should bring their own Whisky.

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

The second, specialising on Wildfowl, is scheduled from 16th to 20th November at Caerlaverock Farmhouse.  Limited availability remaining.  Free 24hour access to W&WT reserve by negotiation. Participants should bring their own Whisky.

 

As the prospect of making it to India in November starts to dim, sharing a whisky to celebrate your birthday is nudging its way to the fore.

[elefromoz]

Yay for the Kittiwakes, a bit of compassion goes a long way.

On 5/19/2021 at 9:48 PM, Soukous said:

Overall a disappointing morning,

Isn't Birding a fun hobby!

[PeterHG]

A shame about the Hobbies, but a Crane is a very good sighting! Good news for the Kittiwakes.

[Soukous]

Cold, grey and wet this morning. Not ideal weather and sure enough there was not much to see.

This Yellowhammer is all I got for my morning walk.

 

 

Boynton Marshes was much noisier, in particular the Avocets which now have some fluffy new chicks to look after.

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

quite delightful to see the chick's bill tilted just a tad upwards as well.

[michael-ibk]

Love the Avocet chicks, saw the first ones today myself.