Raptor visit!

Only made it in time to photograph this lovely Buzzard (although you can see a Sparrowhawk in the background of one photo!) but as I was working in the office I looked out to see several Buzzards, a Peregrine, a Hobby and a Sparrowhawk!

Now where's that eagle?

Little Stints at Titchwell: but no Osprey!

Brian and I decided to enjoy the last of the summer weather at Titchwell, where an Osprey has been lingering for several days.

We started at Choseley, where the Osprey has been roosting, but drew a blank and moved to Titchwell. Only the first (freshwater) pool had any exposed mud, which had attracted a decent flock of Dunlin, among which I located a couple of Little Stints. One of these was a real corker in gorgeous plumage: the other was slightly drabber. A spoonbill and Peregrine flew over and a baby Smooth Newt (?) wombled across the path, but with little else to look at we moved to the beach. Apart from a nice flock of Sanderling and a few Sandwich Terns & Gannets, this was pretty barren, so we walked back for lunch and a chat with Sue Bryan. On the way we noticed a male Chinese Water Deer by the path: if you've ever wondered what their tusks are for, look at his ears and back!

A move to Thornham Harbour (via Choseley!) produced a few Curlew and other Common Waders, while a coffee stop at Cley (and a walk out to the Centre Hides) was totally unproductive.

Great day out, though: always good to see unusual waders so well....

Book number three!

....is now available on Amazon (link below!) or from me, three pounds cheaper to readers of this blog!

It's concerned with the science of mass global extinctions and the mechanisms that drive evolution (but it's - to quote a review - 'eminently readable'!

 

Click HERE to buy on Amazon!

Three Garganey at Strumpshaw!

A pleasant saunter around the Fen with Brian, Adrian and journalist Liz was, as expected, not crammed with photographic subjects, but still very enjoyable and vastly preferable to poor Ms Clarke's birdless trudge along the North Coast!

Fen Hide produced Bearded Tit and distant Bittern, as well as a large Otter and several close Marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawks.

Dodging the rainclouds, we moved on to Tower Hide, where three Garganey lounged around on the spit, only occasionally stretching to reveal their distinctively-marked heads and wings and grey bills.
A Little Egret was still trying his luck with a petite female, while a Black-headed Gull took half an hour to swallow a large Rudd.

Prehistoric 2

In an earlier post I shared images of some of the prehistoric plants that Linda and I have collected over the years. Just for interest (and completeness) we also collect fossils of their ancestors!

It's obviously a little more difficult - and expensive! - to obtain these, but since we spend a lot of time at mineral shows up and down the country, we know a few fossil dealers who are kind enough to keep their eyes open for us!

Here are a few examples:

Last Swallowtail of the Summer? Garganey on the year-list!

A grabbed couple of hours at Strumpshaw looked to be heading for just a good walk in the sunshine until I reached Tower Hide. A couple of Little Egrets were nice to watch close-up, while Kingfisher and Marsh Harrier added to the interest.

Out of nowhere a newly-emerged Swallowtail flew in and flopped onto the island in front of the hide: almost impossible to see, never mind photograph! Another flew overhead as I walked west along the riverbank.

At least two Garganey were lounging around in the sun on the spit, while a couple of Wigeon suggested the Autumn is nearly upon us....

Last photo-op was the dyke by the rail crossing, which held at least a dozen Willow Emeralds, as well as lots of Southern, Migrant and Brown Hawkers.

White-winged Black Tern and Raptor-fest at Ormesby!

With a lovely blue sky and shirt-sleeve temperatures I had a very quick dash out to Ormesby. The Tern was showing at Hubble-range again, but twice flew overhead (unfortunately I couldn't track it with the camera on a monopod!) Great naked-eye views, though....

Most impressive were raptor numbers: a pair of Sparrowhawks, a Marsh Harrier, several Hobbies (including one twenty feet over my head!) several Buzzards and a Kestrel. Like the WWBT, these were generally distant, but still very entertaining.

The Moon and Venus!

Just before dawn this morning you could see Venus and the Moon above the eastern horizon: a few degrees away was Mars! A spectacular start to the day...

Shrike reprise with Brian!

Back to the North Coast, this time with Brian. First stop was Salthouse: no obvious sea passage, nor sign of any Caspian Gulls, so we went for another peep at yesterday's Red-backed Shrike. It took a while to find, but eventually gave decent views to us (and to the steady stream of visitors it received all day!)

Next stop was Bishop's Hide: nothing much, apart from some close Godwits and Ruff, so we adjourned for coffee!

Last port of call was Stiffkey. A long walk out to the Pit produced a Pied Flycatcher and nine Spoonbills out on the marsh. Walking back we heard a Yellow-browed Warbler and I reckon I glimpsed it flitting along the hedge line.

 

Red-backed Shrike at Salthouse: but frustration elsewhere!

Martin and I grabbed a couple of hours on the North Coast, where a few migrants were allegedly hanging on after a cool cloudy night. In the event the only 'decent' wader at Cley was a Green Sandpiper, while, despite diligent searching by numbers of experienced birders, there was no sign of the Warham Barred Warbler nor the Kelling Subalpine.

We did manage to connect with a delightful little juv. Red-backed Shrike behind the Dun Cow at Salthouse and a couple of Spoonbills at Stiffkey....