Halesworth Street Market

As I mentioned earlier in the month, a recent phenomenon in East Anglia has been the street antiques fair: these are popping up everywhere! If you've never attended one, you might be surprised how enjoyable they can be! There's something for everyone, from jewellery, collectables, books, fossils, old tools, fabrics... I even saw an Optolyth spotting scope today for £99! I really fancied one of the framed Deaths Head Hawkmoths, but they were, I thought, a bit expensive at £40.

Typically the cafes and pubs open early for breakfast: the place Linda and I chose for a cup of tea had a fantastic carved wooden fascia. Lots of stalls selling home made pastries and cakes, including several offering vegan and vegetarian options.

As usual we found a few decent items to add to our various collections, left before the rain and were home in time to watch the Spa Grand Prix!

Mars: the bringer of war....

The title of this post comes, as you'll know, from 'the Planet Suite' by Holst and refers to the ancient association between our closest planetary neighbour and conflict here on Earth. The reason for this is, of course, the fact that Mars is a brilliant red object in the night sky, particularly at the moment when it is at its closest opposition since 2003.

Despite the proximity of the full Moon last night, Mars hung over the south-eastern horizon like a glittering garnet: definitely worth a look.

My heart skipped a beat....

I have a long-time customer who lives just outside London: funnily enough, in the suburb where I went to primary and Grammar school. He is a very keen amateur palaeontologist and has had several species of prehistoric arthropod (and a shark!) named after him!

Knowing my interest in dragonflies, a couple of days ago he sent me the image below by e-mail, asking if it was a Four-spotted Chaser. When I opened the attachment I nearly fainted: it is, of course, an American White-tailed Dragonfly! I hastily replied, enquiring where he'd taken the picture. I waited with bated breath: he's just come back to me, saying his daughter had borrowed his camera for a recent holiday in the USA: she must, he thought, have failed to delete the image and it had somehow got mixed in with some wildlife pictures he'd taken in his garden!

In a way, I'm glad the dragon wasn't something I'd missed the chance of seeing...

Out of this world! Rocks from the Moon, Mars and Vesta

Some of you may remember that I posted photographs of the asteroid Vesta a few weeks back: as an astronomer, I was absolutely transported to actually see this tiny world at the time. As a meteoriticist, I'm equally excited to have obtained some fabulous slices of material that actually originated on Vesta: I'll display it at my talks and shows alongside the terrific pieces of the Moon and Mars I currently have in stock

I defy anyone to remain unmoved when they are given the opportunity to hold genuine pieces of material that have arrived on Earth from another planet...

A mixed lithology eucrite from the surface of Vesta

A fine slice of Lunar breccia

An amazing endcut of the Tissint Martian meteorite

Raptor-fest over Hemblington Church

Today saw a somewhat soggy group of us carrying out routine scrub and ivy clearance: despite the occasional showers we managed to complete most of the work by 1.00pm.

Despite this not being a designated survey day, I took along binoculars and two cameras and was rewarded by the first Red Kite for the 'seen from the church' list! Every now and again Peter or I would pick up a distant raptor and put down the pruners and secaturs (any excuse!) By the time we called it a day we'd seen Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Kestrel and Marsh Harrier - only one of which featured on the August survey!

Norwich Science Festival

Since tickets are apparently selling quite quickly, here's a heads-up: I'm giving a talk about 'Meteorites and their origins' at the Norwich Science Festival in October. The lectures will be at the John Innes Institute, so lots of parking and a terrific venue. The other speakers include some really fascinating astronomers and space scientists, including Dr Carolin Crawford, an old friend from the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge. There'll be plenty of time for Q&As, and I'll be exhibiting (and selling!) meteorites from £5 - £500 in the foyer during the day.

Buckenham Marsh: Whinchats and Red Kites and a 'funny' Mallard at the Fen

After a brief stroll around Strumpshaw (which produced the expected Marsh Harriers, Great White Egrets (2+) and Buzzards) I decided to take a look at the scrub along the path at Buckenham in case any migrants had dropped in. A Hare was feeding right by the Low Road...

A pair of Red Kites were in their favourite tree, while at least another three were hunting over the woods and marshes. The walk down to the hide provided excellent views of at least three Whinchats, all looking very bright in the early morning sunlight. Other passerines included lots of Linnets, Goldfinches and Reed Buntings.

The 'funny' Mallards were in front of Reception at Strumpshaw: I don't think I've ever seen such striking face-markings on Mallards.

Semi-palmated Sandpiper at Minsmere

Brian, Norman and I made a very early start and were in the South Hide at Minsmere by 7.45: unfortunately the Semi-P had flown ten minutes earlier! We enjoyed watching the more usual waders: Greenshank, Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Green Sandpipers (including a group of five that flew through) as well as yet another Great White Egret.

Another birder received a phone call to say his friend had found the SP from the East Hide, so we trotted round and were able to enjoy good 'scope views of this surprisingly distinctive little 'peep'. The last one I saw here was a cool 32 years ago, when it shared the pool with a Pectoral Sandpiper!

A bit distant for photography (as you can tell from the 'unzoomed' image) but still worth the effort to take a few 'record shots'. (Best image of the SP by Brian Tubby)

After coffee we moved up onto Dunwich Heath to look for Whinchats: no sign! We did manage to find a few distant (or flighty) Dartford Warblers.