Cloudless blue sky, very little wind, schools back in session.... It must be September. And, an Indian Summer. Thought to be in modern usage in the UK but stemming from Indian races in the USA hoping for this weather in the Fall so as to ripen their crops before winter. Who really knows ?
Indian summer is first recorded in Letters From an American Farmer, a 1778 work by the French-American soldier turned farmer J. H. St. John de Crèvecoeur (a.k.a. Michel-Guillaume-Jean de Crèvecoeur):
"Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer."
We drove west, cloud cover increasing as we did so. Very little hedgerow activity again to-day. The Phacelia has bloomed again in the wild strips along the field edges near Harpley. I needed some more practice with my macro lens.
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| A surprise hoverfly in this one. |
Pam was inspecting flowering ivy for hoverflies etc when the regular red car which drives up the lane with an elderly dog trotting alongside, getting its daily walk, arrived . We had to move so that he could pass and turn round. It then became obvious why the dog needed exercising in this way, when the driver got out to move some dead branches. He walks very badly, it made me wince to see him move. The dog has a greying muzzle and a slight limp too.
A large flock of Linnets flew into a far tree. Could I ?
Count the birds.......
Driving on to Valley Farm Lane, which is usually good for small birds, we became aware of the vast numbers of Red-legged Partridges in the laneside fields. They then became a traffic hazard. Dozens of them legging it up the lane in front of us. The same on the return journey. We pulled in to the barn yard area to view some birds washing in the large puddle. A handsome male Yellowhammer caught my eye - but not my lens. As I was about to press the button, a car drew in beside us. It was Barry, our friendly gamekeeper cum estate worker. He and Pam had a chat whilst I continued taking a few pics.
Next thing I heard was 'Do you make damson jam'? Yes says Pam - mendaciously. Well, we make jam. Asking for a bag, he tipped in six pounds of damsons which he'd been gathering. Result. Now for the de-stoning.
Barry said that the partridges had been released by the Insurance Company which owns the fields and the shooting rights so that their valued clients could have a day's sport. Pam turned up her nose at this, stating that shooting these tame birds was hardly sport. Barry agreed.
Next stop, our beloved Snettisham and the Wash. A few Jays, which seem to be everywhere at the moment, along the approach road and then, the horrendous 'road' through the chalet park. The gate was open !! Great in that we could drive straight through but, it deprived me of my Autumn blackberry snack.
There was a birding party already scanning near the entrance track. We parked nearby, soon seening a Red Kite wheeling high above us. A low high tide to-day which, although we were there at the optimum time, did not come as far as the shore below,
Plenty of waders, not much variety. Mainly Knot and Oystercatchers, a few Curlew, a very distant , big roost of Golden Plover, small numbers of Great Ringed Plover, more Redshank and, at the reserve end, good numbers of scattered Grey Plover in varying moults. Not many Godwits, of both varieties.
On an Autumn theme, I had another try with my macro lens with variable success. From the car and without sun now.
After buying lunch from Tesco, we found that Hunstanton was cordoned off, police on duty and crowds standing around. Why ? We had to make a large detour. There must have been an event on.
We met Dot and Steve out at Holme, they hadn't visited the reserve for ten years. Whilst out birding, they'd heard that there was a Yellow-browed Warbler at Holme NWT. They'd already been to Titchwell and the car park bird had gone.
About a hundred metres before the Tutchwell turn off, my pager croaked at me, the sign that the message was Norfolk. Pied Flycatcher at Titchwell. We were visiting anyway, Pam wanted to use the facilities.
We parked roadside near the staff car park and Pam went off to investigate. Yes, a Spotted Fly catcher had been seen in the willows near the feeding station. Using Rolly.I walked to the area before seating myself with a group of other birders. Very quickly, Pam spotted a bird sally forth, fly-catching, from the very top of a willow on the left. We watched both a Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher stocking up on fuel before continuing their journey south. Lovely.
Our first Brent Geese of the winter at Brancaster Staithe, we usually see them before the Pinkfeet. Four birds flew in. Pam saw them and eventually, so did I.
North Pools, Wells were a contrast to Friday's visit. Far fewer Greylag - thank goodness - no Barnacles but a good number of Canada Geese with 20+ Ruff scattered amongst them. Thirty Black-tailed Godwits in two groups and careful scoping brought me views of a Green Sandpiper on the far shore. As it was near a large clump of Sedge, Pam could get on it too.
The moth trap awaited us when we got home. Nothing unusual for the season, we were hoping for a migrant brought in on the southerly wind. Andy had his third Beautiful Marbled in his garden. To-morrow maybe.
A lovely day marred by yet another dreadful, gutless, performance form Man U, losing 2-0 away at West Ham.
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