Godwits in Bedford and the Lark that got away in Norfolk ........

Black Tailed Godwits Fenlake Meadows Bedford.Part of a lingering group of 23 an unusual Bedfordshire record. Followed in recent days by a good passage of birds including Little Gulls, Black Terns an impressive influx of arctic Terns with 50+ over the main Lake at Priory c.p. one afternoon.

Redstart Holme - 1 of a pair. A morning spent at Snettisham had produced nice views of a male Ring Ouzel, singing Grasshopper warbler as well as Yellow Wagtail and Sedge Warbler - but not the Gargeney lurking out on Ken Hill marsh. With the addition of the Redstarts, and the Pochards posing for the camera all was well - until news broke of the Black Lark at Winterton. Sadly the news really seemed to have arrived too late, with too far to go to expect to see the bird that night. It was seen briefly by a lucky few early the following morning ..... but turned out to be a birders worse nightmare , the Sunday night special that effectively dissappears ... to the great dissappointment of those who chose to travel hoping it would remain and show well the next day.

Red Crested Pochard Holme

Easter in Norfolk

The Easter break traditionally provides a good range of spring migrants along the coast. This years early date for Easter and unhelpful winds meant the migrants were not so easy to find.A brief covering of snow did provide some distraction. No Ring Ouzels appeared at Snettisham or Heachem, but a few Weatears and the first Swallows and Sand Martins did appear.

A view from the Coastal Park looking towards Hunstanton - taken the same morning as the snow scenes above !!

Short Eared Owls. Above, a distant shot of 1 of 2 birds Hunting the marsh at Holme. Below, 2 images from Snettisham Coastal Park. This individual is the only Short Eared Owl I have seen at Snettisham right through from last Spring. Discovered sheltering in bushes, I did not see it again on any of my later visits.

Barn Owl and Stonechat Snettisham. Stonechats were widely spread along the coast, with at least 12 in the coastal park on 1 day's visit.

Tree Sparrow on the garden feeders with the regular flock of House Sparrows. At least 2 present for 1 day, and 3 the next.



Swallow and House Martin Holme. Part of a party of 35+ birds at Holme - the first sizeable flock of the year.

Weatears Snettisham



Brambling Holme

Dinner for 2 ?


and the week finished as it started - a snowy scene at Guist, though the Snow melted away as quickly as it had done at Snettisham

Oiled Red Throated Diver Snettisham February 08

1st 2 pictures Cropped hand held images. All others taken with the usual combination of Digital Camera and Telescope. DIVER, initially reported as GREAT NORTHERN but clearly a RED THROAT.Unfortunately an oiled bird, as evident in the big dark stain on the underside. Swimming and feeding, but spending a lot of time hauled out on the side of a small fishing lake. A visit to the RSPB Reserve produced the expected mix of waders and wildfowl. A stop at Welney on the way up had plenty of Whooper Swans on the approach roads and on the reserve,as well as the Bean Geese viewable from the main Observatory.Searching through the flocks of swans on the way in failed to produce the local COMMON CRANE. Instead, it came into the reserve in failing light, and settled among the roosting Swans. This leads on to my regular moan and Bug-Bear - hides designed by people who clearly never use them, and make sure that anyone who does ends up irritated and frustrated by flaps that are too low/high /narrow and placed at the most inconvenient level possible. Having picked up the Crane flying into the reserve, the height and placing of the viewing flaps ensured that others struggled to see it, even with my Telescope set up for them - visitors who had stayed on the reserve, and in the hide in the hope of seeing the Crane were not happy and as unimpressed as I was with poor design - something hardly likely to encourage returning visitors.

February 2008 half term in Norfolk

1 of 3 Crossbills coming to drink in the muddy pools of Dersingham Bog. Not the first time I have seen them do so, but always a tricky bird to catch up with. They spent most of their time at the tops of trees where they are not so easy to photograph. A female Hen Harrier that put in a brief appearance, singing Woodlarks, and numbers of posing stonechats made for a successful day's visit. Sadly no sign of any Golden Pheasants in spite of several visits during the week.

Part of a flock of several hundred Pink Footed Geese feeding in a roadside field. Still present on the coast but not in the same numbers as in previous weeks.

Dersingham Bog the following morning, with the rising sun burning off a blanket of fog and mist. No sign of the previous day's Crossbills anywhere on the reserve.

1 of at least 7 Lapland Buntings in the fields between Thornham Harbour and Holme NWT/NOA Present all winter, but usually picked up as calling birds in flight. Nice to see them showing well on the ground.

1 of 2 Chinese Water Deer seen from the Noa reserve, feeding on Holme marsh. A pleasant surprise after seeing numbers of the more expected Deer species around Sandringahm and Dersingham during the week ie. Roe Muntjac and Fallow

Bar Tailed Godwit Thornham Harbour

Teal Thornham Harnour

An extremely token 'Record shot' of the Rough Legged Buzzartd present at Burnham Norton - taken at distabce and into the sunlight !! It took 2 days to find it as in spite of the bright sunshine the Buzzard spent most of its time perching, rather than flying or soaring on the thermals that the sunny weather provided. When it did take to the air flights were low and brief, confirming all the Identification features, but not ideal views. The previous day's attempt had produced Barn owl and Peregrine sitting in the same clump of trees, as well as Hen Harrier,Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel all hunting over the marsh. A nice tally of Raptors. Good views of the Rough Legged allowed tiome for another trip to the White Crowned Sparrow at Cley, now showing well in a paddock on the other side of the road from the Driveway.Rather easier to see and much less crowded and Hectic - and still rising a large sum for the local church.The downside was trying to take pictures of a rather mobile bird, going into the Sun.



White Crowned Sparrow Cley