After a couple of weeks of absence, it was back to Nethergong over the weekend where on Saturday and Sunday, I managed to see or hear 50 species on both days. Saturday in sunny weather from 7am produced 37 Greylag Geese, 6 Mute Swan, 2 Common Gull, 42 Cormorant, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Jay, 1 Raven, 4 Skylark, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper, 9 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 4 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 16 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Siskin and 3 Yellowhammer. In cloudy skies this morning from 7am I noted 1 Golden Plover, 31 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Raven, 4 Skylark, 1 Swallow flying south, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper, 8 Redwing, 14 Fieldfare, 3 Stonechat, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Brambling heard (127), 2 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Siskin and 2 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording last night failed to produce anything flying over. Before leaving this morning, I spent some time preparing and area near the top wood for my feeding station where hopefully over the winter, I can tempt in some Jays and other species to photograph from my hide. 

Goldcrest

Stonechat

An hour or so over at Nethergong on Sunday late afternoon produced a surprise Red Kite which flew up from a tree and landed on a nearby Pylon where a while later it made a brief flyby allowing a few shots as the sun was going down. After a bit of flying around a few trees, it seemed to go to roost. Also seen were 2 Raven, 1 Little Egret, 4 Common Buzzard and 1 Stonechat. Recording over  the weekend produced another flock of Brent Geese flying over Nethergong in the early hours.

Red Kite 

A couple of visits to Nethergong over the weekend produced 48 species on Saturday and 50 species on Sunday. Birds of note included 1 Coot, 2 Raven, 10 Skylark, 2 Blackcap, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Mistle Thrush, 5 Stonechat, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Siskin, Greylag Geese heard leaving the Stour Valley, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Common Buzzard, 1 Tawny Owl, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 4 Swallow, 13 Chiffchaff, 5 Cetti's Warbler, c50 Starling, 7 Meadow Pipit, 7 Greenfinch, 2 Yellowhammer and 7 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording at night during the past week produced 2 Tawny Owl, 1 Little Owl, 1 Barn Owl and as I picked up the recorder early this morning I heard a Little Owl and Barn Owl calling around 06:10. Last night produced a few birds including a flock of Brent Geese over just after 7pm, 2 Tawny Owl, 1 Dunlin (126) over at 23:15, a new bird for the site and 1 Wigeon. 

Brent Geese

Dunlin

Wigeon