NOVEMBER
Hello again
Well what a change in the weather ... much colder suddenly and the odd flurry of snow! Thankfully most of those migrant species of bird that I mentioned in my previous notes have now left our shores and are already way down in Europe en-route to their wintering grounds in parts of Africa. Lucky them!! We had such a good Summer; perhaps a real winter is overdue ?
Locally the Winter visitors .. Redwings and Fieldfares .. have swelled in numbers during the month and earlier today I encountered a mixed flock of maybe 80-90 birds feeding in the arable fields around the village. The male Tawny and Little owls have been calling loudly in the early evenings as they seek out new partners but there is very little else happening on our doorsteps. So what is moving .... lots of interesting birds but pretty much only along our coastal shoreline. This is Goose, Duck, Swan, Wader and visitors like the wonderful Snow Bunting time. On the odd dry and sunny days I managed to fit in some bird watching here in Suffolk tucked up out of the wind in a hide ... magical places to really experience the natural world .. often at very close quarters.
Some photos are attached that I hope you will like. Eider Ducks, Bewicks Swan (smaller than our Mute Swan and showing the bright yellow base to the bill) ... the Snow Bunting .. often in small flocks .. all visitors from the high arctic as Winter sets in. The stunning Eurasian Curlew .. at rest .. and in flight. Also the very pretty Turnstone .. a regular visitor to the rocky point at Lowestoft.
Well what a change in the weather ... much colder suddenly and the odd flurry of snow! Thankfully most of those migrant species of bird that I mentioned in my previous notes have now left our shores and are already way down in Europe en-route to their wintering grounds in parts of Africa. Lucky them!! We had such a good Summer; perhaps a real winter is overdue ?
Locally the Winter visitors .. Redwings and Fieldfares .. have swelled in numbers during the month and earlier today I encountered a mixed flock of maybe 80-90 birds feeding in the arable fields around the village. The male Tawny and Little owls have been calling loudly in the early evenings as they seek out new partners but there is very little else happening on our doorsteps. So what is moving .... lots of interesting birds but pretty much only along our coastal shoreline. This is Goose, Duck, Swan, Wader and visitors like the wonderful Snow Bunting time. On the odd dry and sunny days I managed to fit in some bird watching here in Suffolk tucked up out of the wind in a hide ... magical places to really experience the natural world .. often at very close quarters.
Some photos are attached that I hope you will like. Eider Ducks, Bewicks Swan (smaller than our Mute Swan and showing the bright yellow base to the bill) ... the Snow Bunting .. often in small flocks .. all visitors from the high arctic as Winter sets in. The stunning Eurasian Curlew .. at rest .. and in flight. Also the very pretty Turnstone .. a regular visitor to the rocky point at Lowestoft.
click on the picture to enlarge
Let me express advance festive greetings to all local residents .. now the big day is only just over a month away.
Will it be a white one??
Brian Taylor
Will it be a white one??
Brian Taylor