Year tick at Strumpshaw!

Completely true, but sadly just a Common Tern! Lots of Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Reed Buntings, Chiffchaffs and Cetti's in full song, which is always nice, but no Cranes or Ospreys today!

Some excellent Lesser Black-backed Gull action: what wonderful-looking birds they are! Also in front of Tower Hide were several pairs of Greylags, one of which had young. The adults were incredibly aggressive protecting their little balls of fluff! Great Crested Grebes were full of the joys of Spring, a Sparrowhawk darted across the reedbed several times and a Pheasant was doing Shrek impressions on the riverbank!

Doesn't have to be rare to be welcome!

It's this time of year that Linda's £30pw feeding regime pays off: the garden is full of birds at the moment and we're holding our breath for our 'special visitors' at the end of the month. Today there have been Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs singing in the hedge and Pheasants, Stock & Collared Doves, Wood Pigeons, Song Thrushes, Green Finches etc etc at the feeding stations.

Meanwhile, I've finished my book and it's with the proof-reader on its way to the publisher! Yay!
As I was putting the finishing touches to the index early this morning, I looked up from the PC to see two Red-legged Partridges on the roof! What delightful birds for a small garden!

 

Sugar Town Scaup!

Such a lovely day that I couldn't bear to stay in, so, after the Post Office, I drove to Cantley BF and checked in at the security office. I was 001 - always a good sign!

As I walked through the factory I could hear both Peregrines calling: sure enough they were perched high up on two chimneys, disdaining the lovely platform that's been built for them! I watched them for a while, both preening and in display flight.

By the river I came across a delightful Treecreeper: always a joy to see well. The water levels in the settling pools were too high for waders, but, hoping for a Garganey, I scanned them for ducks. To my surprise one of the female Tufted Ducks seemed to be a Scaup. A pleasant bonus and a new bird for the patch! Along one of the wide paths a Fox stopped to check me out...

Whitethroats, Reed & Sedge Warblers were everywhere and - final surprise - a White Stork flew over westwards. I followed it to Cantley Marsh and Buckenham, but it hadn't touched down.

 

Kite on the patch!

Having spent the weekend gardening (and writing the flippin' book!) it was good to catch a Red Kite flying west over Rackheath Garden Centre at 3.30 today. It certainly caused a lot of interest among our fellow shoppers!

 

Woodies!

Still there: better views of the male in eclipse today.

Super Ducks!

On my way back from Tescos this afternoon, I stopped briefly at a little village pond not far from my house. I was delighted to see a pair of Carolina Wood Ducks and a pair of Mandarins! Not even vaguely 'wild' but I bet both species make it on to the British List one day: they certainly breed here already.

Raptor-ous!

I'm in the middle of writing a book at the moment: non-fiction, quite heavy going and to a deadline: I really shouldn't keep saying yes to days out!

So today I stayed in the office and worked and, to my amazement, discovered that a passage of raptors (Buzzards and Harriers) was taking place past the end of the garden! Our neighbours have lowered their laurel hedge, so I can actually see through our bushes across to Bonds Lane - I can't help but wonder how many birds I've missed in the past...

 

Dotterel, Spoonbill and Yellow Wags: great day in the Sun!

No need for heavy camo today! First really warm day of the Spring - 20 degrees at one point!

Brian and I headed north-west to Choseley, where four of the reported Dotterel were instantly available (albeit somewhat distantly.) The fields were full of Hares: always great to see!

Next stop was Titchwell, where Spoonbill, Little Ringed Plover and Red-crested Pochard were added to the day list. We drifted eastwards, seeing lots of goodies as we drove: Sparrowhawks, Buzzards, Marsh Harriers, Little Egrets and so on. After the mandatory coffee and cheese scone at the visitor centre, we met old Strumpshaw buddy Mike, who told us about a flock of Yellow Wagtails at Salthouse. Just as we climbed out of the car we saw them fly off east: "Oh dear!" we both exclaimed.... Pausing just long enough to photograph a largish Pipit (I/d help very welcome!), we followed them to Kelling Quags.

Amazingly, we quickly found a flock of at least twenty feeding among the cattle: what truly delightful little sprites these are!

And so home for me to wonder why all my shots are slightly less than satisfactory....