Hatched

Tuesday April 24

Having deferred our departure,  missing out the steep staircase at Langdon Beck and going straight to Berwick on Tweed, I was able to hear the cries of the Estonian White-tailed Eagle as she rose from her nest, showing that the egg had hatched overnight. The chick was still lying in the remnants of the shell. What a joyous experience, being witness to that and the pair bonding on the edge of the nest. The male has brought in three fish to-day, triggered by the chick I suppose, although I am yet to see it fed.

I have the sound on and only look when one of the adults calls. It is also possible to hear the chick chirping. 

Background Cranes continue to make the most noise.  

I could not resist taking some photos from my PC monitorof rather dubious quality but a pleasing record.

 

Free Day - at Last

Friday April 20

Apart from a 9.00 INR test at the surgery.....still sorting it after the two operation lay-offs, a free day. 

Our last chance for Norfolk migrants before leaving for the north on Monday. Not such good weather as the last few days but, pleasantly warm with little wind. 

We didn't make many stops to-day, concentrating on hedge-lined lanes until we got to Snettisham.  The latter is usually good for early migrants, more so in the eastern trees and shrubs area, too extensive for us to walk.

A few handsome, brick-red, summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits on the reserve muddy bay with noticeably fewer waders in number. The Avocets have mostly dispersed too. Three Common Terns cruised the pits, yelling at each other like teenagers, a host of Black-headed Gulls adding to the cacophany. They seem to have taken over some of the islands. 

Best was our first Cuckoo, calling from the other side of the last pit. Lovely. We always had a Cuckoo at home, May 1st the usual arrival date, until the marsh at the bottom of the garden was planted with trees which are now a tidy sized wood.

Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps  have arrived in numbers, their calls everywhere, even in our garden. I'm pretty certain that I heard a Garden Warbler at home too, but only the once. 

I am guilty of neglecting the birds we see all the time in suitable habitat. This handsome pair of Shelduck adorned the mud near enough to try a photograph.

Oystercatcher pairs were looking to nest very near the track through to the hides - again. They were successful last year though.

No singing warblers at Holme either, there could well be Reed and Sedge here by now, a good place for Grasshopper Warbler too. I did pick up, at last, my first Ruff of the year feeding beside a pool on the entrance road. 

New at Holkham was a small herd of young Belted Galloways, east of Lady Anne's Drive and just before a newly sculpted pool in a fenced area. Part of the new 'Reserve'? 

Lovely cattle, I'm very fond of them, shame they were distant and facing away. Couldn't linger as we'd stopped roadside and the traffic is always steady. 

The day was shortened by turning inland, and returning via Cockthorpe.

Friday evening

The first time we've had to miss a moth-ing session at Cley Thursday morning  (hospital app) and Roger B brought in a Blossom Underwing moth, one I've wanted to see for ages. My appetite had been whetted by increased postings on Facebook. Mike H kindly mailed me of its appearance, we could have called in this afternoon if we'd known. Delighted that we were informed at all. If we don't attend, it's our responsibility if we miss stuff.

Roger was good enough to make it available at Cley Centre on Saturday. Again, thanks to Mike for making us aware of that.

Mike's photo is better, here's mine, taken in the pot.

Barton - Special Broad?

Sunday April 15

Plans to go migrant hunting were stalled by waking to heavy mist - again. After a leisurely start, we set off for Barton Broad. The general car park is a fair walk from the boardwalk, we park on a free patch of grass in the disabled parking area. The ranger once told us that we could use any space - there are four rarely used  - but a local jobsworthy told us that only the council could give us permission. I asked if that was him, to which he replied 'It used to be'.  

A Blackcap was singing in the surrounding trees, we soon heard our first of about three Willow Warblers. Shades of Scotland where we hear them everywhere. The creaky hinges call of Common Terns could be heard long before the viewing area. I settled with my scope and Pam counted at least 9 perched on the pipes/boys or flying. The Broad is wide  and littered with buoys of all shapes sizes and colours. I suppose they must mean something to someone. I can work out that the nearest semi circle, roped together are a Keep Out for boats. Both of the nesting platforms are moored in front of the end viewing platform.. Virtually all the birds were in the distant water, where a regular passage of tourist boats didn't seem to daunt the birds at all. 7 Little Gulls and a lone Arctic Tern, 4 pairs of Great Crested Grebes in half hearted display, a few Greylags, Black-headed, Herring and clean cut Lesser Black-backed Gulls added to the throng.

The increasing cold, lack of the anticipated Hirundine and the arrival of a family which included two very young and active - and noisy - boys, made the leaving decision for us. A Water Rail called, unseen,  from the thick, wet, understory. No Cetti's here either.

No Dick nor Snowy............yet a special Broad for us, so good for early spring migrants.

One small patch of Slime Mold and one group of Bracket Fungus. Some lovely fat, yellow pollen laden pussies yet, the Blackthorn, usually in full ethereal flower by now, is still in winter mode.

Garden Update

We had been bemoaning the lack of Brambling this year. Our feeders held three yesterday and Pam saw a male Bullfinch stop to clean its beak on a twig before flying away. A few Siskin are still feeding.

Moth trapping numbers are slowly increasing  whilst the species variety is dropping. The pick of the week were: Early Tooth-stripe, Mottled Beauty, Shoulder Stripe, Pine Beauty, Early Thorn and Mottled Pug. 

 

Pine Beauty

Shoulder Stripe

Early Tooth-stripe

I had already downloaded the PDF of the latest Pug book, my book arrived this morning. Other moth-ers have given it a very good write-up. I look forward to using it.

Our Mimosa tree continues to defy the British winter, a cold and wet one this year, by blooming profusely. Protected when in a pot by wintering it in the greenhouse every year until it got too big. Then, planted out, it had two chances, mummified by Kevin with a wrapping of fleece for the first three years. Last year..... nothing ...and it flowered beautifully. Not the best of photos, sun would help a lot.

 Thanks to Facebook, I discovere a wonderful webcam, the best I've seen. A clear and very close view of a Latvian White-tailed Eagle nest. I keep my sound on and when I hear them call, switch to view. They're sitting on 1 egg at the moment. I've seen egg turning, a fish brought in, both birds greeting each other and displaying on the edge of the nest, Cranes calling regularly in the background. This a shot taken from my PC. Its a real privilege to have such an intimate and informative experience.

 

Ousels or Ouzels?

Saturday April 7

When I checked the RBA website - my pager finally died 2 days go -  mid afternoon, news that there were 2 Ring Ousels in Winterton was too much temptation. To-day's southerly wind with spring warmth, at last, had encouraged migration.

Low Road is an unmade lane behind the primary school, inland from the dunes. We drove down the narrow, hedge-lined and very undulating track as neither the map nor any signs said that we couldn't. We were later told, very nicely, by an older gentleman that we could be prosecuted for doing so as it was restricted access. We had a good look but still didn't see any signs.

The drive north to south was free of any Ousels. We met a member of GYBC who told us that he'd seen one perched distantly earlier, it had probably moved on.

We turned round and returned to the area where there were two campavans parked laneside. Yes ! Both a handsome male and a well plumaged female Ring Ousel, the female's pale wing and sepia crescent showing clearly. It's the first time I've seen a pair together on passage.

A lone Swallow flitted through overhead as we returned to the asphalt and saw Steve and Dot parked at the side of the road. We turned and parked nearby. Yes, they were looking in the wrong area. We sent them in the right direction and drove home in time for the Man City/United match. I'm not watching and Kompany's just scored. He's the one who's been making the most noise about winning the league against us to-day.

Home-made Leek and Potato soup for supper, it was time to dig up the rest of the leeks. 

Joyous postscript...
We won 3-2. At least we stiopped them having huge bragging rights for ever that they won the league against us with a number of records e.g biggest points margin, earliest  certain win etc. They all looked very crestfallen. I'm still smiling....✌😀😀😀

Round-up

Tuesday April 3

After moth-ing at Natural Surroundings where there was a good number of moths of few species. The highlights were our first Pine Beauty of 2018 and a definite Lead-coloured Drab. Greg was very informative and interesting regarding ID as part of the general group to-day. Anne Harrop was assisted by Richard and Mike, so that was an improvement too. 

A singing Chiffchaff at NS and another at Glandford - ford area - another at Kelling Heath. A House Martin and three Swallows passing through along Beach Road Cley followed by the surprise of Sam from the cafe manning the payment shed in the car park. The next car contained Ian and Sue !

Sleeping Egyptian Goose at Iron Road

Female

Male

a hot chocolate from Julian at Salthouse and off to Cockthorpe. 

We'd been told by Jeb and Mike that we could see a Little Owl on the chicken sheds. We pulled up outside Nos 12B and 13B where Mike had seen one ..... nothing. 










After crossing the road to the opposite concrete pad, we looked again and Pam saw one Little Owl crouched, back turned to us, under the ventilation covers at the apex of the roof of 13B. 

I'm not proud of this pic ! You can just see its eyebrows....

 Returning for a closer view, the bird disappeared, hidden by part of the building. Just as well Pam drove across the road. Hopeless photo - year record shot.

Easter Sunday

Sunday April 1

Forecast to be the only dry day of the weekend. We set off soon after 7 a.m in dreech, the excellent Scottish name for low grey overcast and misty rain.  At one time the mist was so thick that the visibility was down to about 50 metres. Fortunately, conditions .improved as we drove west.

It's said that the Brits are obsessed with the weather..... no wonder when it's so changeable and apparently difficult to forecast. Weather watching is important for birders too, especially at migration times. So slow and late this year, as are frog spawn and flowers. Lee reckons that there are fewer species in the UK so far this year than for the last 30 years or so. Since he's been counting anyway.

Definitely not optimistic at any time to-day, we ended up with 75 species seen, which only included one spring migrant, a Chiffchaff at Glandford,  beyond sewage works lane in Cley. A late spurt there included a Goldcrest. There were no real highlights - except that Tree Sparrow and Grey Wagtail are always a joy for us. We missed Grey Partridge, Grey Heron, Barn and Little Owls and all the thrushes apart from Mistle - adding House Sparrow at Bacton when nearly home. Each long day trip in a similar area is different.

Pam was delighted to locate the Grey Wagtail nest site at Sculthorpe Mill. She happened to see the female, carrying food,  enter the gap in the ivy above the mill door. Couldn't be much more public. Another huge amount of boiling, swirling, maelstrom water spewing forth from under the bridge. I could watch water, fresh and salt, for hours.

I think that Flitcham was having a hooly day. The road was lined with cars, the car park full, families milling about everywhere, with many houses having tables outside, covered in goods for sale. We drove through as quickly as we could......

We'd missed high tide at Snettisham by a couple of hours. There was still enough water and wet mud mid distance for good scope viewing. Many more birds on the real shore of course.The Golden Plover have gone, plenty of Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Avocets, Bar-tailed Godwit and a few Black-tailed Godwit. We were alone until reaching the slope to the exit gate. It still makes me cross when people with dogs off the lead walk a nature reserve. Futile really.

Lunching at Holme NOA car park, we decided to walk to the Broadwater Hide. Very little on the water but our first Pochard of the year slept, peacefully bobbing, heads under wing, otherwise undisturbed by the cacophany of two Canada Geese seeing off a Greylag, honking and wing waving threateningly. 

For the first time that I can remember, the battery in my DSLR was flat and I hadn't got the spare. I used a point and shoot, experimenting with the zoom, ending up with one OK photo of a Greylag. Whoopee.

A kettle of 6 spiralling Buzzards was far too distant.. We saw at least a dozen of them to-day, yet only one Marsh Harrier. I love having so many of them around, especially at home. We saw plenty of the later remaining Brent Geese and no Pink-feet despite scoping Holkham marsh. One Spoonbill was the highlight here, sitting in the same tree as before, near to the Cormorant nesting sites.

Pam will insist on driving through Wells harbour yet swears that she hates the smell of chips. The low harbour wall along the road was - as always - crowded with polystyrene box clutching families tucking into their greasy delights. It seems to be so at all times of day.

It was only when we drove into home that I realised that the habit of a lifetime had been broken. It was the first time in my life that I hadn't 'April fooled' anyone. I always catch Pam and had decided to make it more of a challenge this year by not making it bird or garden orientated. Then I forgot !  My Downs brother always caught my mother out by telling her that there were sheep in the garden - always a possibility in our welsh village and a catastrophe,  In retrospect, she was either very gullible or a good actor,  as he loved catching her out and she enjoyed giving him the pleasure.

Another day of rain here - Easter Monday - we actually had a puddle in the lawn for the first time ever. Let's hope it's dry for moth-ing in the morning.