Red Necked Grebe, Brancaster Staithe |
Words and images mainly on birds, wildlife and the natural world From NW Norfolk and beyond.
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Red Necked Grebe, Brancaster Staithe
The strong winds of the last few days were starting to ease a little this morning and I decided to combine a errand in Brancaster with a visit to the harbour in Brancaster Staithe to look for the Red Necked Grebe that had been reported here. Joined by no1 son [age 6] I drove down as close to the edge of the water as I dared and practically the first bird I saw was the Grebe fishing in the channel to the west of the harbour. I wasn't able to stay long and the bird never came close enough for great photographic opportunities so this heavily cropped record shot is the best I managed in the ten to fifteen minutes we spent with the bird.
Labels:
birding,
birdwatching,
Brancaster Staithe,
Harbour,
norfolk,
Red Necked Grebe,
winter
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Brief encounter with a Kingfisher
The weather has turned and the last hint of Autumn is behind us and this is now winter. Yesterday we had bitter cold gusting north westerly winds blowing over the bins in people front gardens in Hunstanton and providing birders on the east coast with a few Little Auks to enjoy. By this morning the wind had dropped and there was a blue sky over the town, in my case I could see it from the windows of the Oasis leisure centre where I was attending no2 sons 4th birthday party.
By this afternoon the weather had closed in again and grabbing the chance for an hours fresh air I headed to Holme Marsh where I figured I'd have the place to myself and the shelter of the hides if I needed it.
It was good to see the reed and Typha had been cleared from in front of the first hide and from here I saw a Cettis warbler in brief partial glimpses as it worked its way through the base of some reeds. A Barn Owl put in a brief appearance and I then decided to look from the second Hide, here the best birds were a male and a female Marsh Harrier hunting the NWT reserve. Then the high pitched call of a Kingfisher had me looking hard out of the hide window as a bird landed on a Typha head in front of the hide, its blue back and orangey underside doing their best to brighten a dull afternoon. I grabbed my compact camera [a Panasonic Lumix TZ30] and managed a few shots of the perched bird, not bad results for something the size of cigarette packet. The Kingfisher departed and in its place came rain, lots of it hitting and pock marking the surface of the pool. Time to head home.
Kingfisher, Holme Marsh |
Cropped Kingfisher image, Holme Marsh |
Labels:
birding,
birdwatching,
Holme Marsh,
Kingfisher,
norfolk,
panasonic lumix tz30,
winter
Saturday, 14 November 2015
Goldcrest's for Lunch
The east coast deluge of Goldcrest's is over. Just a few weeks back vast numbers
of these tiny warblers could be found in almost any piece of seaside cover.
For such a tiny bird, they are smaller than a Wren, Goldcrest's are impressive little things with their orange or yellow crests, small needle bills and round black eyes set against olive green feathers. It can be hard to imagine such little bundles of feathers deliberately crossing the North Sea. Indeed an old colloquial name for Goldcrest was Woodcock Pilot the belief being that to cross the sea they'd hitch a ride on the back of a Woodcock, acting as a pilot for the larger, stronger but perhaps less intelligent bird.
So here I am on a mid November lunchtime in the
heart of Norwich, its sunny and clear but the cold wind tells me that we have
almost completed the transition from autumn into winter. A familiar set of
chattering and high pitched bird calls has made me stop on the path beneath a
couple of small trees that have nearly lost all of their leaves. In them are a
mix of small birds Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits are the most numerous and
most obvious but a high pitched call and a couple of fidgety tiny shapes give
away the presence of a couple of "Crests"
I start phishing, sucking air between my lips and teeth making a rasping, screeching sound almost guaranteed to bring in curious small birds for a closer look, something I'll need as I have no binoculars with me.
I want to get the Crests in close to check if one of them might be a less common Firecrest and also, well because I can, and to try and get a picture with my compact camera, which is not the best tool for the job.
As I phish a succession of small birds drop in for a look and eventually two small Goldcrests move to my side of the tree flitting and fidgeting through the bare branches whilst I try and get a shot. I can easily see from the views that I get that they are both Goldcrests and I even manage a couple of OK shots.
Time is pressing and my lunch break is nearly over and I need to
retrace my steps through the overgrown cemetery and back to my office, I do so
with a small smile of my face as m encounter with these small birds has given me a small birding fix for the day.
For such a tiny bird, they are smaller than a Wren, Goldcrest's are impressive little things with their orange or yellow crests, small needle bills and round black eyes set against olive green feathers. It can be hard to imagine such little bundles of feathers deliberately crossing the North Sea. Indeed an old colloquial name for Goldcrest was Woodcock Pilot the belief being that to cross the sea they'd hitch a ride on the back of a Woodcock, acting as a pilot for the larger, stronger but perhaps less intelligent bird.
Goldcrest, Rosary Cemetery, Norwich |
I start phishing, sucking air between my lips and teeth making a rasping, screeching sound almost guaranteed to bring in curious small birds for a closer look, something I'll need as I have no binoculars with me.
I want to get the Crests in close to check if one of them might be a less common Firecrest and also, well because I can, and to try and get a picture with my compact camera, which is not the best tool for the job.
As I phish a succession of small birds drop in for a look and eventually two small Goldcrests move to my side of the tree flitting and fidgeting through the bare branches whilst I try and get a shot. I can easily see from the views that I get that they are both Goldcrests and I even manage a couple of OK shots.
Goldcrest, Rosary Cemetery, Norwich |
Labels:
birding,
birdwatching,
norfolk,
norwich,
panasonic lumix tz30,
rosary cemetery
Sunday, 18 October 2015
This autumn just keeps on giving: Bluetail, Issy Shrike and Pallas's Warbler
I watched the amazing fall of migrants along the north Norfolk coast unfold not in the field but one step removed on the Internet on the BirdGuides website and various blogs, pictures and accounts of a stellar cast of eastern rares. Work and a child with a stomach bug got in the way of experiencing any of the birds first hand until Friday when finally I could no longer resist and I took the morning off and drove along the coast road to Holkham.
My plan was to walk quickly to where the Red Flanked Bluetail was located down by the Cross Tracks at the Western end of the Pines in some Sallows and then work my way back east spending more time looking at the Goldcrests in the hope of pulling out a Pallas's or Yellow Browed Warbler. And of course the Isabeline Shrike that was present as well, I knew I wouldn't have time for Wells Wood and the goodies on show there.
As I walked I could constantly hear Goldcrests and my planned brisk walk slowed as I paused to look at these. Over head there were flocks of newly arrived Redwings calling in flight. I walked past the small trail for the Bluetail and re-traced my steps with another birder who had done likewise. Arriving round the back of the Sallows I joined a small congregation and the bird quickly showed posing for a second , just long enough for me to admire its deep bluetail before disappearing from view. I stayed for an hour and had a couple more equally brief but worse views before tearing myself away.
Next stop was the Shrike which had apparently been showing well earlier, it wasn't when I arrived in its favoured area and it was only when another birder came and fetched me that I got 0onto it feeding along a scrubby ditch line out on the grazing marsh. That was my lot and I needed a brisk walk back to the car and then home for an afternoon of office work.
But I still had a Pallas's Warbler sized itch to scratch, I'd not seen one for a few years and I didn't want to miss the opportunity that this autumn provided, so today I managed to get out for a couple of hours in the afternoon and headed to Holme where a bird had been reported. Getting directions to the area of The Forestry [sea Buckthorn and Sallow scrub] the bird was in I didn't feel overly confident but I got myself in the right area and a couple of birders put me onto where the bird had last been seen. They left me on my own and I managed to pish the bird out very briefly, what a beauty my favourite bird of the autumn, like a Goldcrest dipped in Sherbet that crown strip and yellow rump, yowser! I set the camera on its maximum ISO setting and grabbed a few shots which I have heavily cropped here.
My plan was to walk quickly to where the Red Flanked Bluetail was located down by the Cross Tracks at the Western end of the Pines in some Sallows and then work my way back east spending more time looking at the Goldcrests in the hope of pulling out a Pallas's or Yellow Browed Warbler. And of course the Isabeline Shrike that was present as well, I knew I wouldn't have time for Wells Wood and the goodies on show there.
Grab shot of Red Flanked Bluetail at Holkham |
Next stop was the Shrike which had apparently been showing well earlier, it wasn't when I arrived in its favoured area and it was only when another birder came and fetched me that I got 0onto it feeding along a scrubby ditch line out on the grazing marsh. That was my lot and I needed a brisk walk back to the car and then home for an afternoon of office work.
Isabeline Shrike [and Redwing] digi-scoped through an very old Nikon ED Scope |
Pallas's Warbler at Holme |
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Essence of autumn at Holme: Yellow Browed's and a Firecrest
A busy weekend of chauffeuring to and from children's birthday parties, shopping and a trip to the swimming pool with number one son. But by late afternoon on Sunday I managed to find a couple of hours clear to make the short drive along the coast road from Hunstanton to Holme where some of the influx of Yellow Browed Warblers had been reported on BirdGuides.
Getting down to the The Firs at 4.30pm I chose to park in the NOA car park, I wandered over to a couple of birders staring hard at a Poplar tree and within a few minutes I had my first fleeting glance of the afternoon of a Yellow Browed Warbler, after a few minutes I had seen this bird reasonably well and taking the birders advice wandered over to the sycamores behind the NWT car park where three Yellow Browed's and a Firecrest had been showing well.
Positioning myself on the sunny side of the Sycamores with a stunted Horse Chestnut all burnt brown leaves in front of them I quickly got onto a flicker in the canopy and soon had good scope views of a Yellow Browed which even posed long enough for a usable but poor quality digiscoped image.
With time pressing I headed back to the car pausing on the car park side of the Sycamores where within a couple of minutes I was getting good views of a wonderful Firecrest and even managed a couple of so so snaps of this. Soon a Yellow Browed appeared and I managed some much better shots with my DSLR. As I watched a Green Sandpiper called in the distance and I reflected that this quick hour out was in many ways the essence of autumn birding distilled: a warm still blue sky October afternoon, staring into a clump of coastal sycamores, looking for eastern vagrants.
Yellow Browed Warbler at Holme NWT |
Positioning myself on the sunny side of the Sycamores with a stunted Horse Chestnut all burnt brown leaves in front of them I quickly got onto a flicker in the canopy and soon had good scope views of a Yellow Browed which even posed long enough for a usable but poor quality digiscoped image.
Firecrest in Sycamore at Holme NWT |
Labels:
autumn,
birding,
birdwatching,
Digiscoping,
DSLR,
firecrest,
holme,
migration,
norfolk,
October,
yellow browed warbler
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
Lunchtime Jays and Squirrels
The woods whether at Ken Hill in North West Norfolk or in the centre of Norwich at the Rosary Cemetery have been quiet during my lunchtime walks of late.
Today as I walked around the Rosary Cemetery the resident Grey Squirrels were much more in evidence than they have been recently bounding across the leaf litter between the gravestones, grey tails streaming behind them as they searched the ground for food. Then as I climbed the small hill in the middle of the cemetery still enclosed by green leaves I could hear the manic call of a agitated Squirrel coming from a large oak tree. This individual sat out on a bough allowing me to take a few shots with my little compact camera of which the one here is the sharpest. The Squirrel can clearly be seen to be carrying a horse Chestnut in its mouth so given its position in an oak must have carried this from somewhere else.
The other reliable wildlife sighting in the Cemetery in recent weeks have been the Jay although these can be much harder to get close enough to for photography. This bird did perch up on a gravestone and stay still long enough for me to stalk it and get this shot with my compact camera at its maximum telephoto.
Hopefully as autumn kicks in the lunchtime birding here will get a little bit livelier, how long before I hear the first Redwings of thee winter?
Grey Squirrel with Conker in Oak tree, Rosary Cemetery, Norwich |
The other reliable wildlife sighting in the Cemetery in recent weeks have been the Jay although these can be much harder to get close enough to for photography. This bird did perch up on a gravestone and stay still long enough for me to stalk it and get this shot with my compact camera at its maximum telephoto.
Jay, Rosary Cemetery, Norwich |
Thursday, 30 July 2015
Natterjacklets
The clock on the old stately home that now serves as the RSPB's HQ chimes for one o'clock and the chattering of staff on their lunch time walks carries across the gravel drive that runs past a neatly mown lawn up to the large wooden double doors that lead to Reception. In the middle of the lawn is a oblong formal looking pond, but this being the RSPB HQ it doubles up as a home for wildlife and I can see a Common Darter perched on a stone and someone peering intently into the vegetation. He tells me he is looking unsuccessfully for Natterjack Toads.
The middle of the pond is a tangle of wild plants and the water is free of fish which would otherwise predate any tadpoles. Then my companion sees one a tiny little Natterjacklet smaller than the bees coming into drink and with a distinctive yellow dorsal stripe. Once we have seen one we soon spot several more of these toadlets each one a conservation success story the Lodge reserve having been repopulated with Natterjacks with spawn from Norfolk.
A great way to end a day of meetings and something to put a spring in my step on the walk back to the station.
Natterjacklet, The Lodge RSPB reserve |
Natterjacklets, The Lodge RSPB reserve |
Labels:
Amphibians,
bedfordshire,
Herpetology,
Herping,
Natterjack Toads,
Natterjacklets,
rspb,
the lodge,
Toadlets,
Toads,
yellow stripe
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Twilight Impressions of Titchwell
I popped into Titchwell Marsh yesterday evening for the last hour of light. The water levels were higher than recently raised by the heavy rain we've had here in Norfolk. It was exactly peaceful with the sound of music carrying from the village [presumably from a wedding at one of the hotels].
Here are a few impressions of the birds and wildlife that I saw.
Constant invisible pinging of Bearded Tits coming from the reedbed as I walked down the West Bank path.
The dead trees to the east of the Fresh Marsh filling with at least 27 Little Egrets and then emptying as the birds moved to settle and disappear into in the deciduous trees behind them.
A rush of wings as the roosting Starlings are spooked into the air and then a Magpie appears underneath them and laboriously beats vertically up into the middle of the panicking flock trying to take a Starling in flight. Failing in its impersonation of a Sparrowhawk the Magpie disappears and the Starlings settle but not before the waders feeding on the patch of mud nearest to this piece of action are spooked into a precautionary flight.
As I drag myself away at about 9.15pm a Fox walks across the dried out muddy surface of Betts Marsh. It flushes a Grey Heron , the fox and Heron have a stand off, with the Fox clearly scared and wary of the Heron. I take a picture of the Fox with my camera cranked up to as mega high ISO setting.
Spotted Redshank's are always immaculate birds and tonight it is a pleasure to be able to watch several feeding in the shallows in front of Island Hide.
A Barn Owl, more cream than coffee in its plumage, hunts the salting between me and the setting Sun and the old pill box to the West of the reserve.
A juvenile Water Rail furtively walks along the edge of the reeds along the thin strip of mud left exposed by the raised water levels.
A wonderful evenings birding.
Here are a few impressions of the birds and wildlife that I saw.
Constant invisible pinging of Bearded Tits coming from the reedbed as I walked down the West Bank path.
The dead trees to the east of the Fresh Marsh filling with at least 27 Little Egrets and then emptying as the birds moved to settle and disappear into in the deciduous trees behind them.
A rush of wings as the roosting Starlings are spooked into the air and then a Magpie appears underneath them and laboriously beats vertically up into the middle of the panicking flock trying to take a Starling in flight. Failing in its impersonation of a Sparrowhawk the Magpie disappears and the Starlings settle but not before the waders feeding on the patch of mud nearest to this piece of action are spooked into a precautionary flight.
Avocets "fidegetting" in the Twilight
In the twilight flocks of Avocets and Gulls get up and fly around the Marsh in what might best be called pre-roost fidgets.
|
Fox on Betts Marsh |
As I drag myself away at about 9.15pm a Fox walks across the dried out muddy surface of Betts Marsh. It flushes a Grey Heron , the fox and Heron have a stand off, with the Fox clearly scared and wary of the Heron. I take a picture of the Fox with my camera cranked up to as mega high ISO setting.
Spotted Redshank at dusk |
A Barn Owl, more cream than coffee in its plumage, hunts the salting between me and the setting Sun and the old pill box to the West of the reserve.
A juvenile Water Rail furtively walks along the edge of the reeds along the thin strip of mud left exposed by the raised water levels.
A wonderful evenings birding.
Labels:
birding,
birdwatching,
dusk,
Fidget,
fox,
migration,
norfolk,
passage,
rspb,
Spotted Redshank,
Summer Autumn,
Titchwell Marsh,
twilight,
waders
Friday, 24 July 2015
July - birds and butterflies
Although it seemed to start slowly as its gone on July hasn't been a bad month for birding and wildlife watching.
As ever at this time of year I am mindful that the Swifts that in so many ways are synonymous with summer will be on the verge of leaving us for another year shortly after the schools round here break for the summer holidays. So during my regular evening walks around the block I have tried to count the local Swifts, always a tricky proposition but by standing on Hunstanton's Recreation Ground I have managed a couple of counts on Wednesday 15th July I counted c 47 Swifts and the following evening 35 from here. Last night [the 23rd] there seemed to be fewer Swifts and I detected a certain indefinable urgency about the packs that remained as they careered through the air above Hunstantons' residential streets.
Lunchtime walks in Ken Hill Woods near Snettisham are always a bit hit and miss, if the weather is too nice the and the dog walkers are out there is a noticeable drop in the amount of wildlife on view as the dogs and their owners sanitise an area either side of the path of snakes, deer etc. Still on the 17th I saw a Silver Washed Fritillary patrolling a ride and occasionally settling although never long enough for me to take a picture and it disappeared the moment the sun went behind a cloud. Also flying were some White Admirals and a few wonderfully fresh looking Peacocks. The highlight though were two Grass Snakes my first of the year on the ride that skirts the woods southern boundary I even managed to catch one for a closer [and smellier look]. The walk was topped off with nice views of Muntjac and Green Woodpecker.
The next morning I had another phone call letting me know the bird was back and this time i could make a mad dash to the southern pit where I joined a few folk, the bird was hidden behind a Black Tailed Godwit and a Knot, eventually it moved and I enjoyed great views for all of about five seconds before the whole roost spooked and it disappeared, at this stage the hide was begining to creak at the seams as more and more birders arrived and I left. On both visits I saw and heard Med Gulls.
As ever at this time of year I am mindful that the Swifts that in so many ways are synonymous with summer will be on the verge of leaving us for another year shortly after the schools round here break for the summer holidays. So during my regular evening walks around the block I have tried to count the local Swifts, always a tricky proposition but by standing on Hunstanton's Recreation Ground I have managed a couple of counts on Wednesday 15th July I counted c 47 Swifts and the following evening 35 from here. Last night [the 23rd] there seemed to be fewer Swifts and I detected a certain indefinable urgency about the packs that remained as they careered through the air above Hunstantons' residential streets.
Peacock butterfly, Ken Hill Wood |
Black Tailed Godwits, Snettisham |
Brown Hare Snettisham |
On Saturday 18th I got a call in the morning about a Broad Billed Sandpiper in the wader roost at Snettisham, family commitments meant I couldn't go and look for the bird until the evening tide. I spent a pleasant hour in the hide looking through the large flock of Black Tailed Godwits bit the Broad Billed Sandpiper didn't show. Nonetheless I had a great time photographing terns against the pink twilight sky on the old jetty and had the place to myself.
Oystercatcher at dusk, Snettisham |
Terns at dusk, Snettisham |
The "Gallery" for the Snettisham Broad Billed Sandpiper |
Adult Med Gull, Snettisham |
A rare treat on the evening of Wednesday 22nd July a week day evening at Titchwell, I got no further than Island Hide where I must have spent an hour and a half. The Marsh was stiff with birds with several hundred Avocets present and good numbers of Black Tailed Godwits plus Ruff and Dunlin, single Greenshank, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper and a couple of Curlew Sandpipers. Overcast when I arrived the sun broke through and for a short while I had a wonderful combination of great light and close birds including some stunning summer plumaged Black Tailed Godwits. The birds on the Fresh Marsh were quite jumpy and eventually the cause a large female Sparrowhawk showed itself and then later a Hobby shot though. Other birds included juvenile Bearded tits on the edge of the reedbed and a couple of juvenile Marsh Harrier. But the best bird was a wonderful summer plumaged Little Gull that came really close to the hide.
Adult Little Gull, Titchwell |
Black Tailed Godwit, Titchwell |
Sunday, 5 July 2015
Quick round up for June and early July
A very quick run through of a few sightings in June and early July.
Sunday 7th June
Painted Lady butterflies, at least six around Hunstanton, perhaps in the vanguard of the invasion predicted for this summer.
Thursday 11th June
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth in our Hunstanton front garden.
Saturday 13th June
Evening visit to Titchwell at the end of a wet and grey day. Little Gull 12, Spoonbill 1, Cuckoo 2 - 3, Sparrowhawk 1, Black Tailed Godwit c 200, Marsh Harrier 1, Bearded Tits and Cetti's Warblers heard.
Sunday 14th June
Lady Anne's Drive Holkham with the family.
At least 5 Spoonbills hanging around the pool by the Cormorant colony, also heard Cetti's and saw a couple of Marsh Harriers
Thursday 25th June
A lunch time walk in Ken Hill Woods
Only sighting of note was when I 'phished' a Tit flock and pulled in a couple of Marsh Tits.
Saturday 28th June
Sitting in our tiny back garden in Hunstanton idly looking at the Swifts a Hobby shot through our small window of sky and was gone in a matter of seconds, a nice garden tick. Went for a walk that evening and had a nice Painted Lady down Chapel Bank.Very warm.
Friday 3rd July
A work walk and talk around Snettisham early morning, lovely and warm notable birds were and Eider sitting on the beach, a Turtle Dove that landed briefly in a bush, a nice black summer plumaged Spotted Redshank and several Med Gulls. The shingle flora of Yellow Horned Poppy, Vipers Bugloss and Stonecrop looked great.
A quick lunchtime stroll the same day in Ken Hill Wood saw me find my first White Admirals of the year. Back in the village good to see House Martins still coming to the muddy puddle we have kept going for them and to hear the constant chirruping of House Sparrows.
That evening I had my highest Hunstanton Swift count of the Summer with 4- to 45 over Glebe House School.
Saturday 4th July
Another Nightjarring visit to Dersingham Bog, very warm [20+C] and still, hence very bad for Mossies and Midges. Reasonable Nightjar display, plus 3 Woodcock, some Stonechats, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a couple of Glow Worms.
Sunday 5th July
A family morning on the beach, involving me having my first sea swim of the year. Offshore good numbers of fishing and calling Sandwich Terns. In the dunes around the beach huts a Common Lizard and a few Small Heath butterflies. Nice to see a Thick Kneed Beetle sitting in a Sea Bindweed flower.
Sunday 7th June
Painted Lady butterflies, at least six around Hunstanton, perhaps in the vanguard of the invasion predicted for this summer.
Painted Lady |
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth in our Hunstanton front garden.
Saturday 13th June
Evening visit to Titchwell at the end of a wet and grey day. Little Gull 12, Spoonbill 1, Cuckoo 2 - 3, Sparrowhawk 1, Black Tailed Godwit c 200, Marsh Harrier 1, Bearded Tits and Cetti's Warblers heard.
Little Gulls at Titchwell |
Sunday 14th June
Lady Anne's Drive Holkham with the family.
At least 5 Spoonbills hanging around the pool by the Cormorant colony, also heard Cetti's and saw a couple of Marsh Harriers
Titchwell Spoonbill |
A lunch time walk in Ken Hill Woods
Only sighting of note was when I 'phished' a Tit flock and pulled in a couple of Marsh Tits.
Marsh Tit, Ken Hill Wood |
Sitting in our tiny back garden in Hunstanton idly looking at the Swifts a Hobby shot through our small window of sky and was gone in a matter of seconds, a nice garden tick. Went for a walk that evening and had a nice Painted Lady down Chapel Bank.Very warm.
Friday 3rd July
A work walk and talk around Snettisham early morning, lovely and warm notable birds were and Eider sitting on the beach, a Turtle Dove that landed briefly in a bush, a nice black summer plumaged Spotted Redshank and several Med Gulls. The shingle flora of Yellow Horned Poppy, Vipers Bugloss and Stonecrop looked great.
Yellow Horned Poppy's Snettisham |
Eider, Snettisham |
Turtle Dove, Snettisham |
Med Gulls, Snettisham |
A quick lunchtime stroll the same day in Ken Hill Wood saw me find my first White Admirals of the year. Back in the village good to see House Martins still coming to the muddy puddle we have kept going for them and to hear the constant chirruping of House Sparrows.
House Martins, Snettisham |
Saturday 4th July
Another Nightjarring visit to Dersingham Bog, very warm [20+C] and still, hence very bad for Mossies and Midges. Reasonable Nightjar display, plus 3 Woodcock, some Stonechats, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a couple of Glow Worms.
Nightjar, Dersingham Bog |
Sunday 5th July
A family morning on the beach, involving me having my first sea swim of the year. Offshore good numbers of fishing and calling Sandwich Terns. In the dunes around the beach huts a Common Lizard and a few Small Heath butterflies. Nice to see a Thick Kneed Beetle sitting in a Sea Bindweed flower.
Sandwich Tern, Brancaster |
Thick Kneed Beetle on Sea Bindweed, Brancaster |
Labels:
birding,
birds,
birdwatching,
brancaster,
Ken Hill,
little gull,
Marsh Tit,
norfolk,
painted lady,
snettisham,
Spoonbill,
summer,
Thick Kneed Beetle,
titchwell
Saturday, 27 June 2015
Nightjarring
Nightjar, Dersingham Bog |
As I pull up and park in my usual spot and notice that the cars thermometer says it is still 17.5 C at. 9pm, I expect it will be midgy and quietly regret my lack of insect repellent.
Nightjars, Dersingham Bog |
Heading back the way I came I try and figure how many Nightjars I've seen or heard and guess somewhere between 10 and 15 birds, as I chew on this pleasing thought, a Tawny Owl starts to call from the edge of the Woods. A quick loop of the Boardwalk yields a brace of bright green Glowworm bums. Back up the hill to the sound of Nightjars and the scent coming off the bracken leaves seems more intense in the dark. Back in my car I give the Midge bites around my neck a good scratch and head home.
Labels:
birding,
birdwatching,
Dersingam Bog,
Nightjars,
norfolk
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
A brief encounter with the cemetery Sparrowhawks
Male Sparrowhawk, Rosary Cemetery, Norwich |
An insistent screeching call alerts me to the presence of the local Sparrowhawks and I pause to take stock. I've seen them in this corner of the cemetery before and have often suspected that they have a nest here. Excitedly my mind quickly goes over the possibility that they have nested here and if I am hearing recently fledged young soliciting food from their parents.
I stand still and scan the large Copper Beech and Oak in front of me. Then there she is a female Sparrowhawk flies out of the Oak and out of sight and yet still the insistent screeching call continues. I squint through the gently swaying branches and there he is a male Sparrowhawk standing on a thick horizontal oak bough and clasping a unidentifiable prey item in his talons, presumably to entice the female to come and see him should his calling not be enough to do the job.
A Jay squawks from a near by tree and then its pink purple shape flies across the ride pursued by the female Sparrowhawk, who once again disappears from view into the dense green summer canopy and still the male bird sits on his bough, grasping his prey item calling to her.
I'm a little amazed by this, normally if you can see a Sparrowhawk it means they have already seen you and are flying away from you, so to get prolonged and close views like this is a rare treat.
I take some pictures and video of the male with my little compact camera, a Panasonic Lumix TZ30 about the size of a fag packet and a very handy little toy to keep in my pocket for occasions like this. The female briefly joins the male on the bough. And then its over and the spell is broken by another lunchtime walker passing under the male sparrowhawks Oak tree, causing the hawk to fall silent and disappear from view.
Saturday, 6 June 2015
May catch up
It's been a busy month, so in short and sweet fashion, here are a few sightings for you.
Wed 12th May
Stopped off in Thornham Harbour en route to a meeting at Titchwell, two Wheatear's whilst I drank my coffee were nice. A morning walk and talk around Titchwell was quiet but a single Little Gull was pleasant. Drove over to Frampton for another meeting, not much time for spotting but always good to see the Yellow Wagtails in the roadside fields here. Back at Titchwell I had a more leisurely look at the reserve and saw 2 Little gulls, heard Bittern and Bearded Tit and saw my first Sand and House Martins of the year along with a single Common Sandpiper.
Crap digiscoping - Little Gulls at Titchwell |
Thursday 14th
An evening walk and talk around Strumpshaw Fen with friends was quiet but 3 rather smart Marsh Harriers were good to see.
Friday 15th
A brief stop on the way south at NWT Weeting Heath, didn't see a Stone Curlew but did manage a Stoat and Buzzard.
Friday 15th
A walk along the River Medway in Kent south of Hadlow produced to "purring" Turtle Dove's, a Bullfinch,
Grey wagtail and singing Blackcap, Chiff Chaff, Whitethroat, willow warbler, and my first Banded Demoisselle of the year. In the evening a Fox crossed the road in front of me in Hadlow.
Saturday 16th
Stopped on my way north at NWT Weeting Heath. Did see a Stone Curlew in the heat haze, notable how many Lapwings had chicks. A Firecrest in the pines by the hide was an added bonus.
Wednesday 20th
Titchwell in the evening, the Red Necked Phalarope along with the Little Gulls which had been present all day were scared off the marsh by a bird scarer half an hour before I got there. But it was a lovely evening with a rising tide being fished by Little Terns as the sun set over the salt marsh. 11 Red Crested Pochard were, I guess, a sign of the times. Best bird was a distant Short Eared Owl.
Friday 22nd
A work visit to Minsmere the walk around produced Bittern 2, Hobby 3, lots of Garden warblers, a very distant Red Necked Phalarope but no Nightingales
Crap digiscoping - Garden Warbler at Minsmere |
Sun 24th and Thursday 28th
Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire
Family visits as ever a great place to be and I managed to see Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Dippers, Common Sandpiper, Mandarin, Common Buzzard, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Nuthatch, and the Bluebells, Wild Garlic and Water Avens were all out
Crap digiscoping - Dipper at Bolton Abbey |
Wild Garlic at Bolton Abbey |
Evening of the 28th
A walk down to Bronte Falls near Haworth
Curlews over moors and Red Grouse heard in the distance, willow
warblers singing in the trees by the falls.
Bronte Bridge near Haworth |
Lapwing near Haworth |
Wednesday 27th
Kilnsea Yorkshire Dales National Park
Visited the trout farm and walked up the hill to see the "captive" Lady's Slipper Orchids.
"Captive" Lady's Slipper Orchid, Kilnsea |
Blue and Rainbow Trout, Kilnsea |
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