White Winged Black Tern Fen Drayton Camebridgeshire 10 July 09

White Winged Black Tern Cambs. A stunning adult bird, which in spite of the 'record shot' category photos gave imressive and close flight views when not on the ground. A very pleasant surprise after the Caspian Tern in the previous post.

Pictures above and below taken as stills from video footage

Caspian Tern Welney WWT 4 July

Caspian Tern Welney 4th July.
Having started the day at Holme a quick turn-around got me to welney to find the Tern asleep and not seemingly in a hurry to go anywhere.Excelent flight views followed with a couple of shots included below, taken as stills from video footage.
Like the Pratincole in the previous post a superb bird to break up the summer birding with Red Kites also added in both Norfolk and Beds. as well as further stunning views of Golden Orioles and Bitterns. A freshly fledged Song thrush being fed in thye garden was a nice follow on from regular appearanjces from adult birds.

Bittern Lakenheath 26 June. This individual posed for at least 15 minutes at the top 0f reeds before providing another long flight view before dropping into anothyer section of reedbed. Nice views in the scope but a bit of a struggle for the camera !

Black Winged Pratincole Titchwell 5th June

A return to Norfolk allowed more excellent views of the Black Winged Pratincole at Thornham, both in the air and on the ground. Though the views were good, the light and distance meant there was no chance of getting any pictures. A visit to Titchwell on the 5th delivered the goods in the form of stunning flight views from the Parrinder hide, and , eventually a chance to snatch the pictures below as the bird teased its admirers with occasional and very brief moments away from the vegetation thet obscured all but its head !

Spoonbill. Titchwell 5th June Note the 2 colour rings on its right leg - Red over Yellow

More spring Delights .......

An unproductive trip to Breydon Water Yarmouth in search of what turned out to be a controversial 'GREAT KNOT' on 30 May was followed the following day by stunning views of a BLACK WINGED PRATINCOLE over fields between Holme and Ringstead t. The bird had been originally reported as a Collared Pratincole, which would have been nice, but its subsequent rediscovery and reidentification produced a lifer on the Holme Patch ! Not quite Redwell or Holme Marsh but close enough ! The 29th had produced good views of the Squacco Heron at Wicken Fen and Golden Oriele, Bittern Bearded Tit and Hobby at Lakenheath.


Squacco Heron Wicken Fen. 29 May. The views were better than the photos! Pictures taken from a cramped hide that was difficult to view from and even worse for the camera.

Kingfisher Abbey Farm Flitcham 28 May. - Followed the same evening by classic views of Nightjar and Woodcock in the Sandringham area. Not surprisingly no photos of either species !

Sedge Warbler Snettisham 24 May



No pictures or even views of the voles, but a surprise notice stumbled across while visiting the 'open gardens' in Dersingham in a birding lull. A group of Kentish water Voles being catered for in Norfolk , having been temporarily relocated because of an engineering project.


Tawny Owl Holme NOA 23 May. pictures of this years 2 young Tawnies ringed at the Observatory. A particular delight for a visiting group of birders from Northern Ireland.Followed later in the day by a group of 5 Spoonbills that flew East over the marsh

Drinker Moth Caterpillar Redwell 23 May

Spring again - or some more good birds along the way

A few more nice surprises to add to the list so far - though unfortunately not all availabe for the camera.
11 May Temminks Stint Bedford. Not the first I have seen but a first for Beds: + Hobby, Yellow Wagtail, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers Redshank and Oystercatcher.
10 May. a quiet day on the coast but still throwing up reeling Grashopper Warbler Weatears and Terns offshore. A flock of over 50 Black Tailed Godwits wheeling over Redwell Marsh was a spectaculour sight.
9 May. highlight of the day 2 Red rumped Swallows flying together at Cley, having kindly lingered for me from the previous day. Followed by Montagues Harrrier, Red Kite, Hobby, Buzzard and Kestrel at a second site.
8 May 3 Dotteral Ringstead. - Showing nicely on the ground until flushed by a Hobby, flying so low over the field that it was almost touching the ground + Whinchat Weatear and singing Corn Bunting as extras.



Temminks Stint Bedford - 11 May. Another in the optimistic 'record shot' category

Gadwall Redwell Marsh Norfolk 10 May

Black Tailed Godwit Redwell Marsh 10 May. 1 of a flock of over 50 birds that came in.

Common sandpiper 10 May Snettisham

Weatear Snettisham 10 May Snettisham

Weatear Snettisham 10 May

Weatear Snettisham 10 May

Weatear Snettisham 9 May

Spring Catch-up .......

One of the delights of spending time on the Norfolk coast - Barn Owls are never difficult birds to see . Hopefully there are a few more surprises to come but the spring's edited highlights so far have been good !
4 May Ring Ouzel Snettisham. 2 May A stunning Male Golden Pheasant in the Brecks. 27 April Whiskered Tern Paxton Pits. 26 April ICELAND GULL past Holme from the Dunes as well as 3 Ring Ouzels and posing Grasshopper warbler. 25 April BLACK HEADED WAGTAIL at Titchwell. 24 April A superb adult SPOONBILL found on ken hill Marsh, and still present early the next morning. 18 april 2 Dark Phase Arctic Skuas past Holme as well as 3 Gannets. 17 April 3 Black Necked Grebes 4 Little Gulls Pentney Gravel Pits 16 April Juvenile Kittiwake briefly settling on Holme Marsh at a time when the sea was seemingly dead !!
14/12 April 2 Black Redstarts Old Hunstanton. 9 April Blue Headed wagtail with Yellow Wagtails Old Hunstanton. 6 April Crossbill. Ring Ouzel Snettisham Coastal Park. Red Kite Peregrine Sandringham. 5 april 2 Cranes circling over Holme before turning back east. 4 April 10 Crossbills Black Redstart Snettisham. Male Common Redstart Heacham. 31 March at least 5 Porpoise in a prolonged performance off the dunes at Holme



Whiskered Tern Paxton Pits 27 April - either a blob on a stick or a very optimistic record shot !

Black Headed wagtail Titchwell 25 April



Spoonbill Ken Hill Marsh 24 April.



Chiff Chaff Snettisham 20 April


Black Necked Grebes Pentney Gravel Pits - a rather optimistic record shot

Grasshopper Warbler Holme above Snettisham below

Black Redstart Old Hunstanton 12/14 April

Male Lesser Spotted woodpecker Breckland

Filmed at same location as previous video. Nice to have a pair on camera !!!