North Coast

 Friday March 21

Apart from the weekend, there are not many days available to us for a longer birding session. Since our gardener's operation, Friday is one of them. We drove to Hunstanton, only stopping at Sculthorpe Mill for a quick recce. Chiffchaffs are in voice in many places after the last week's warm weather. Not much else there today.

I can't resist the Fulmars sitting on their ledges on Hunstanton Cliffs. No pairs this time. They are such gentle looking, understated birds. I was hoping for one in flight but none did so.

 


 Some of the feral Pigeons here look like their Rock Dove ancestors. Many people now call them Rock Doves -recent scientific research has found that only the birds on North Uist can be claimed as a pure strain. As the birds on Benbecula and South Uist, closely linked by road, have been deemed to be impure, I fail to understand how this has happened. They are as close as Sheringham and Cromer.

 


We didn't add anything to the year list today, just enjoyed what we saw. The white cattle at Holme had two Cattle Egrets in attendance, one of them becoming yellow around the head.

 

Does my bum look big in this.....?

Scanning from Holkham gateway, at least four Spoombills in their nesting trees, a Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, and probably the last of the Pinkfeet left before their flight north. We didn't see any Chinese Water Deer today.They have increased to become the most numerous deer in Norfolk, ahead of Red Deer, Muntjac and Roe - in that order. They are thought to be degrading Broads vegetation of the food plants for Butterflies, especially Milk Parsley, the food of Swallowtail caterpillars. One crossed the track in front of us as we drove out to Holme. It's the first time I've seen one there, they are very common at Buckenham.

Moths

Yesterday at Cley, David Norgate brought in a splendid captive bred (MIke Gasson), Oleander Hawkmoth. Oh to find one of those in the trap.

 


 Greg brought a Dotted Chestnut in. They are gradually moving north, we've had one in our traps, but only once.


 

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