Suffolk – Ipswich & Levington – 25th January 2009

I always find it a bit bizarre, driving around a housing estate with my bins at the ready scanning for birds, but if you want to see Waxwing this is so often the case and discretion is defiantly the order of the day when you find about thirty birds commuting between the roof tops and a front garden. It was then off to Levington and a look along the shore line and the trout lake. Wet, windy and chilly as it was, this produced Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Turnstone, 100 Dunlin, Curlew, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover on the shore and Gadwall, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Widgeon & Pochard on the water. Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 85 Month bird count: 85

Essex (Mistley Quay) – 4th January 2009

A good day off the Quay and Walls, with waders – Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Knot , Avocet, Oystercatcher & Redshank; Swans – Black, Mute & Whooper; Ducks – Pintail, Shellduck, Widgeon, Teal & Goldeneye.

Further out there is a Great Northern Diver & Great-crested Grebes then closer to the quay side 11 Mergansers.

Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 61 Month bird count: 61

Essex (Abberton) – 31st December 2008

This reservoir is always a good visit at any time during the winter months. Here today we get Little Egret, Egyptian Goose, Common Gull, Smew, Ruddy Duck, Bittern, Water Rail & Merganser to mention a few. Final counts for 2008 are below.

Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 267 Month bird count: 93

Suffolk (Micklemere) – 29th December 2008

A quick run out to this small mere right on the road side and good views of White-fronted Goose along with Greylag, Canada & a lone Snow Goose. On the return the fields are flush with winter thrushes, Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle are all amongst a gathering of Lapwings and Golden Plovers. Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 266 Month bird count: 81

Suffolk (Bawdsey East Lane & Quay) – 25th December 2008

Heavy cloud cover, a cold wind and a low level mist, it must be Christmas in East Anglia! Off to coast and a look at what the pits at East Lane Bawdsey hold, plenty of ducks including Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Teal, Widgeon, Tufted, Shoveller & Gadwall. Also Mute Swan, Canada & Greylag Geese, then in the coastal tamarisk we find Stonechat and Meadow Pipit and finally Common Buzzard & Hen Harrier over.

A short stop at the Quay and across the Deben there are hundreds of Golden Plover along with Curlew, Ringed Plover, Dunlin & Lapwing.

Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 265 Month bird count: 70