'Garganey' at Buckenham Marsh

If you can manage to avoid the myriad dog walkers, cyclists and eastern european anglers barbecuing river fish by their vans for breakfast, RSPB Buckenham Marsh is not a bad place to see some interesting birds even in July.

Today I tried to find the reported family group of Garganey: I eventually found five stripey-headed candidates: an adult and at least four young. I took a few photos at range through the heat haze and, looking at the back of the camera, thought they might well be the target birds. Some experienced birders whose opinion I value have subsequently pointed out that the bills on some of the birds are the wrong colour, but have you ever seen such strikingly marked Mallards? Interesting - and still causing confusion elsewhere!

On the first pool there were quite a few distant waders: Ruff, Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets as well as some little brown jobs that might have been Dunlin.

Nearby a decent piece of woodland held three singing Spotted Flycatchers and several Silver-washed Fritillaries, one of which was on its way to being a valezina form! Essex Skippers were everywhere, as were Black-tailed Skimmers...