Last Chance

 Monday April 28

We start our travelling to Scotland on Thursday, this was our last chance for a day's birding beforehand. Pam needs to be present when our gardeners come, the car needs a new tyre fitted and some packing has to be done. We're taking the portable actinic trap this year, there's nowhere in the vicinity of our cottage near Forres suitable for the MV with its need to be plugged in to the mains supply.

It was my turn to choosed our stopping places today. A latish start brought about by waiting for Green Thumb to arrive to assess our front lawn (the contract price quoted was exorbitant, no thank you). As promised the day was hot and sunny, the car thermometer went up to 20C. Not bad for April.The last lot of warm weather has brought spring galloping in. Suddenly, everywhere is green. Chestnut trees have their candles and hedgerows are thick. The roadsides are tall and heavy with Alexanders, they do well in Norfolk. This does mean that birds are more difficult to see. We heard and saw all the commoner warblers and I actually managed a few shots of a singing Chiffchaff. This was along the road out to Holme, not well lit and on Pam's side of the car.


 

 

 

We did add one year bird, our first House Martins, always a pleasure. Flying around Harpley Cottages. Swallows were scattered around in many places, in ones and twos.The first Swifts are in, but have eluded us. We had hoped to see terns at Snettisham. The tide was as low as we have ever seen it, only a handful of birds on the expanse of mud. Best was up to a dozen beautiful Grey Plover in their best bib and tucker summer plumage. Stunning.

AI is good when it works. Merlin, the birdsong app does very well - but today it told me that I was listening to a Grey Prinia and a Rock Wren.  Both in the same location.

I'm writing this on Tuesday, and Pam has seen our local House Martins for the first time.  We also heard a Turtle Dove on Kelling Heath last Thursday, thank you Ian for the heads-up.

 

 

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