randombirder

At long last.  It's only taken 24 years to see my first UK Honey Buzzard .  We returned back to Walberswick to the Westwood Lodge viewpoint, but today I felt positive that the bird would show. Almost on cue at around 3.20pm, the HB was seen flying reasonably distantly being mobbed by a Hobby before flying left along the tree-line.  I appreciate that there is generally a degree of ID confusion between this and it's more ubiquitous cousin, but when you see it, it really is a different beast altogether. Having lost it to view, the bird then reappeared much closer soaring with a Marsh Harrier before drifting off again. Also on site was a Woodlark and a Red Kite . Then it was onto Minsmere for a gentle stroll round the reserve where to the chagrin of many visiting birders, the Swamphen had disappeared overnight.  Typical of rare birds to do a bunk on a Friday night and I feel the pain of all the visiting birders hoping to connect with it. From the North Wall...

Just down the road is Weeting Heath NWT where three pairs of Stone Curlew are breeding with one pair viewable from the West Hide. Reasonably distant, they were seen well through the scope and through the heat haze.  It was a warm day. A walk round the paths produced two Turtle Dove that flew out of the woodland and back round before heading toward the farmhouses.  A really great bird, and now so localised, it was great to catch up with them. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the woodland near to the visitor centre.