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Wrestling

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  Monday June 15 Going out on Monday is getting to be a habit. One with reason behind it. It's not the weekend, and holiday crowds do not generally go to birding spots, apart from coastal places with food available.  Not as many en route stops as usual, as Snettisham high tide was soon after seven and we wanted to see some water for a change. That idea didn't work out. Sculthorpe Mill was alive with bird song, such a treat. In five minutes we heard/saw : Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Collared Dove, Chaffinch, Wren, and Blue Tit. No Spotted Flycatcher again, no Little Owl at Abbey farm and no waders all day. Not a single one - and that includes Lapwing. Driving back towards the entry slope at Snettisham, Pam noticed a Grey Heron at the other side of the pool. She took a few photos before I asked her if she would turn round so that I could do so. The bird was intent on lunch. It struck at lightning speed then flew off into ta...
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June Hiatus

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 Sunday June 7 We did manage to get out on June 1, but the aim was moth traps at Weeting, birding always an intention. Weeting no longer opens as a reserve, the trapping had been arranged by Jane, one of the Titchwell moth-ers who have recently joined the Cley group. We were a few minutes late due to unforeseen traffic delays. The moth-ing looked chaotic. Everyone was milling around the trap with none of the semi organised passing around of egg boxes that we are used to. In the end, Mike, Roger and an unknown man wearing thin black gloves, were very good about making sure that we saw the better moths. We ended up with four lifers, three macros and one micro. Two of he macros were brought in from elsewhere. We'd missed David N's  Eastern Bordered Straw    (through a dirty plastic pot). which he took to Cley on Saturday and the Purple Marbled from the Titchwell group. A splendid Fox Moth   was the other new micro.    I'm out of the habit of taking a came...
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Birds, Picnic, Ice-cream and Friend

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 Friday May 29 Birds, Picnic, Ice-cream and Friend = one of our days out. We met up with Pauline at Fakenham Morrisons car park. Not as hot as the previous few days the temperature had risen to 28C, much too hot for us.  Today we had a mostly overcast sky with an occasional sharp shower. The latter never lasted long nor were they frequent.  We had to work hard for our birds today, there's a lot less song as they are nesting, many are sitting on eggs and migration is temporarily halted. Apart from the occasional anomaly, like the Gull-billed Tern which turned (accidental pun) up at Cley in the afternoon. One could have walked to Lincolnshire from Snettisham, the water was so far out that it could not be seen through my scope. Without sun, it was possible to scope the reserve pit from the causeway. Again, a megalopolis of Black-headed Gulls, but much quieter than last time. There were some brown youngsters amongst the sitting birds. Pauline thought she'd seen a tern species...
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Yes, Snettisham Again

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 Saturday May 23 Accepting the theory that the half term, Bank Holiday weekend crowds would be either on their way here, or leaving before the rush, we were proved mainly right. With short stops at Sculthorpe Mill and Abbey Farm, we arrived at Snettisham at almost full tide. That made a change. Not the highest of tides, there were still acres of mud, but enough water for Snettisham Yacht Club dinghies to be out and racing. Toppers, a beginners boat, I believe.   To our delight, a lone adult Spoonbill was fishing in the first reserve pit, near to the pedestrian entrance walkway. The light wasn't ideal, but that's bird photography, one has to accept where the birds choose to be.    There do not appear to be any nests in the roped off bank area this year. Last year  there were at least three Ringed Plover nests with their attendant cameras. A couple of Oystercatchers too.  A long, dark line of birds near the far distant shore was mainly made up of Brent g...
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Local Jaunt

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Wednesday May 20 After Pam's Covid and RSV jabs, plus a little recovery time, we drove to Hickling NWT Reserve. New from our last visit were eight small Polish Konig horses, a semi-wild breed used by the NWT to keep grassland grazed on their reserves. Mouse dun with dark manes and tails, I find them very attractive.They are especially useful as they do not get foot rot in marshy conditions.                             There is limited viewing from the drive down to Whiteslea Lodge, but there are a couple of places from which one can scan the marshes beyond Brendan's Pool. Two amalgamated families of well grown Greylag hid away from my camera, a Blackcap serenaded from the woods and I caught a glimpse of a Hobby before it disappeared behind trees. Swallows and a few Swifts sped through the skies, a Marsh Harrier lazed its way east and a distant Chiffchaff had us searching. Easy to hear, difficult to see.  Using on...
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Three Seasons - One Day

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 Monday May 11 We had a strong northerly wind, overcast, sun and showers in which to look for birds. Our journey west was very birdless, even Sculthorpe Mill was quiet. This is a stronghold for Collared Doves, none seen all day, remarkable in itself. We saw our first Swifts in North Walsham a few days ago, we expected to see them at West Rudham, but the skies were empty.  With patience, we saw a few House Martins at Harpley Cottages, no rain equals no muddy areas to use for nest building. This is an area that stayed dry today too. Yet again, no Little Owl in view at Abbey Farm. Ian and Sue have seen one here, so they're still around.  A lovely blue-hazed field brought us to a stop. Flax. There are many delightful blue flowers, this is one of my favourites. We arrived at windy Snettisham an hour and half before a lowish high tide - 5.2 metres - that would not bring the birds up close, but better than usual.  Parked near the chalet end, I lunched watching the water com...
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Bee-eaters

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 Thursday May 7 The birds were first reported last night as 'heard' over Eccles.  This morning, a group of 13 bird was found near Hempstead, Eccles area. We were at Cley for the weekly moth session, which was disappointing - as it has been all year. 5 Muslin moths, all in the Centre trap, was the poor total. The other two traps did not even have any flies or other insects in them. Roger was around the area last night and only saw one lit trap, the Centre trap. Are the batteries being charged? After a drink and a chat, we set off home, passing our road to drive on to Lessingham via Happisburgh. A tell-tale sight, about eight cars parked at a steep angle on the verge of a narrow lane. Even better, birders with scopes gazing into the distance. Pam saw the birds on the distant wires, too far for me, turned round as soon as possible, stopping in a wider bit of the lane from which I took a quick few photos before traffic moved us on. Most of the five photos I was able to shoot were ...
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