I'm not blaming RBA for missing a White Stork near Woodton today, but I think some of their phone-in reporters could try to be a little more concise! As you can see from the images below, a White Stork was reported in the same region as earlier this month: Linda and I were on site by 10.15, but - despite cruising the lanes for over an hour - there was no sign. I phoned RBA and they were honest enough to admit that they'd posted a 'third-hand sighting' and had no idea where the Stork was...
The High Noon Lane dew pond was full of life this morning: as well as the semi-resident Green Sandpiper, a Meadow Pipit, a flock of Linnets and a pair of White Wagtails visited for a drink! Nearby we were pleased to see several Yellowhammers on the wires..
These photos of last night's waxing gibbous Moon reveal the extent of the rays of impact debris spreading out from the crater Tycho: some actually pass completely around the Moon.
Norman and I traveled north to Cley: the early morning mist soon evaporated to leave mediterranean-style sea and sky. A small flock of Golden Plovers were good to see, feeding nervously on the edge of the Eye Field. A brief sea watch produced just Guillemots and Razorbills, so we moved inland to Bishop's. Almost the first birds we encountered were two drake Mandarins - quite unusual at Cley: a couple of Water Rails scurried around, but wouldn't pose for photos!
A move to the Iron Road produced great views of a Lapland Bunting: it gradually crept closer along the path until it was just a few yards away. Before coffee we drove back to the Coastguards, where (with the kind help of two CBC members) we eventually managed to see a distant juvenile Black Guillemot.
Back to the VC for coffee and scones (and a fly-over Raven!) before a walk along the East Bank: nothing to report, so an early return home.
Just a few photos of our day in Cromer with Sue, Margaret, Chris, Peter and Neil: most enjoyable. As you can see, the house Margaret had rented had terrific sea views and was right next to the Cafe de Paris. Amazing to watch a young guy knapping flints to repair the church wall.
Great friends Peter, Sue and Margaret invited us up to Cromer for a walk round and lunch at 'Mary Jane's', joined by new friends Chris and Neil.
I took my cameras just in case, and managed (eventually!) to grab a few photos of a Peregrine on the church tower. The gulls were more problematical: I think at least a couple of these are Caspians... More later!
Just west of Hemblington Church is the curiously-named High Noon Lane: on the right just up the hill from the Alpaca farm is a dew pond - a semi-permanently flooded circular pool. Today, for the second time this year, a Green Sandpiper was feeding on its margins. (The smaller bird is a Pied Wagtail)
Somehow a gibbous Moon looks even more beautiful when it's just above the horizon. The Alpine Valley is clearly visible next to the dark-floored crater Plato, towards the lunar north pole.
It's usually not a good thing to discover a Hedgehog in the miiddle of the day, but this little individual seemed in good health: he (she?) enjoyed a drink in the splash pool before demolishing a bowl of hedgehog food and trotting off under the hedge...
You may recall that Linda and I collect antique glasses: amongst our collection are a number of Uranium glasses. These contain 2% - 5% by mass of Uranium dioxide, causing them to fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Today, on a brief visit to our local garden centre, we came across a set of six absolutely gorgeous wine or cocktail goblets: some we'll use when friends come round for dinner, but one went straight onto the shelves!
