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Wednesday 22 July 2020

'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...










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