North-west Norfolk

A spur of the moment walk along the coast with Michelle. Didn’t leave home until after 10am and the traffic was awful so didn’t get to the coast until 12:30. Parked at Brancaster and got on the coastal hopper to Wells. After a quick bite to eat we walked back along the coastal path: Wells, Holkham, Burnham Overy Staithe, Burnham Norton, Burnham Deepdale, Brancaster Staithe, Brancaster. Not any real birding, though did have twenty minutes around the usual birdy patch at the end of Burnham Overy. Here I had 10+ Wheatears and 2 Winchats. After an excellent meal at the Hero in Burnham Ovary, we pressed on, seeing a Spoonbill flying over at dusk, and finishing in the dark just after 9pm.

Wells
30 August 2016 14:00 - 15:15
Sunny 29C 7SW
Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Coal Tit (heard), Swallow, Large White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Darter

Holkham
30 August 2016 15:15 - 16:15
Sunny 29C 7SWc
Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Coal Tit (heard), Swallow (heard), Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Grayling, Common Darter, Marsh Helleborine, Creeping Lady's-tresses

Burnham Overy
30 August 2016 16:15 - 17:30
Sunny 26C 6SW
Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Mallard, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Buzzard (heard), Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher (heard), Lapwing, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank (heard), Snipe (heard), Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Swallow, House Martin, Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Whinchat, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Darter

Burnham Norton
30 August 2016 19:00 - 21:00
Sunny 18C 6SW
Greylag Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Spoonbill, Buzzard (heard), Kestrel, Water Rail (heard), Lapwing, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank (heard), Redshank, Snipe (heard), Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Swallow, Bearded Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird (heard), Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting

Minsmere

A day out at Minsmere. Didn’t get the hoped for migrants that had been trickling down the east coast in recent days. Just a few Warblers, a Wheatear, and three Whinchats. Did get a good number of waders though, including 16 Curlew Sandpipers and 14 Spotted Redshanks. Also a pair of Stone Curlew on the Heath.

Insects were good too with lots of Grayling Butterflies, this impressive Wasp Spider…

…and enjoyed watching Beewolfs take down unfortunate bees into their tunnels.

Finshed the day by meeting Michelle at Southwold (she’d been with me at Minsmere earlier) for Fish and Chips on the beach. A good day.

Minsmere
26 August 2016 09:27 - 18:29
Sunny 25C 10W
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Shoveler, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Hobby, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Coot, Stone-curlew, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Curlew (heard), Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Stint, Green Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Redshank (heard), Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Little Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Bearded Tit (heard), Sand Martin, Swallow, Chiffchaff (heard), Blackcap (heard), Whitethroat, Reed Warbler (heard), Treecreeper (heard), Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Robin (heard), Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter, Canada Goose, Western Red Deer

Double Tick Day!

Strolling around the Botanic Gardens during a late lunch-break, I noticed an Emerald Damselfly. Great I thought, a new species for me here. Then, when it settled, I noticed it had pale pterostigma. Could it be a Willow Emerald? It certainly looked good. I got as close as I could without getting wet and it looked even better. But knowing that all young Lestes species can have pale pterostigmas, and with the last segments on the tail possibly showing pale blue, there was no choice but to walk back to the office to grab my bins. Whilst in the office, I had a quick browse on the web to remind myself of the Id features and upon my return was relieved to see it in the same place. And everything was perfect. No blue iridescence;  gold-coloured sheen on last segments; pale pterostigma surronded by a black border. Ye-hah! Managed to get a shockingly bad photo by holding my phone up to my bins. The dragonfly is in the middle!

So then, after spending the best part of two hours at lunch, and having to get some work done before I finish for a few days, I get a call from Ade Cooper to say there is a Tree Pipit at Fowlmere! Was told it was very elusive, but when I got there just before 6pm, it showed the best it had done for several hours. Today was my lucky day! An immaculate juvenile with a fairly weak facial pattern. The first for around twenty years apparently.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
25 August 2016 14:00 - 15:35
Sunny after heavy showers 27C 3NE
Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Blackcap, Robin, Large White, Small White, Willow Emerald Damselfly, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common Darter

Fowlmere
25 August 2016 17:50 - 18:55
Sunny 23C 3NE
Pheasant, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Swallow, Blackbird, Tree Pipit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch

Edit (27/08/2016): I gave the directions to Andy Symes who, obviously armed with a proper camera, took a couple of decent shots which I’m sure he won’t mind me using…

Fowlmere

A walk around after work and a better than average haul: A juvenile Marsh Harrier on the mere with a supporting cast of Kingfisher, Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail, and Common Snipe.

Also managed to catch up with one of the Spotted Flycatchers, my first there this year.

In the garden, a Swift was seen on a couple of occasions around the church. A Frog was on the patio. And an unfortunately dead Wood Mouse was found on the lawn.

 

 

Fowlmere
15 August 2016 Sunny 24C 6E
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Lapwing, Snipe, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Reed Warbler, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, Dunnock (heard), Yellow Wagtail, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Large White, Speckled Wood, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker

Fowlmere

Quiet for birds. Not too bad for Dragonflies and the like, including this Large Red Underwing and a Broad-bodied Chaser.

Fowlmere
12 August 2016 13:04 - 14:05
Sunny 26C 15W
Moorhen, Common Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff (heard), Reed Warbler (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Chaffinch, Linnet, Corn Bunting, Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Southern Hawker, Broad-bodied Chaser, Common Darter, Large Red Underwing

Swift

One Swift over the garden tonight. Quiet in the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge. A Little Owl was heard calling somewhere in the west of the village around midnight.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
09 August 2016 13:40 - 14:30
Patchy cloud 17C 8NW
Mallard, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Magpie (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Swallow, Blackbird (heard), Robin (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Southern Hawker

Common Shrew

One in living room this morning!

Swifts

All gone from Foxton. Last saw three from the pub on Friday night.

Cley and Salthouse

Took Michelle for her annual day-out in Holt. Arrived latter than planned so we started with lunch rather than brunch. Then I left her to shop and went to Cley for a few hours. Very  quiet. A couple of Spoonbills and Grayling butterflies were the best I could muster. On the sea I’d been hoping for a few Skuas, but a single Common Scoter was the best I could find.

 

After eating at the cheap-and-cheerful but very good sea-food restaurant at Salthouse we took a walk for an hour. Here I watched something I’d never seen before: A couple of Peregrines hunting out at sea as a team chased and killed a small unidentified wader. Felt quiet sorry for the victim. It survived the attack for several minutes but, being out at sea had nowhere to run  too. The successful catcher flew inland with the prey and with the other bird following. Possibly a pair feeding young? I lost them in the strong sun so couldn’t see exactly how far they went.

Cley
06 August 2016 14:01 - 17:15
Sunny 23C 10W
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Shoveler, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Redshank, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Bearded Tit, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Starling, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Grey Seal, Common Blue, Comma, Grayling

Salthouse
06 August 2016 19:00 - 20:10
Sunny 20C 7W
Greylag Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Peregrine, Avocet, Lapwing, Redshank, Sandwich Tern, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Grey Seal

Swifts

Just two, maybe three Swifts this evening. First Migrant Hawkers in the Botanic Gardens earlier.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
04 August 2016 13:30 - 13:59
Overcast 22C 14W
Mallard, Moorhen (heard), Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blue Tit (heard), Wren (heard), Robin (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Migrant Hawker

Fowlmere

First visit for a while. Not missed much. A couple of new dragonflies for the year there: Southern Hawker and a high flying Common Darter.

Tufted Duck with her seven offspring.

Still a few Swifts around the house.

Fowlmere
03 August 2016 17:42 - 19:10
Patchy cloud 19C 15SW
Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Moorhen, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove, Swift, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Swallow, Chiffchaff, Wren (heard), Blackbird (heard), Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Corn Bunting, Large White, Meadow Brown, Southern Hawker, Common Darter

Swifts and Blackbird

Still over 50 Swifts flying around tonight. Blackbird still with young (I think). Botanic Gardens very quiet in the rain.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
02 August 2016 14:48 - 16:17
Light rain 21C 11WSW
Mallard, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Goldfinch, Meadow Brown

Purple Swamphen

Was awoken at 5am by the lone female Blackbird going crazy in the garden. Rushed out fearing the worse, but all OK. As I was awake, I decided to head for Minsmere for the Purple Swamphen that was reported yesterday but which I couldn’t get to. Arrived at 7am, had a quick look, and was on my way in under an hour. Would have loved to spent the morning there as it was a beautiful day, but had things to do.

Poor photo taken. I reckon this one might have a chance. Spanish grounds very dry apparently and (presumed) vagrants have been found in several places in France, all the way close to the Channel. Right subspecies obviously helps!

Minsmere
01 August 2016 07:10 - 08:00
Sunny 19C 11SW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Little Egret, Water Rail, Moorhen, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Bearded Tit, Sand Martin, Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler, Chaffinch, Grey Squirrel, Canada Goose, Purple Swamphen

Edit (03/08/2016): Good article from Birdguides.