While Brian and I were searching for the Red-necked Phalarope at Wells on Tuesday, we chatted with Tom Whiley, a fellow birder who had seen the phalarope just before we arrived. He mentioned that he was a follower of 'Birds of the Heath' and ran a blog himself: he asked if we could post reciprocal links - this I have now done! Tom is a tremendous artist and photographer - his blog is just one of the best!
I used to visit the Fen several times a week: it's where I met Brian, Norman, Mark and many others. Sadly it has steadily metamorphosed into a country park, with all kinds of 'activities' for kids. However, it still attracts interesting wildlife, and if you visit early and avoid weekends / holidays it can still be a peaceful, enjoyable venue.
My visit today was a quick walk round to Tower Hide, in an attempt to finally add Garganey to the year list: I think I probably did, in that one of the female-type 'Teal' had a blue speculum. Lots of other confusing waterfowl, including the 'mini female Red-crested Pochard' below!
Great and Little Egrets were abundant, as were Migrant and Brown Hawkers, Emperors and Willow Emeralds... Naturally there were a few Hummers too!
...until the near-total lunar eclipse: but will the clouds stay away? Last night visibilty was perfect - fingers crossed for Friday morning.
Brian and I headed straight to North Point Pools at Wells, in an attempt to grab Red-necked Phalarope for the year. Despite a hike round to the high ground to the north, we failed to find the target, although fellow-blogger Tom had seen the bird earlier. (Hobby was a bonus)
The move to Cley was not desperately productive: lots of the expected waders - including three Green Sandpipers - but no Garganey. After coffee we moved to Gramborough Hill, where a Glossy Ibis was good to see. A good search added Stonechat, Ringed Plover and Wheatear to the day list.
We decided to have a last bash at North Point, but had to be content with a Little Gull, lots of Spoonbills and another Glossy Ibis
Up to four hummers on the Buddleia still, despite today's drizzle and overcast: I assume they're probably egg laying... Last night's waxing gibbous Moon showed the major craters Tycho, Copernicus and Plato especially well: sadly, the weather forecast for the lunar eclipse early on Friday morning isn't looking very promising.
This Brown Hare managed to escape the attentions of the Red Kite that flew right over him by All Saints, Hemblington.
It's now forty one days in a row that Hummingbird Hawkmoths have visited the Buddleia bush outside my office window! Let's enjoy them while we can: they'll be gone soon enough!
Last night (in between some welcome rain showers) I managed a few photos of the waxing gibbous Moon in the constellation of Scorpius, close to the star Antares. This red supergiant (its name means 'Rival of Mars') is a slow, irregular variable, its brightness ranging from +0.6 to +1.6
Anyone who drives along the A12 past the Blyth Estuary will have noticed the imposing Norman church standing on high ground to the west. This is Holy Trinity Church, the 'Cathedral of the Marshes'. I must have passed the church a hundred times or more, usually on the way to or from Minsmere, but until Tuesday I'd never actually stopped. I had wanted to visit the church for years, ever since I read about the claw marks allegedly scorched into the north door by Black Shuck, the huge 'hell hound' of East Anglia. The beast is supposed to have appeared inside the church during a thunderstorm in August, 1577, reputedly killing two parishioners before disappearing...
The scorch marks are plain to see, but - of course - their origin is open to conjecture. I would just reflect that I have personally had two encounters with a similar creature: I make no firm claims about the supernatural nature either of the animals I saw, but you can read about the experiences HERE.
