Norfolk Again

Saturday May 30

Home since last Sunday with very little time for birding. So many gardening and house jobs to catch up with. The cold (warm compared with Scotland)weather with some rain hasn't helped either. I'd hoped for a long day out to catch up with some missed Spring migrants. That will have to wait until Monday, June 1 now. It's been great to see Swifts and House Martins in the village - no Martins on our des. res. artificial nests for the second year running....

Couldn't resist putting the moth trap out three times this week, felt deprived in Scotland. It was far too cold there and the one occasion on which we used the portable trap produced nothing at all.

Not exactly teeming at home, everyone's complaining. Our largest catch has been: 

Sunday May 24 -17 moths of 9 species, 

Tuesday May 26 - 17 of 12

Saturday May 30 - 5 of 5 !

Some of the species we trapped

Brown Silverline

Chocolate Tip

White Ermine

Pebble Prominent

Poplar Hawkmoth

Treble Lines

Blood Vein

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Small Square-spot

Scotland for 3 weeks

New  Blog to cover the trip.......

http://adaralbian2015.blogspot.co.uk/

More Migrants

Wednesday April 22

We had an early appointment in Cromer. Going on to bird in Cley was an obvious decision. 

A couple of Wheatears at Salthouse, one Spoonbill and all three hirundine from Iron Road and after a very quick look for the Gropper, the cafe at Cley Centre was open, so that Pam could have a coffee and a scone.

Steve and Greg arrived which delayed our departure. Fortune this time. The Grasshopper Warbler was singing occasionally, and showed briefly, in the bushes opposite the Centre entrance.Bob and Richard the Hat were part of the group.

Two more Wheatears at the Eye Field before driving Glandford road again. Just past the sewage works, our first Whitethroat sang well and gave us frequent but brief views. Alerted by a passing birder, we scanned the wires en route to the ford, without success. For the first time ever we saw not just one but two vehicles drive through the river. One was a DHL delivery van, the other a more likely Land Rover and trailer.

Better luck on the way back, our first Cuckoo was perched on a telegraph wire. We didn't see the second and there were no calls. Shame, I like to hear that.

A short walk on Kelling Heath yielded nothing. I was cold and in need of food. Time for home. We're moth-ing at Cley to-morrow....!!

Moths and Migrants

Tuesday April 21

The day started well with two House Martins flying overhead. Very few moths caught overnight at Natural Surroundings, the number caught only just exceeded the number of moth-ers present. There were 15 of us.......

The penultimate moth was a Great Prominent, a new one for us and a lovely moth.

After the almost obligatory drink and chat, we left for Cley and Glandford Lane, past the sewage works to the Ford. Plenty of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Blue Tit noise on the way there, nothing else singing. 

We parked at the ford, Pam walking as far as the water. My attention was attracted by a Willow Warbler flitting about in low dead stuff very close to the car. I reached for my camera, the warbler had gone but I noticed another picking insects from the tangled vegetation the other side of the small stream. Pam returned to the car which made it move further away. It let forth a stream of loud song and immediately flew away, as Cetti's Warblers invariably do. I managed one photo. As it's my first photo ever of this skulking bird, I will include it.

A Goldcrest made its way along the hedgerow as we left. The return trip was much better. I heard a low chatter, asked Pam to stop and we were engulfed by the song of an extremely close Garden Warbler. A little further on, near the poplar plantation, the liquid gold song of a Nightingale held me entranced for several minutes. We were lucky that no cars came along to force us onwards.

Parking at Cley Centre. we walked towards Bishop's Hide. The hawthorn bushes at the start of the walk had held a showy Grasshopper Warbler. No sign for us, no-one had seen it since early morning. The loud song of a Sedge Warbler, leaving its perch, rising into the air and diving down into a bush was some recompense. A birder told us that Pat's Pool held little of interest so we drove home for a very late first meal of the day, just before 2.00 p.m.

Quick Trip

Monday April 20

After a morning spent preparing the bed for, and then planting, the maincrop potatoes, I needed a rest. When Pam had finished edging the lawns, I suggested a trip to Barton Broad. Arctic Terns had been reported from Horsey Mere and Rockland Broad, what were the chances?

Good. 

One Arctic Tern made its buoyant, bouncy flight amongst the 20 Common Terns at the far side of the broad, before disappearing.

I tried phone-scoping the distant Terns again ........ better photos desired. The colour is a bit odd. Shall continue to practice.

Not as many Great Crested Grebes in view as usual, off breeding I expect.

Willow Warblers sang and showed well. Pam tried to photograph one and got a good photo of its backside. Very sharp!

Whilst processing her pictures to-night, Pam made a surprise discovery. We have an extremely dark female Pheasant visiting the garden. She posed alongside a pale one this morning so Pam took a couple of photos. In the foreground was an out of focus Brambling !

No Sue - Our Choice

Friday April 17

We were due to take Sue out birding to-day, until she phoned with bad news about her father. He's had a stroke and is still in hospital so she's on 'dad duty'. What should we do? Go out of course.

Leaving Choseley Barns and driving towards Titchwell we found our own Ring Ouzel. She dropped down into the field from the hedge, we moved for a better view and she disappeared.

After checking the book at Titchwell, Pam suggested walking the Meadow Trail - after she'd caught up with me when I was only just past the turning. We'd heard Blackcap, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff in the car park and, that's all we heard on the trail to Fen Hide. Fen Hide needs an injection of birds to become interesting. The seats are comfortable though and it was good to shelter from the biting easterly wind. A beautiful looking sunny day  too.

I stuck it out on the bench behind Patsy's Pool screen for longer than was comfortable - and sensible. All the usual ducks and a Little Grebe was the reward plus the booming of a male Bittern from somewhere to our right.  Time for a hot drink and a move elsewhere.

We hadn't bothered with Redwell Marsh  for some time. Very few birds present and a  lot of water leaving no muddy edges for waders. The enjoyable highlight was a superb male Marsh Harrier quartering the pool reedbeds. I didn't have a camera.....

Holme entry road saw the first Wheatears of the day. Three birds in a roadside pasture. A male flew into a tree my side of the road so I took some photos. I still had my 1.5 X extender on so the enlargements are not as sharp as they should be.

NOA Broadwater Hide was sheltered from the wind - as long as the end window was shut. Pochard, Avocet, Canada Geese, 

Tufted Duck and Black-headed Gulls on the water soon exhausted interest. The marsh opposite was more interesting. Brent Geese, and 20+ Yellow Wagtails, which were feeding amongst the herd of bullocks. We never did get a clear view because of the hawthorn hedge and rough tussocky field but, now and again, the Wagtails rose into the air en masse before settling again.

I had my camera this time, so, when another male Marsh Harrier flew along the opposite bank, I managed two photographs.

Abbey Farm was pretty birdless too, until Pam found a Little Owl huddled in the base of the oak tree, looking like a part of the bark surrounding it.The warmth of the car was very welcome.
Not the best and most productive of birding days, enhanced by some lovely experiences.

Birds and Moths

Wednesday April 15

Trapping overnight produced the expected host of Common and Small Quakers, one Twin-spotted Quaker, Oak Beauty, 2 Pebble Prominents and a Frosted Green, which was new for the year.

Frosted Green

Pebble Prominent

Another lovely day, although less warm than yesterday. Barton Broad called....

A dozen Common Terns dipped and swirled over the far side, from the end of the boardwalk. Lovely to hear and see them again. Two landed on a shingled platform, will they breed?