Another good morning, we went to Upton Warren on the off chance that the female Red-necked Phalarope which had been present yesterday would still be there. It duly obliged, although it was being harrassed by Black-headed Gulls & Avocets, it seemed to be holding it’s own. We also finally caught up with a White Wagtail probably because it had a damaged wing and couldn’t fly very far.

Another delight this morning were Little-ringed Plovers, Avocets and Oystercatchers all with young.

Then to cap it all we found the Bee-Orchids along the causeway, we hadn’t seen any of these since they knocked down Hamshall Power Station.

Red-necked Phalarope a fabulous little bird

White Wagtail

Little-ringed Plovers with young

Young Avocets there must be at least 3 breeding pairs here

I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this little beauty

A little Grebe or "Dabchick"

Bee Orchid

So called because it looks like there’s a bee taking pollen fom the flower.

We went in hunt of a Corn Bunting this morning at Whitmoor Haye and would you believe we found one. It was a very fresh morning after rain and there was a very strong wind. Most of the birds were keeping there heads down. We always used to see Corn Buntings here but we hadn’t seen one for a couple of years, the bad winters seem to have affected them. We managed to see one this morning though being blown about all over the place at the top of an oak tree.

Corn Bunting at Whitmoor Haye (Archive photo from 2006)

"After the Lord Mayors show" is what we thought we’d get this morning after our Norfolk trip last week, but it turned out to be rather a good morning. I heard 6 Male Redstarts singing seeing 3 of them, I also saw a female. What we went for really was a Stonechat which we hadn’t yet seen this year. The last  2 winters has reduced their numbers drastically. The warden at Minsmere told me last week there used to be 18 pairs along the shore between Dunwich and Minsmere but the have all disappeared. We did manage to see a pair today though.

Male Stonechat (there’s still one or two about!)

Other birds seen Cuckoo, Green & Great Spotted woodpeckers, Tree Pipit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Mistle Thrush, Whtethroat, Chiff-chaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest plus all the regular species.

We also came across some Fallow Deer

Fallow Deer all young Bucks

Who you looking at!

We’ve just returned from 3 days of fantastic birdwatching in Norfolk & Suffolk, 107 species seen of which 25 were year ticks, which include the likes of Golden Oriole, Hobby, Stone Curlew, Nightingale etc etc etc.

We called at Hockwold RSPB near Lakenheath in the Brecklands on our way there, this is the home of the Golden Oriole, it is also noted for Hobbies of which there had been up to 65 in the sky at one time, we saw 35 and had great views of them hawking dragon flies catching them and eating them on the wing. We also saw 2 Common Cranes here.

Although you can’t see them as they are minute dots in this picture, there are at least 10 Hobbies in the sky

Close up on the previous photo 2 Hobbies in the picture

An escaped Harris Hawk causing trouble at Hockwold

A Common Tern at Hockwold

Well it was posing so I just had to take this photo of a Wren

Our base was at Hemsby in a caravan which is close to Horsey Wind Pump which we visited on several occasions. Seeing, Whimbrel and both Pink-footed and Egyptian geese here.

Horsey Wind pump at dusk

Whimbrel

Swallow on top of one of the boats moored at Horsey Wind Pump

We’ve seen Barn Owls and Wood Larks in the fields at the back of Horsey wind Pump in the past but not this year, but we did get a sunset.

The next day we spent at Minsmere we saw 2 and heard 3 Nightingales "magic to the ears" others seen here were Mediterranean Gulls, Little and Sandwich Terns, Loads of Waders including Avocets these are common all down the east coast. Marsh Harriers are also plentiful here. 

Avocet

Avocet on its nest

Avocets with 3 chicks

Mediterranean Gull with Blackheaded Gulls

Pair of Mediterranean Gulls nesting

A reported "Spectacled Warbler" turns out to be a Whitethroat

On the last day we went to Cley next the sea and Titchwell RSPB below are photos taken

Knot at Cley

Hare at Cley

Reed Bunting at Titchwell

Turnstone at Titchwell

Grey Plover at Titchwell

It looked black legged to me but the Warden said this was a Temmincks Stint mind the light was poor

This one was a Little Stint, sorry about the "crap" photo

While were talking about crap photos hows about this one of Dunlins

I’ll finish with this photo of Cranes taken at Horsey Wind Pump

All in all a wonderful 3 days I went home completely and utterly Knackered!!!!

Back again to Belvide today and luckily all the birds that were mentioned yesterday were still there, Garganey, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit and Greenshank. Yet another good morning. now on 138 for the year.

Belvide resevoir

Garganey our only summer visiting duck

Couldn’t resist taking this Mute Swan on its nest

What you looking at?

We’ve just returned from a wonderful 4 days in a caravan at Sandy Bay North Seaton in Northumberland. Although it wasn’t a birding holiday I still ended up with 7 year ticks, Eider Duck, Knot, Fulmar, Red Breasted Merganser, Shag, Grey Partridge and best of all Twite.

We went with two friends of ours Gordon and Brenda on a "cheapo" Sun newspaper holiday, it couldn’t have been better, the company, the weather, the caravan which was looking out to sea on the top of a cliff the site which was in easy reach of all the Northumberland sites were all great.

We visited Newcastle using our bus passes, then on subsequent days we went in the car to Holy Island, Bamburgh Castle and Alnwick using the coastal road we also passed through Seahouses, Warkworth and Amble.

Time wouldn’t allow a visit to the Farne Islands for the sea birds. but at least I did see them (the islands I mean, alas not the birds). We did call at Hauxley briefly but the Roseate Tern wasn’t listed on the board, so perhaps it hasn’t arrived back as yet.

All in all a great 4 days.

The view outside our caravan window

Bamburgh Castle

We were standing on the battlements and a Fulmar flew past, it was that close I could have put my hand out and touched it

The "crew" my wife Annie with Gordon and Brenda

Yours truly with Gordon & Brenda

It was back to Belvide this morning as there was plenty reported from here yesterday, Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Little Gull & Arctic Tern, but true to form they had all disappeared this morning.

Still all was not lost it was a nice morning if you could keep out of the wind and plenty of good birds about Warblers singing all over. And I did get 3 year ticks, Swift, Reed Warbler & Common Sandpiper.

Sedge Warbler singing, I’ve always wanted to get a photo looking at the red inside a Sedge Warblers throat

Another Sedge Warbler

We used to have to go to the coast to see these but Oystercatchers seem to be everywhere lately