Some decent birds at Cley - but not the migrants we'd hoped for...

Norman and I started early and were in Bishop's Hide before 07.30. A Little Stint was a good find, and Bearded Tits are always welcome. A walk right around the reserve turned up more interesting birds: the three Whinchat were probably the best of the bunch. (We were pleased to show them to old birding acquaintances Richard and Michael and grandson)

A visit to the centre hides (after scones!) gave us Wood Sandpiper and twenty or more Spoonbills, while the walk back produced a 'kettle' of ten Common Buzzards over the reserve. We chatted with Elizabeth Dack for a while, before walking around Walsey Hills - apart from lots of Ivy Bees, nothing to report, so we left for home...

Britain's cutest birds?

This afternoon a flock of Long-tailed Tits spent an hour or so in the Buddleia, occasionally zipping across to the suet feeder outside my office window. They definitely get my vote as our cutest bird!

Last Summer outing for Snowie!

Actually our little snowman is more of an iceman these days: his years in the freezer have glazed and darkened him - his shape has changed too! Still: it was good to show him around the garden for a last look at the summer flowers. Meanwhile, as soon as a brief spell of sunshine hit the Buddleia, a Painted Lady and a Red Admiral appeared from nowhere!

The night sky in September

Just finished chatting with the fabulous Jules Button on 'Suffolk Sound' radio: as always, most enjoyable!
As promised. here are the details of what's 'up there' in September, plus all the month's bright passes by the International Space Station.

Breydon dip... or....

Linda and I had a free morning (after unlocking the Church) so we headed eastwards to Breydon Water, being (critically!) held up by a shunt at the Stracey Arms. Parking at ASDA  (we did some shopping later!) we walked under the road bridge, meeting several birding aquaintances who told us the target bird - an immature Sabine's Gull - had just flown.

The islands beyond the 'Lumps' held good numbers of Spoonbills, Little Egrets and assorted waders: a couple of the photos I took of them appear to show a possible candidate for the Sabs.

Lunar eclipse!

Amazingly, the sky cleared before dawn, allowing wonderful views of this morning's near-total lunar eclipse. I find these events even more impressive than solar eclipses (I've never seen a total solar!) because of the eery red colouration of the Moon's eclipsed portion.

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