I made a midday visit to Nethergong today in quite warm conditions and I'm pleased I did as I found a new bird for the patch in the form of 2 POCHARD (119) associating with 11 Tufted Duck. I've been hoping for a few years that this species would pay a visit and all the checking and hope finally paid off. They were quite distant and I was looking into the sun but that did not matter today, and I was happy just to record a few record shots. My next target bird is hopefully a Great crested Grebe. It would be nice to think during the colder winter months that one might pay a visit. Also seen today were 7 Mute Swan, 9 Egyptian Geese, 1 Stock Dove, 4 Moorhen, 1 Green Sandpiper, 16 Black headed Gull, 8 Herring Gull, 4 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 7 Jackdaw, 6 Rook, 7 Carrion Crow, 1 Raven, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Reed Warbler, 17 Swallow, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest and 1 Treecreeper. I checked one of the sheltered sunny spots with some nice bare branches and found a Spotted Flycatcher (120). I had brief but good views before it flew deeper into cover. There was 1 Wheatear, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch and 3 Yellowhammer. 

2 Pochard and 1 Tufted Duck

Pochard (back of camera crop)

I was out of the house by 05:00 where after collecting the recorder, I had a few hours walking around the Nethergong / Chislet Marshes area. The nocmig recorder had a Barn Owl calling and what seemed like a wader call but otherwise, pretty quiet. I hadn't been walking long when I could see a male Marsh Harrier quartering a ploughed field when it suddenly dropped down and came up with a leveret in its talons. From no where, an adult Hare appeared and gave chase, literally jumping in the air to get its you back. The Harrier soon dropped it but now the Crows and a Common Buzzard where on the scene. The Hare spent the best part of 20 minutes chasing everything away before she moved off to about 100 yards from where the leveret had been dropped. For some reason, she didn't move and the Buzzard slowly moved back to the area. I suspect the leveret had been killed by the Harrier. I moved off at this point and noted 1+ Greylag Geese heard, 14 Mute Swan, 9 Egyptian Geese still, 9 Moorhen, 1 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Black headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 Common Tern, 1 Little Grebe heard, 14 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker and 2 Green Woodpecker. There were 2 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 2 Raven, 6 Skylark, 4 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 19 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long tailed Tit, 2 Blackcap, 11 Whitethroat, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Wheatear, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch, 55 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 7 Yellowhammer and 3 Reed Bunting. 

Wheatear

Highlights of a late morning visit yesterday in very warm conditions for a few hours were 9 Egyptian Geese including the 7 goslings and adopted Mallard still, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 2 Raven, 2 Reed Warbler, 7 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (116), 1 Whitethroat, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Whinchat (117), 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Bullfinch, 10 Linnet and 1 Goldfinch. A Clouded Yellow was only the second record on the patch here in 10 years. 

I was out early this morning now I have the car back and walked around the campsite and parts of Chislet Marshes where I noted 9 Egyptian Geese still, 62 Mallard, 3 Pheasant, 1 Golden Plover heard calling, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 Black headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, 11 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Owl, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 3 Jay, 105 Jackdaw, 37 Rook, 2 Raven and 10 Sedge Warbler. There were 6 Reed Warbler, 7 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Long tailed Tit, 2 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 14 House Sparrow, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 7 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, 72 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch, 4 Yellowhammer and 4 Reed Bunting. It was pleasing to see a (the) Clouded Yellow where I managed a few shots of this rare species here and I also saw my first Water Vole for the patch. Nocmig recording Friday night produced 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Oystercatcher (118) flying over calling during the night. 

Whinchat

Clouded Yellow