The Hunt for a UK lifer!

On Thursday evening Bob and I discussed a trip to Suffolk.
It as in 1991 that Bob saw his Short-toed Treecreeper - and many more in Espana. Me well I have seen a few in Espana and none in the Uk so it was a no brainer where we would be starting on Friday.
I had been tempted on Thursday when news came through but I was committed to going to Rainham (hopefully for Garganey's) and I had to be back in time to go to a meeting for 7.30pm.
We went vis North cicular to M25 and M11 and then A14 - what a good way to get to Felixstow nice and straight forward! We arrived just before 10am - parked near to the Compound and was watching the ST Treecreeper within 5mins! Brilliant!2 people stayed where they were and got us on to the bird whilst some had run round to all the others on the other side- they couldn't have seen the bird then.
We watched it moving about up the trees and then it perched right up and suddenly flew off around the Fort!
Nice! 398 BOU Life List!
So at this after a wander around the Fort it was off to the Suffolk coast.
Sizewell - where we watch Black Redstarts - were amazed at the numbers of Kittiwakes on the towers out at sea- and had a nice cuppa with a Ham and cheese toasty!
Off to Minsmere to see what was about - nothing in particular but we went to a hide to see Avocets for Bob's year list and then to the sea where Bob picked up a Black throated Diver off the beach! Yaarr! we also had some Red-throated divers begining to turn into their lovely summer plumage!
Finally it was Dunwich - a long walk to the water wotsits.....where we watched a beautiful Hen Harrier hunting- lots of skylarks a few Mipits and then Redshanks, Lapwings anf yes Ring Plovers! all displaying and creating a merriment of sounds plus gulls ducks and geese! and then a couple of Snow Bunting tumbling - a male Marsh Harrier was above some trees and then Bob went onwards to try to locate a couple of Penduline Tits (dipped) and I sat down to watch the birds - shingle does have its uses!
A flock of Twite flew past landed and then flew on!

Eventually we met up again and drove over to Dunwich Heath looking unsucessfully for Stonechats!

A good day though as the weather was sunny and warm mainly but best of all lacking wind and not wet!


Rainham - oh yes a pair of Garganey's!
Hen Harrier distant over the Thames and not really much else!
Too many people (with push chairs and walking about) !

On Tuesday in osterley park my first Peacock butterfly of the year and then on Wednesday one in my Garden, another at Rainham. No other Butterfly seen by me yet!
Bob has had a couple of others - help another listing competion! (This is one I have no hope of winning!)