Number three!

Still no sign of any young Turtles.... I reckon they may have fledged and gone... (Although one pair is still visiting singly all day, which suggests they might be feeding)

In case you're wondering: yes they are!

Four Turtles are still visiting the garden regularly: no sign of any youngsters yet!

Upton again! New in: a Southern Hawker!

A couple of hours walking around Upton Fen was extremely enjoyable, despite occasional spits of rain. It's a beautiful, wild place where you could see all kinds of scarce and unusual animals and plants. The tiny 'pools' on the meadow are completely overgrown at the moment, but the rides through the woodland held Norfolk and Brown Hawkers, as well as a couple of Emperors and a mint-fresh Southern Hawker. White Admirals were much in evidence too: it seems to have been a good year for them all over Norfolk.....

Southern Hawker

Common Darter

Ruddy Darter

Emerald Damselfly

Azure Damselfly

Dragonquest! (And a few butterflies, too!)

A day in the field with Linda took us to Winterton Dunes, Upton Fen, Broadland Business Park and Strumpshaw, where we managed decent views of Four-spotted Chaser, Grayling, Small Copper, young Stonechat, Migrant Hawker, Emperor, Brown Hawker (laying eggs!) White Admiral and Small Red-eyed Damselfly.

 

Hawkers!

A brief stroll around Strumpshaw tonight revealed that the Hawkers are back in town! Along the Woodland Trail there were both Migrant and Southern Hawkers in good numbers: what beautiful beasts they are!

Migrant Hawker

Build it and they will come!

I've been crusading to have the water levels dropped at Strumpshaw in time for Autumn wader passage: no doubt coincidentally, there is now a good fringe of mud around all the pools! Result? 12 Redshank & 5 Egrets in front of Reception and 50+ Black-tailed Godwits over Tower Hide !

The White Admirals were performing well, as were Brown & Norfolk Hawkers. There were at least a couple of Emperors in front of Reception and a late Swallowtail flying along the railway line, while this 'funny' moulting Buzzard caused me to scratch my head.....

The Mushroom was 42cm across: the biggest I've ever come across, while it was a delight to see the Albion on the Yare at Buckenham. Also at Buck was a Spoonbill and (by the White Cottage) two Green Woodpeckers

Oh! And this is my 300th posting on 'Birds of the Heath'!

Not to be outdone!

Strumpshaw finally provided good, close views of White Admirals today - at least six....
Other good padders came in the form of a Green Sandpiper in front of Tower Hide, Cuckoo and lots of Brown & Norfolk Hawkers!

North Coast clean-up!

A run along the North Coast from Holt Country Park via Kelling Heath to Holkham turned up some fabulous insects: Silver-washed Fritillary, Keeled Skimmer, Silver-studded Blue, White Admiral  and White Letter Hairstreak! Just a fabulous day with my best chum Martin!

Fascinating day: a walk around the Fen produced great views of half a dozen White Admirals (but no photos!) as well as Treecreeper, Norfolk Hawker and most of the other usual suspects - there were Kingfishers in front of the Reception Hide all day!

In the evening I went carp fishing in the Yare Valley and had two pretty 9 lb-ers: the lakes were also rich in wildlife, including Emperor Dragonfly and Brown Hawker, as well as more Kingfishers!