Wednesday walk

An eight-mile walk from Buckenham to Cantley and back via Strumpshaw was largely unpolluted by wildlife! Still: one thermal held six Buzzards, a Kestrel and three Marsh Harriers....
There seems to have been a release of 'game birds' at Strumpshaw: the field opposite the Hall held dozens of Red-legged Partridges & Pheasants - every bale was fully occupied!

Metal birds!

We had a good weekend at Duxford Airshow, selling aviation & space memorabilia: some wonderful aircraft too!

North Coast with Martin

A beautiful blue sky and no wind didn't exactly fill us with confidence, but a walk in the sunshine seemed like a good thing to do!
Although we failed to find any migrating passerines, there were plenty of raptors to keep us interested (twenty Buzzards in one thermal at Holkham!) as well as Egrets & Spoonbills at Cley....

'Somewhere in East Anglia'

Great views of six Badgers tonight: no flash allowed, so these are the best I could do!

One of those 'Taxi Driver' moments!

As in: "You lookin' at me?'
I glanced up from my PC at lunchtime to see this absolutely massive female Sparrowhawk staring through the window at me! Just as well the Turtles are on their way (hopefully!) back to Africa...

Diamonds are forever.... but Emeralds are stunning!

Took a quick run out to Strumpshaw to photograph the Willow Emeralds with the new lens: I have to say, these are beautiful insects!
Backup came from a few Buzzards, the showy Fen Hide Egret and a dashing Hobby.

Osprey!

Great views of an Osprey at Strumpshaw this lunchtime!
I just went there to try out my new (S/H!) 500mm mirror lens! Also: fabulous 'dance' performance by a fishing Little Egret.

A Swift walk!

I must stop trying to think of 'punny' titles for my blogs! I blame my friend Martin: he is a master at this esoteric art!

Lunch with Linda, the aforesaid Martin & his delightful partner Kerry, left me with little opportunity for serious patching today, but a quick five miles around Pedham and environs was surprisingly fruitful: lots of Migrant Hawkers (over 50 along one stretch of hedgerow!) three Buzzards and a late Swift...

Some people! :)

Amazing how we in the UK seem to have developed a somewhat tenuous grasp of the meaning of the over-worked word 'democracy'....
I totally repudiate the concept of absolute freedom of speech and deed: that takes us down a Crowley-ian path towards hedonism & anarchy. But I have been criticised on a public forum for daring to question how my - your - subscriptions to a conservation organisation are being spent, so I feel I'd like to reply on my own blog where I am still able to voice an opinion without the risk of being barred!

The point is not whether I like the new Parrinder or Island Mere Hides, nor even a matter of aesthetics: it's a similar situation to the recent Olympics: spending billions in the middle of a double-dip recession surely required some form of consultation with taxpayers?

Your opinion and mine are beside the point: it's the fact that we were not asked! As members of the RSPB (and  of UK PLC) we are entitled to have a say in how our money will be spent! This is the same casual approach to 'democracy' that led us into two wars in Iraq and an unwinable conflict in Afghanistan: I would like to be asked in future, please!

Don't you just love having a local patch?

A snatched hour or so at Strumpshaw Fen was really good fun today! In the Fen Hide, fellow-regular Tony had seen a pair of 'interesting waders' shortly before I arrived: when they reappeared, they were my first Strumpshaw Greenshanks! To add to the fun, a pair of Kingfishers and a Little Egret posed in front of the hide! Great Stuff!

Still plenty of Southern, Brown & Migrant Hawkers too!

Sweet times at Cantley!

Despite the Beet Factory being really busy today, I was allowed to walk round the settling pools and pathways. Plenty of common waders: Green & Common Sands, Ruff, Snipe & Dunlin were all present in numbers. Best of all were the butterflies & dragonflies: lots of both, especially on the row of buddleia by the end pool...

Ruff

Painted Lady

Migrant Hawker

Southern Hawker

Black-tailed Skimmer

Raptor Rapture!

A couple of hours walking around Strumpshaw & Buckenham produced distant but satisfying views of an Osprey, three Buzzards and several Sparrowhawks. There were literally hundreds of Migrant & Brown Hawkers too.........