Montagu's Harrier at Horsey

Year bird number 200!

After an early lunch, Linda and I drove through the showers to Horsey, parking by the approach road to the Nelson Head. A brisk walk out to the dunes revealed a small group of hardcore locals with 'scopes, so we trudged south to join them. Things didn't look promising: dark clouds, peals of thunder and frequent light showers somewhat dampened our spirits. (It was great to chat with Mick Saunt: it's been a while!)

Eventually someone found the bird hunkered down in the scrubby grass: as soon as the sky cleared, however, this ultra-distinctive ring-tail took off and flew towards us. Since Linda and I were on a slight time budget, we headed back to the car: to our delight the Monties followed us, allowing much closer views.

Lunch in the country

Dear friends Sue and Peter invited Linda and me to lunch at the Gunton Arms in North Norfolk. We spent a pleasant hour or so walking around Felbrigg Hall gardens - they've been remodeled, apparently in anticipation of a warmer drier climate in years to come - and are absolutely stunning. (The ornamental pool was full of newts: Smooth Newts I imagine)

The Gunton Arms is a quirky, wood-paneled pub-restaurant on the edge of a large deer park: the menu is possibly best-suited for meat eaters, but pescatarians Sue, Linda and I found delicious fish items which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

Garden Kite (Well: nearly!)

There's a lovely, old, gnarled Oak tree at the end of our neighbour's garden: we've often seen woodpeckers, gulls, crows and pigeons perched at its crown, but tonight (hence dullish images) a Red Kite alighted briefly. As is often the case with large raptors it was soon mobbed away by various corvids...

Hogz!

While photographing the 'Blue Moon' yesterday, I realised I was sharing the garden with two (a pair?) of Hedgehogs: always a delight to encounter!

Gull-billed Tern at Minsmere

...and lots more besides! Just Brian and me today - Norman has a bad back - so I decided to head down to Suffolk for a bash at the recently-present rare terns. First stop was the East Hide (pausing to admire a somewhat obscured Grasshopper Warbler) where I found a delightful Little Gull. It was obvious all the Terns were on the next scrape, so we moved to the public viewing platform, from where a delightful newly-local birder picked out a couple of distant Roseate Terns. He informed us that the Suffolk Whatsapp group were reporting the Gull-billed Tern over at Island Mere - a fair old hike! Nevertheless, we made good time and were soon enjoying fabulous views of this rarity - only my second in fifty-plus years of birding! Fleeting views of a Bittern before we adjourned for coffee and snacks and a move up on to Dunwich Heath. No Dartfords, but some interesting dragons and damsels: Magnum ice creams and then home!
(Shout out to the charming and friendly Suffolk-American birder David we met in Island Mere Hide!)

Up early for a Blue Moon...

I don't recall ever managing to photograph two full Moons in one month before, so I was determined to have a go. It was quite tricky to capture this morning's 'Blue' Moon, because it never rose very high above the southern horizon: nevertheless an early rise gave me a couple of photos of  May's second full Moon peeping through the trees.

Below is the result, together with the  'Flower Moon' of May 1st: I've also added views of Venus and Jupiter taken from my garage door to show how bright - and close together - they were at sunset.

'Flower Moon'

Blue Moon

A welcome year tick!

Long overdue: I zipped across to Strumpshaw before breakfast and finally managed to connect with a Barn Owl - albeit at extreme range! I was very much time constrained, so couldn't try to get closer: hopefully Brian & I will catch up with the species at Bempton in June! Also saw a couple of Twayblades: probably the least impressive of our wild orchids!

Raptors over the garden

I was delighted to discover that 'our' striking white male Buzzard is still in the area: he's been a regular visitor for five years or more. Last night, while Linda and I were enjoying a glass of fizz on the patio, another handsome male raptor flew over - this time a Marsh Harrier.