At last: valesina Silver-washed Fritillary and plenty more too!

Linda's son Simon is a keen general photographer: he makes a nice additional income from dance and social imaging. Simon also enjoys wildlife photography, which may possibly have its roots in the year I was his class teacher at Acle Primary and the many times Linda and I dragged him and his sister out on birding trips! I wonder if he remembers seeing a Lesser Scaup when he was about 11?

Anyhow: today we enjoyed a trip out to the North Coast, starting at Titchwell and working eastwards.The bird of the day was the Spoonbill: we saw dozens all along the coast! Lots of decent waders, too, including two Curlew Sandpipers and a distant Stint sp. at Titchwell, and Snipe and Green Sandpiper at Cley. Lots of fluffy juvenile Little Egrets at Cley: always fun to watch.

Highlights of the day for me - courtesy of bug maestro John Furze -  were my first valesina Silver-washed Fritillaries at Holt Country Park: one was a bit tatty, but still fabulous to connect with! But what's going on with this Totem Pole at the Country Park???

Ant Lions at Minsmere

Ant Lions are very rare members - I think - of the lacewing family. They are more common on the continent and elsewhere around the globe, but in the UK they are found only in a couple of sites in Suffolk and in Holkham Pines, North Norfolk.

The adults are fairly nondescript and, being nocturnal, are hardly ever seen: the best I've ever managed are a few by the visitors' centre at Minsmere that had been trapped in spiders' webs.

The larvae are just as hard to see, because they spend their time just under the surface at the bottom of a cone-shaped pit they construct in sandy soil. Only their vicious pincers project from the base of the pit, waiting to catch and devour any prey that slips down the slope

Amazing sunrise!

For me and for many of us, I should imagine, the continuing heatwave is getting a bit old: we really could do with a few storms. However, the airborne Saharan dust and oblique dawn light is creating some incredible sunrises. I wonder what sort of view the passengers on the plane below enjoyed as they flew into the pink cloud?

Bungay Street Market - and Castle!

It's that time of year again: many Norfolk and Suffolk towns close their main streets and stage open air antiques and collectibles markets. Today it was Bungay, in Suffolk - in a week's time it'll be Harleston! These fairs are really good fun and Linda and I always manage to find something to spend our money on: today it was crab and wild garlic pate and some terrific plants for the garden!

Many years ago I was in an electric folk band (touch of the Fairport Convention / Steeleye Span!) One of our songs concerned Sir Hugh Bigod and his feud with the King, and included the lines:

"Were I in my castle of Bungay, upon the River Waveney,
I would not care for the King of Cockney,
Nor all his finery!"

Despite having lived in Norfolk for over 45 years, and having visited Bungay on a number of occasions, I've never managed to find the castle: today I did!

I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the Quality Street tin in picture 3 was designed by my old blues harp playing comrade Garth Coupland: if not, it's very similar to one I know he produced!

 

Strumpshaw Tree Fair

This annual event takes place in the grounds of Strumpshaw Hall: we've been before so we knew what to expect: am eclectic mix of wood carving, turnery, herbs, insectivorous plants, music and high-class garden ornaments. There are also lots of food and drink stalls: the Prosecco was very agreeable!

There was a small display of owls: Linda took a particular shine to this beautiful American Barn Owl. If you've never been and you're local, it might surprise you!

Great White Egrets at Strumpshaw Fen

Linda had booked a Bee Workshop at SF, but unfortunately it was cancelled at the last minute due to poor support. With a day free, we had a look around the Tree Fair at Strumpshaw (spending far more money than was sensible!) before stopping for a quick check at the Reserve to see if the reported Great White Egret was still around. It was! Albeit somewhat distantly, this still-enthralling heron was at the back of the Reception Broad. A couple of visitors casually mentioned that they'd seen four more in front of Tower Hide! I'm ashamed to admit I immediately assumed they'd been watching Little Egrets, but no: their cameras told a different story!

I quickly arranged for Linda to pick me up later, before hurrying round the reserve for a look. Only one GWE was immediately visible, but after a while at least three more flew in (although only two were ever together at any one time!) In the flight shot with ducks I think I can pick out a Garganey bottom left of the frame.

Other interest came in the form of a Grasshopper Warbler on the Sandy Path and a Scarce Chaser on Lackford Run.