East Anglia scarce

A widespread fall across the east coast has been turning stuff up all week (Wrynecks, hippos and the astonishing numbers of Lapland Buntings) so I decided I wanted to be part of it. The journey started quite badly by getting caught out by the roadworks on the M25 that led to me missing the A12 turnoff. Since it forced me to continue on the M25 I considered a change of plan to head up to Holme to pick up the Arctic Warbler instead but it was being pretty elusive and I decided that I didn't want to stand around staring at the same set of pines for hours on end and then drive home. So after wasting a good 30 minutes I started off at Landguard Point (somewhere else I haven't been to for a couple of decades) to see if the Icky was still around. Quickly ran into a Tree Pipit - non-calling birds on migration are always fun and make me think a bit. This bird was running around on the ground but the fine flank streaking, heavy pink-based bill and wide sub-tashial all look good for Tree Pipit. As if to confirm, it then flew up to some telegraph wires to perch for half a minute or so.

It's pretty windy here so not much is actually showing but managed to pick up several Chiffies, a juv Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat (which looked like a 1w on a quick view), 10-12 Wheatears, a flock of c50 Linnets and a few other bits and pieces. But no sign of the Icky. Eventually decide that this could easily suck up more time than the Arctic and head up the coast to Minsmere. Get a great run of birds in a very short space of time: a Wryneck feeding in the same area as 3-4 Redstarts, a juv Red backed Shrike south of the North Wall and, along the beach past the public hide two really stunning Lap Bunts feeding quietly on the shingle.

The Shrike was pretty distant through the 400mm.

But just about recognisable with a heavy crop.

The Lapland Buntings were very confiding.

Walking back along the North Wall had a single Bearded Tit calling. Arrived back at the car and again considered heading up to Holme for the Arctic but instead headed home via Vange Marshes to try to connect with the Temminck's Stint that's been commuting between there and Canvey Island RSPB (TBC). By the time I arrived the light was going and the bird was pretty distant but eventually showed. Also present were 1 ad Little Stint, a juv Curlew Sand, 15 Wigeon, a couple of Blackwit and a Water Rail that showed briefly behind the Temminck's.

Actual Twitching 2

OK, I've decided that travelling to see birds you've already seen in the UK doesn't count as twitching. Providing there's a viable reason to go birding there anyway. So going to see a good year tick at Minsmere is not twitching - it's a great place, I might have gone there anyway and even if I don't see the headliner it won't matter because there's loads more to see. However, going to see something (no matter how many times you've seen it) in a housing estate or on a petrol forecourt is always twitching. These small sophistries are important. And relevant to the sad story that unfolds below.

All started well, a quick trip to The Lodge to see Crossbill and maybe bump into a really quite spectacular female Two barred Crossbill was well within the rules. Although larch specialists in their hometowns the 2b seemed just as happy in deciduous as coniferous trees, at times showing the full two bars at others just a small square of white on the outers. Wandered back to the car to see that both Pallid and Alpine Swifts were showing well at Kessingland. Now driving across east anglia does sound like twitching doesn't it? But according to the rules it still wasn't - since I'm sure that Kessingland has many other fantastic birds. Also a quick guestimate on the map meant it looked like about a 90 mile drive. As it turned out it was more like 120 since the car's sat nav is shyte and tried to take me via Norwich (almost). Got there, ditched the car in a private road (lose 2 points); walked through some residential streets (lose 3 points) at which point a huge swift flew over the rooftops - Alpine. Seconds later a much smaller bird did the same - must be the Pallid but totally untickable views. Arrived at a caravan park (lose 10 points) - Pallid in the air right in front of us (us including my first sighting of LGRE this year - year tick). Both swifts performed amazingly well, most of the time in the same bins view and often in the same scope view. I'm still surprised the Alpine didn't swallow the Pallid in one gulp.

OK, this is where it starts to get messy. But not straight away. It started off OK with a leisurely drive (almost a pootle) back home down the A12, past the sign for Minsmere thinking it would be nice to pop in for an hour or so but I can't cos I'm due back home to look after the kids. Past Ipswich and straight into a traffic jam. Kinda bored so checked in a totally handsfree way whether anything else was about (not that I had time to see it of course). Bit of a shock to see 2 reports of Lesser Kestrel at Minsmere, the last one 10 minutes ago. OK, so I can't actually do a U-turn on a dual carriageway, not even in a traffic jam. Probably. Soooo... wait for all the nice cars to start moving, get to a slip road, floor the fuck out of the car back up the A12. Now readers with wives or kids will have noticed the flaw in this plan. The missus is going to kill me. Or cut my bollocks off, then kill me. Whichever variation it is, it will not end well. However, if I get back home knowing that I drove within about 3 miles of a really quality UK tick then I won't be happy either. While driving at a legal speed (well it was probably legal somewhere) I at no time checked to see whether it was still there and did not read the latest report saying that it had been seen flying off towards Westleton but not refound. At about 5pm was driving along the access track via Eastbridge and passed a group of birders staring out into a field, clearly not 'on' anything. Got out and found that this was where it had been seen , quick scan produced 15+ Sand Martins and a couple of White Wags. Stood around chatting for a bit when a guy pulls up in a car on the phone to say it's been refound at Westleton. Back to the car, drive down the lanes, park with the 100 other cars. After a bit of a trek (with people running, I haven't been to a running twitch for ages!) pulled up looking across some open scrub with a fence and scrubby trees in the background. After only a few minutes there's a flash of incredibly pale wings almost like a Barn Owl and the m Lesser Kestrel is perched in tree. Gives really good but fairly distant views. The real standout early warning is the flappier flight and the pale underwings that really seem to flash on and off.