Chris Allen

Lifelong Suffolk birder despite being exiled for over 25 years (just) on The Far Side. Working with our animals to improve the marshes for wildlife.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

I took the chance to visit Winterton yesterday to see only my second ever Asian Desert Warbler (first at Flamborough in October 1991). Close to the physical limit of my un-operated knee (due Feb'25) but worth the pain for some fabulous views of a very confiding bird.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Absolutely zero migrants in an hour at home this afternoon but in a really poor butterfly year counted 3 Peacocks, a Comma and an amazing 5 Walls! Walls doing well recently in our garden and marshes but my best ever garden count. Sample male & female warming up on the house.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Just back from my annual 2 week trip to Ottawa visiting my sister. Wonderful weather - sun, no wind or rain - probably explained why it was so tough birding and photo opportunities limited. This Grey-cheeked Thrush maybe bird of the trip - I've seen more in the UK than Canada!

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

After Alison picked up an Osprey over the garden (1st for years) on Saturday afternoon it felt worth hitting the coast in the hope of some migrants. No great numbers but this very smart and obliging Redstart by Corton church. The less obliging Gunton Wryneck seen only briefly.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Needing to drop off this years fleeces at the local wool collection depot yesterday meant passing Dickleburgh moor on the way home. So no excuse for not stopping off to enjoy the obliging juvenile Temminck's Stint present for the last few days (my first for several years!)

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Nice walk round the scrape at @RSPBMinsmere yesterday (as usual hides empty by 5pm!). Decent selection of waders including the no-longer-moribund Red Knot, distant moulting Curlew Sand, Little Stint & several Spotted Redshank. Plus an entertaining gang of feeding Spoonbills.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

@TrooperSnooks @GarethDennis This will happen sooner or later and just one of many penalties for the non-urban population. Doubtless there will be some additional "subsidies" paid to our friends North of the border to sweeten the pain for them.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

First record for our edge-of-broads garden of the scarce and very local Dotted Footman trapped yesterday night by @AlisonAllen769. A pity it wouldn't sit still long enough to focus-stack it!

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Another great visit to the excellent @SWTCarltonMarsh yesterday. How things have changed in 20 years: distant shot of 3 "herons" of which this was the only Grey seen (3 GWE/10+ Little)! The long staying Red Foot posed in front of its' camera & smart Banded Demoiselle by Peto's

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Rather better quality entertainment at SWT Carlton Marshes on Sunday afternoon than the first 105 minutes from England in the Euro's later on. This female Red-backed Shrike showed well and much closer than the Red-footed Falcon which mostly kept its' distance during our visit.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

The first time I've seen Red-belter Clearwing with 2 coming in to pheromone lure in the garden yesterday although I think @AlisonAllen769 has recorded them here (once?) previously.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

@AlisonAllen769 put the pheromone lures out before heading off to show her sheep at the Royal Norfolk show and ended up with two Red-belted Clearwings. Apparently not new for the garden "list" but the first ones I can recall seeing.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

@oldman65Suffolk @_BTO @BTO_Suffolk @OlympusUK @OMSYSTEMcameras @SuffolkBirdGrp Another outstanding shot

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Rather than battle Friday evening holiday traffic after my post-op check up in Cambridge we decided to drop in to the (nearby) RSPB Ouse Fen reserve for the Great Reed Warbler. Easy to find given you could hear him singing from 300m away & lack of wind probably helped views!

[Alison Allen @AlisonAllen769]

We were in the Cambridge area for a post-op appointment so it made sense to call in at Ouse Fen and admire the Great Reed Warbler there blasting out his song in full view

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

@BLI_Jim No arguments with that!

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

The quick mid-evening 5 mile "dash" to Lound was well worth the effort to watch this (typically) spectacular male Red-backed Shrike. Not quite the deluge of records from further North so every local bird special.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

Fairly quiet day at @RSPBMinsmere but for the Bittern hide doubters here are the 2 distant East scrape drake Mandarins & the pair of Garganey from West hide! Cute to watch this duck Gadwall with her 12 new ducklings but my highlight was this Green Hairstreak near the sluice.

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

@LucyMcRobert1 @james_lidster No sweat! (well maybe not literally). Glad to have played our part in your dietary preperation🤩🤩

[Chris Allen @ThorpeMarshman]

@oldman65Suffolk @BTO_Suffolk @OlympusUK @OMSYSTEMcameras @SuffolkBirdGrp Love this shot! One of those species you need to either work really hard for or get very lucky (or both!),