After High Tide

 Sunday, October 19

Longing to see the Rufous Bush-chat present at Stiffkey since Friday, but put off by the stories and photographs of the crowds, flooded marsh, falling over in mud, horrendous parking etc .we drove to Snettisham. Another very high tide this morning, still plenty of water in the Wash, with thousands of birds spread in thick rows from east to west. This morning's count added 140.000 Knot, a new record for the site.

Unusually, an assistant warden asked to see our permit, even chacking the date. Too many people have been driving in without permission.She turned one car back as we waited. A chance to tackle her about the number of dog walkers, joggers, cycling etc. All are allowed . Astonishing. The only check is dogs off the lead - and even then they are allowed across the causeway between pits 2 and 3 which is part of the reserve. 

We enjoyed the spectacle as always, Pam is particularly fond of this reserve, it's the best chance for us to view waders from the car. I caught a glimpse of a Curlew Sandpiper in my scope before it disappeared down one of the many gulleys.

Hunstanton clifftop was full of parked cars, we drove through to Holme beach car park, hoping to find somewhere to park. There was room on the muddy field, buit the constant to-ing and fro-ing of cars encouraged Pam to drive straight out, without having a chance of seeing one of the four Red-flanked Bluetails frequenting the area. Very disappointing. Not a new bird. We saw the very first for the UK at Winspit, and have seen four more in Norfolk. The first was a very early visit to Yarmouth cemetery before work. The gates were shut and I got increasingly agitated, as I was due to arrange staff cover for the day and to take Assembly. I climbed over the tall metal gates, ripping my tights. Saw the bird. Yes!!! Five minutes later, the gate was opened and Pam strolled through to see the bird , now tied down in front of me. Luckily, I had a spare pair of tights in my desk drawer and had time to do all my chores.

I gazed down the approach road to Stiffkey campsite, we drove straight past. 

Most of the boats are out of the water for the winter at Brancaster Staithe, it's still the mussell season.

 

Not Happy

 Saturday, October 17th

I was not at all happy with the photo of the Red-backed Shrike from the back, which my editing programme had made look like a different bird from the photo below. I have now done my own editing and changed the photo to this one.

 

 Also agonising over the Rufous-tailed Scrub-robin reported at Stiffkey this morning. The parking there is limited, the approach road narrow and its a bit of a marsh walk out. Just not possible for us. Friend Pauline, whose birthday it is to-day, decided to escape the mayhem, although her partner saw it.

54 moths of 16 species this morning, Black Rustic the most in number. Everyone loves Merveille de Jour, I am no exception, some are brighter than others.

 

Satellites are exceptionally bright at the moment too.

 

My camera can never seem to capture accurately the shades of a Red-green Carpet , this one leaned to the green side. Some are really red.

 Maybe next year I'll try and pose them on a natural background, rather than egg boxes or green felt. Some Facebook posters do so beautifully.

Home Time

Photos now added to two previous posts

 Thursday October 15

Three new moths for the trip amongst the 42 of 13 species trapped overnight. Feathered Ranunculus is the first we have ever trapped ourselves. Not the best photo, the only one possible.

 

A total of 26 species trapped at our cottage, when it rained every night, and there was a northerly wind for most of the week. 

After doing all the Covid required stripping and bagging required, moth trap emptying, and car packing - the latter down a narrow path through sodden flowers - it was 11.46 before we left. It was so tempting to drive to Beachy Head again for the Lammergeier, it would have been too much. It was a horrid drive through coastal conurbations.

No traffic problems on the journey home, buying my daily papers became one. The first garage/shop didn't even stock them, a big surprise.

Always good to be home, however good the trip.

Right Place, Right Time.

 Wednesday, October 14

Famous date for the Battle of Hastings. Cliff Richard's and Pam's birthday. So it was Pam's choice as to what we did to-day.

Dungeness was the chosen destination. A compulsory stop at Cook's Pool brought us our first view of one of the Glossy Ibis on the ground, feeding at the far reedy edge of the pool. It then flew out of sight.

 

As we neared the power station, a Hobby dropped off a ledge, flying straight out to sea. We met warden David Walker driving the other way to look for it. He hadn't put the trap out last night, but the assistant warden had saved a Feathered Brindle for us. Not a new moth, we saw one at Portland last year, a very desirable one though as it's an NB speciality of the south coast.

Occurring sporadically along the southern coastline of England from Suffolk to Cornwall, and also south Wales, the species inhabits a range of coastal habitats such as sandhills and shingle beaches.

 

Finished with the moth, the assistant warden appeared telling us that there was a Short-toed Treecreeper in the Lighthouse garden. Off we drove, parking within sight of the garden and the five birders, including David, staring at the shrubbery. Pam and I both saw the Treecreeper plus, Goldcrest, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff. Three Velvet Scoter flew by. 

The Assistant Warden (wish I knew his name), had wandered off into the distance.  My pager screamed at me. Mega. The first time I'd actually seen a mega before the birding services announced it.

David clapped his phone to his ear, called Red-flanked Bluetail, and all present went as fast as they could into the distant shingle and scrub. We parked at the central parking area, in view of the birders, but not the bird, which was deep in a gorse bush. No year tick of this delightful bird to-day.

Our final visit to the RSPB Dungeness reserve for a hot drink and a postcard. We drove to the only hide open, adding Pintail to the week's list. Then, a drive down a track labelled 'Authorised Vehicles Only', with permission of course. We didn't find the Bearded Tits but we did find three Ring Ousels feeding avidly on top of  berried tree. The only possible photos were through the horrible windscreen. It will do for my year folder!

We missed so many birds this spring, because of both lockdown and the Scottish month denial.

We've had a good week with some good birds. We intend emptying the moth trap, stripping beds etc, packing, and driving home to-morrow. Pam, understandably, finds this preferable to getting up at sparrows and doing all that to be out before 9 a.m. on Friday. I absolutely agree.

Dip Rectified and Beachy Head

Tuesday, October 13 

Heavy rain all night, yet we still had a hundred and forty three moths of seventeen species in the trap. Best were : 2  Mallow,  Brick, Delicate, 2 Pink-barred Sallow, 8 Barred Sallow, 2 Satellite, Large Wainscot and Yellow-line Quaker.

News came through that the first winter Red-backed Shrike was still at St Margaret's Bay, that was our first port of call. We parked, scanned unsuccessfully, and Pam walked up onto the sea wall where she was joined by three other birders. One of them spotted the Shrike, low down in a Hawthorn bush behind a fence. All of them hurried back down, they walked and we drove (at their suggestion), to within 50 metres of the bird, which gave us pretty poor but tickable views. Driving on slowly for better views, the rain eased and the bird hopped up onto the top of the bush, its back to us the whole time. By now, the other three had driven up behind us, taking phone photos. The photo I took of the bird beside a concrete post was just about sharp enough when I edited it out.

 

Thank you to three very pleasant and helpful birders and an obliging bird. 

Neither of us had ever visited Beach Head, that became our next destination. I spent the August of my 11th birthday, before entering Grammar School, staying with my sister and her husband in a school camp at Itchingfield near Horsham. London school children came out for a month at a time. The best thing was a swimming pool where I taught myself to swim. That was my only Sussex experience.

We took the coastal road to East Sussex, passing through Rye and Eastbourne. It was all very built up and traffic congested. We'd had our first Swallows at St Margaret's, Eastbourne seafront had a flock of feeding birds, good to see. All short-tailed juveniles, I hope that they complete their hazardous  journey south safely.

Countryside at last as we drove out to Beachy Head. We parked in a pull-in with a good view - if it had been clear. We had a few glimpses of white cliff and foaming water before the rain clouds set in. We had a mid afternoon lunch watching Swallows and a few House Martins feeding up before their final departure. A very short lull in the rain encouraged a Buzzard to circle up on the thermals, a Sparrowhawk on a mission flew through. 

For the return journey, our SatNav gave three alternatives. Fast, short or alternative routes. Pam chose the alternative as it took us inland away from the conurbations. Good choice. Very attractive rolling, wooded countryside, many white clapboard houses, Oasthouses and vineyards. Rain all the way and nowhere to stop and photograph the Oasthouses in particular. Shades of Geography O level where I had to compare and contrast two photographs. One of them was of Oasthouses so my general knowledge paid off.

Pam says that the sculpture plaque in yeterday's Blog is unreadable on a laptop. I'll go back and attempt to enlarge it. 

I am unable to edit photos on my old laptop so will need to teach myself how to use a new cloud based programme on my new computer. Success = photos. Failure = not until I get home.

Pam's birthday to-morrow and I know that we are starting at Dungeness, the rest of the day is her choice.

Carvings and Dips

 Monday October, 12

A new - and unwanted - record. Ninety of this morning's moths were Lunar Underwings, and forty six, Beaded Chestnuts.. The best was a new for the year Autumnal Rustic, a smart, cleanly marked, moth.

 

An essential stop at Sainsbury's to buy a Daily Telegraph for the account of last night's football match between England and Belgium, 2-1, a very flattering result. I also enjoy Monday's Herculis General Knowledge crossword as well as the usual puzzles. Pam took these photos of a wooden sculpture outside the main doors, it wasn't even visible to me, sitting in the car.

We didn't think that Dungeness would have put their trap out last night, but thought that we'd better check as David had promised to keep anything decent for us. No moths, and no Mottled Shieldbug either. I was hoping for a better photograph. Last night's visible migration ( probably mainly auditory), was a flood of Redwing, Fieldfare and Mistle Thrushes.

Very few people around to-day, it all looked different. Anglers, Birders and Workers, none of the food shacks were open either.

Cook's Pool is at the entrance to the RSPB reserve which we pass on the way to and from Dungeness Obs. We stopped to view the area, looking for the Cattle Egrets and Ibis. The cattle were lying, chewing the cud, at some distance away, one Western Cattle Egret flew amongst them, no sign of any Ibis. The Great White Egret showed again,

 

and a male Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds.

 

Following Birdguides' excellent map directions, we drove to St Margaret's Bay, and Littlestone Golf Course. A Red-backed Shrike had been reported at its western end. A potholed lane led towards the sea where we could see a handful of birders and photographers waiting. Unfortunately, the area was heavily used for dog walking, they were everywhere and off the lead to boot. We looked for some time, without success, until it became very dark and it started to rain. Reluctantly, it was time to retreat. We did see a Stonechat.........

Insects, Trains, and Birds

 Sunday, October 11

We had moths, in and around the trap.. Ninety of them. Only 13 species, sixty five of them Lunar Underwings. We were happy as one of them was our first self caught L Album Wainscot. We saw our first at Sandwich Bay two years ago. Although they are spreading north, only a few have made it to Norfolk.

 

We aslo had a Delicate, Turnip, Chestnut, Barred Sallow, and  ten Beaded Chestnuts. The trap is placed on the small patio, its lead through the French Windows. A venetian blind keeps the draught out.

 

News of a White Stork at some coastal pits near Lydd sent us on a small detour. The two large areas of water were inland of the sea and the shingle bank. Greylag, Canada and Barnacle Geese, floating islands of Coot,  a Grey Heron fly past,  Marsh harrier, Little Egret and Mute Swans. No sign of the Stork. The message was later amended to 'flew over'. Nuff said.

The affable, and ever helpful, Dungeness warden, David Walker, did not put the moth trap out last night, after watching the weather forecast.  He did find a first for the garden which he took Pam to see. A Mottled Shieldbug. Pam then showed me its perching spot.

 

 Although they're quite common in mainland Europe, Mottled Shield Bugs are a fairly new species to the UK.  They were first recorded in London in 2010.

We lunched at the far reaches of the shingle desert which is Dungeness, beyond the power station and away from the numbers of people still present. A Stonechat was the highlight, plus a swooping Kestrel and a chattering Magpie. 

We heard the Romney, Hythe, and  Dymchurch miniature railway's muted whistle from far away. It wasn't running yesterday. We timed it perfectly for a chuff past as we left the coast.

 

Dungeness RSPB Centre was open to-day, so that it was possible for Pam to buy a birthday card for a friend, and a hot chocolate each for us. We parked in the area overlooking the cattle pasture in the hope of seeing the two Ibis said to be present. No sign of any Cattle Egrets to-day either. Just battalions of skeletal pylons marching away into the distance, regulation Covid distance apart, marked by swathes of wire.

Watching a Marsh Harrier patrolling a reed bed, Pam called, 'there they are'. Two Glossy Ibis had been startled  out of obscurity and  into flight. I saw them through the sunroof as they flew towards the Centre.

Ten minutes later, they flew back. I managed a quick flight shot before they dsappeared once more.

In the hope of seeing them on the ground, we crawled towards the gate, scanning all areas as they came into view. A Cetti's Warbler shouted nearby, Barnacle Geese grazed on the saltmarsh and three Cormorants decorated a small fence.

 

Patience did not pay off, we drove back to The Den after a very pleasant day.