Metal Birds

It has taken me 2 days to get my Blog to this. Blogger has been terrible. 

Moth Quiz 17
My mother is not allowed to do my homework
Do not copy essays from the internet
I must not interfere with the boys in class
Treble Lines

Moth Quiz 18
Small and wet, its future could be much larger. 

Tuesday, May 26

After a stop at Lidl in North Walsham - my breakfast banana supply had been frozen in error and needed replacing - we set off west.

(Frozen bananas have black skins and cooked-tasting, squishy flesh).

The Spotted Flycatcher was visible in the car park this morning, singing from a treetop, I actually heard its less than obvious 'song' before Pam found it. 

I've long been an aircraft lover. Ignited by my 6year old nephew when I was a late teenager. He'd wake me up in the morning by prising my eyelids open, in order to test him on facts gleaned from Jane's Book of Aircraft. The problem came when he tested me. I had no idea - nor desire - to know payload weights, distance per tank of fuel, etc. I could recognise all the aircraft flying at that time and kept reasonably up to date whilst working as there was always a student who could tell me who was at Coltishall flying practice sorties. Swedish Saab Viggen Thunderbolts were regular visitors. My sister lived in Wiltshire which enabled me to see test Concorde flights before it was in service. I also went to see the Boeing B52, Stratofortress, the biggest bombers in the world, when they landed at RAF Fairford during the Middle East conflict. 

Yesterday, on the approach road to Snettisham, at least three very fast aircraft were in the air. Presumably from RAF Marham. I knew that four F35B lightning stealth fighters had been at the base since 2018 and had been longing to see one.

I've been researching since and don't think this is it, however fast and impressive looking they were. Maybe someone can put me right.

Having stopped to admire the planes, we located a singing Whitethroat which flew onto an overhead wire to proclaim its territory, a tree would have been preferable.

Cyclists, picnickers, joggers and dog walkers at Snettisham were not a welcome sight, although small in number. I snatched a couple of photos of a flyby Common Tern for my folder.

Despite the beach party walking along the shore, this Oystercatcher sat tight on the nest whilst, presumably, its partner kept watch nearby.

Again, no views of Turtle Doves sitting on the wires which cross the Snettisham coastal park. but another bird that prefers metal! A singing Chiffchaff.

  
Thornham was full of empty  parked cars. At least the passengers were out and about, enjoying the wildlife and scenery. We did not linger - until Pam spotted a Spoonbill feeding avidly in the creek near the Coal Barn. I don't recall seeing one so active for such a long period. 
It was in a group with three birds, a Little Egret, a Herring Gull, and a bathing Redshank.

Many shutter clicks later........we dragged ourselves away. The road to Stiffkey was closed for some reason, and the promised diversion did not appear. We had to turn round, taking the first road which led inland, ending up in Warham, home of Chalkhill Blues in Norfolk. Next was Holt. Anxious about the overnight moth traps awaiting us, we were home before four o'clock. The traps had been left in the shade, lidded to prevent escapes, and then cold blocks covered by a towel put on top. They were fine. We had several new moths for 2020 which included the micro Timothy Tortrix. Who named this moth? Its scientific name is Zelotherses paleana, perhaps that's why! A garden tick for us too.

We also had our first Peppered Moth and another new  for the year micro, Small Magpie - which is larger than most micros and some smaller macros. Confusing.


We are normally limited to trapping one Lime Hawkmoth a year. Yesterday was our fifth and we had another this morning.

There are still moths from yesterday and this morning, waiting to be identified from photographs I took. Manana I think.

What an enjoyable day, with many lovely birding experiences to cherish.