Two Swallows

 Sunday November 3

All birding days are enjoyable, some more than others. Today was one of the latter. Why? Well it wasn't the weather, we set off early morning in grey overcast, all oncoming cars had their lights on. With several stops to explore lanes and their hedges, we'd seen over thirty species by the time we got to Abbey Farm in Flitcham. That's usually a spring total. Most hedgerows held a few Redwing  and Fieldfare, at Harpley a prized Bullfinch burst out of the bushes on our left, speeding down the lane ahead of us. Always a joy. Gone are the days when they were almost a daily occurrence at home. 

The Copper Beeches at Sandringham looked wonderful, almost as many russet brown leaves carpeting the ground as were left on the trees. By now the sun had gradually appeared, gilding the scene. It's become a joke that even if we leave home in gloom, by the time we get to Snettisham the sun will be out. It's happened too often. It's impossible to distinguish many of the birds on the far pit, identifying distant ,small, silhouettes are not a strength of mine. I can manage Cormorants and Lapwings and Greylag, but not many more. Wigeon have arrived in numbers here too. 

As we drove through the chalet park and caravan site, two Swallows flew onto overhead wires, before preening busily. How far had they come? I hope they make it somewhere warm for the winter, I took a photo through the top of the windscreen, knowing that the birds would be poorly distorted. I had no choice as they were on Pam's side and we couldn't manoeuvre.

In the same area, on our return journey, a few Starlings perched on poles and wires. Legless, but beautiful in the sunshine.

 


From Hunstanton Yacht Club, we scoped the Wash and the rocky pools enabled by cliff fall over the years. Despite the Sunday walkers, there were waders feeding on the shore, Curlew, a few Knot and Bar-tailed Godwits. Fulmar were already back on the ledges and an enormous flock of Scoter, there were several hundred, loafing far out in the Wash.

Although we'd missed several species, such as Mute Swan, Pink-footed Geese (where had they gone), Canadas and Barnacle,we'd seen a satisfying total of over sixty species from the car today. In order to drive home in daylight, we now need to start driving by three o'clock. We were home in good time to watch rhe Man U /Chelsea 1-1 draw. However we play, we get panned by the pundits and journalists. It must be soul destroying for the players.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 12

Image
 Monday May 6 Most of the morning was occupied getting in touch with the car insurance people and then Autoglass - then waiting for Autoglass to get back to us.  A  stone chipped our windscreen on the way through Skye, since then its become a one foot plus horizontal crack on Pam's side. End result. We take the car to Lewis or Skye or wait until we get home. The garage here 'doesn't have the equipment to deal with the sensor in the front screen'. Ian, Heather's husband, says he does them all the time! Ah well, live with it.  Almost the first bird we saw as we drove north was a lovely male Hen Harrier. It was distant but I had to try, one of these days I'll get a decent photo. Original photo before editing, taken with 500mm lens    Edited     As we drove down to Loch Paible, a flock of fifteen Whimbrel dropped in to the near corner.We needed to turn the car, by which time the birds had gone, this Wheatear posed nicely for me.    A short d...
Read more

Moth Migration

Image
 Wednesday October 9 Like birds, moths migrate when the season and weather conditions are right. Recently, we have had easterly winds with a mouth watering fall of birds which we have been unable to walk and see. Many Yellow-browed Warblers, Eastern Crowned Warbler in Shetland, a possible Amur Stonechat and an Asian Desert Warbler in Norfolk. Our moth traps have had a reasonable sprinkling of the migrant moths - although some could be breeding here by now. Palpita Vitrialis Scarce Bordered Straw Delicate   and Rusty Dot Pearl
Read more

Day 19

Image
  Monday May 13   The day started slowly and ended at a gallop. A morning spent doing chores meant an even later start than usual, well past mid-day. Loch Druidibeg was the intended destination but we missed the turning and ended up at Loch Eynort. Both are in South Uist, but Druidibeg is not signposted on the northern approach. We even found a parking space in the small six car parking area, where we sat looking at a pretty empty sea. Eventually, Red-breasted Merganser, Shags, a Great Northern Diver and an Otter on the sea and Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Cuckoo, and a Lesser Redpoll from the small wood alongside. AS we reversed away, Pam noticed the reg plate on the car beside us. It was WOC, Ian and Sue's car. We left them a note and drove on in the rain. We found Druidibeg this time. RSPB Scotland Loch Druidibeg, a community nature reserve formed in partnership with local crofters and the community estate. It is a Special Protection Area and Site...
Read more