Friday October 8
I say 'Dip', but it didn't really feel like one. Potter Heigham Marshes has had a reported Long-billed Dowitcher present for over a week. It seemed wrong not to go for it - but the viewing is so difficult that I was reluctant to do so.
After a third six weekly visit to the Cromer Hospital Eye Clinic when an injection was not deemed necessary, maybe we should try. Despite over two days without rain, yesterday was glorious, the approach track took us through some very large puddles. Tuesday's wind had the temper of a virago, throwing her vicious spears at an innocent victim.
One advantage of this heavy rain was that many reeds had been beaten down, giving a few gaps through which to view the water - albeit through a few stalwart stems. .Pam held pole position on the way there, I had my scope out for the return journey. Many sleeping wildfowl. Wigeon, Teal, Mallard and one female Tufted Duck, Shovellers, Greylag, Egyptian Goose, Pinkfeet and a lone Little Egret. We kept changing position, no sign of any waders apart from a solitary Lapwing.
A cycling birder drew up alongside. He'd cycled all the way round, finding a Green Sandpiper and a a few Little Ringed Plovers. He'd last seen the Dowitcher a couple of days ago, with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits. It looks as though they all departed overnight.
News came through of an Eyebrowed Thrush on the beach at Sea Palling. Waw. We've only seen one, in south east Scotland - we twitched it from our chalet in Carrbridge. One reported on St Agnes when we were on Tresco, resulted in a special boat arriving, everyone erupting onto the jetty at St Agnes, running up the hill past the Turk's Head, spending twilight hours searching the small fields past the Post Office where it had been seen. Well, the boatmen made some money.
Home to open the traps, not expecting much. 81 moths of 23 species.
More than we expected, with three moths new for the year.
Merveille du Jour
Delicate
Dusky-lemon Sallow
Sometimes, one has to accept sub standard photos of good moths, head first in an egg box, refusing to play ball with the camera.
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