Skip to main content

Surlingham update and Cantley Waders

Waders galore

Common Darter

Sunrise over Surlingham Village

A flurry of recent visits to Surlingham have come about I believe due to the realisation that a return to work looms. An Autumnal twist has been noted on the reserve: Mixed tit flocks roving far and wide through the scrub, and 4 Snipe were feeding at the rear of the lagoon on the 31st oAugust. On the 1st of September, a flock of c.50 Lapwing were at Wood's End, and a Chinese Water Deer was feeding at the edge of the lagoon. These mammals do seem to be more visible at this time of year. 3 Cormorants were on the river, returning for the winter. Other bits and bobs included a coming together involving a Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk (no harm done) and a Heron carrying away a Grass Snake.
On the 2nd of September, I was a busy birder. I began at the patch, arriving on site at 5.30am. I was keen to see what wildfowl used the lagoon overnight. As I walked towards my target, at least 2 Bullfinch called persistantly, but I was unable to pick them out in the half-light. A Tawny Owl called, Cettis Warblers sang and the Geese began to wake up; it was a noisy start to the day! On the lagoon, I smashed my record count of Mallard on site- 106 were counted. 44 Egyptian Geese, 7 Canadian Geese, 2 Greylag Geese and smaller numbers of Teal and Gadwall were the other birds that had presumably roosted on the lagoon. I watched most of them leave as the light broke through the misty gloom. The real highlight was a Kingfisher, which flew right past me as I sat in the bus shelter hide.
In front of the 'proper' hide, the reeds have been cut and burned. 2 Moorhen foraged here, and this looks like a good spot for Water Rail and Snipe, particularly as the months pass into Winter.

After cracking a few last minute chores at home, I picked up James and set off for Strumpshaw. The reserve was quiet save for a Hobby perched nicely on a dead tree, but we had really come to search for the Reported Willow Emerald Damselfies. I am still a novice in this area, but despite employing the expert help of James, we were unsuccessful. We did however see Common Blue, Brown Hawker, Common Hawker, Ruddy and Common Darter and a couple of male Brimstone Butterflies.

We then popped to Cantley, meeting up with Ricky and bumping into fellow blogger David Norgate. We had crippling views of the Dunlin flock feeding within yards of us. A quick scan through revealed at least 10 Little Stint, 4 Curlew Sandpiper and a few Ringos. We hunted for the Pectoral Sandpiper in amongst the mudflats and endless supply of Ruff, but this bird was to prove too elusive. We did however manage the usual Green and Common Sandpipers, and picked up a smart Wood Sandpiper. Again, fantastic variety on offer and having visited a few times over the summer, I feel like I am really beginning to get to grips with Wader behaviour at a site like this.

Comments

  1. Ben Lewis4 September 2011 at 12:14

    I'll be recording the Mallard and Egyptian goose counts for SCM, I believe the Egyptian goose count is a reserve record, nice one!

    On another note, I suspect the Common Hawker at Strumpshaw was probably a Southern Hawker. CH is very rare in Norfolk and is always on acidic soil or heathland, the three main locations are Winterton, Potter heigham marshes or Dersingham bog.

    All the best- Ben

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jim4 September 2011 at 13:29

    Ok Ben, thanks for that information. I will look a little harder next time at those Hawkers!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grey Phalarope- a new patch bird

The 7th of April was another bitterly cold Spring day, hats and gloves in prime position on pegs and in bags ready to be deployed. A few brave Garganey have been reported north of the river, but it was a bird from the north itself that had me rushing for the thermals and the telescope late in the day.  I was thankful for the local Whatsapp group who were quick to report that a Grey Phalarope had been seen on Rockland Broad. This tiny Wader would have come in on the northerlies over the last few days, although to grace one of the broads is a real surprise, since most stick pretty close to the coast before moving on. Indeed, my experience of the birds has usually been on a sea watch in the Autumn, waves crashing and foam flying, my eyes straining to pick them out as they fly low just above the surf. They are fantastic birds, and now one was here on the patch. I had a brief panic when I realised my scope was in my car at the garage (thankfully I do have a much older spare) but once the ho
Post a Comment
Read more

A change is as good as a rest

Casting my mind back to February 14th, survival rather than love was in the air for the birds of the Yare Valley. Tramping across the Surlingham corner of the patch, I recorded 8 Woodcock within 2 hours. These Cryptic Waders had been forced out of hiding, and even amongst the woodland floor they were easier than usual to spot against a backdrop of snow. The small pine wood opposite the church and adjacent to the parking area held at least 2 birds, creeping around and huddled up low to the ground. A further investigation of likely habitat around Church Marsh and I was presented with 6 more, a record count for me in a single day. I hope they made it through the trial sent from the north in the form of ice and snow. A Great Egret exploring a dyke at Postwick must've been thinking twice about the whole range expansion thing. However, a small Squadron of Bewick's Swan and a single Goosander over Claxton fitted the mise en scene nicely during this period.  That image and that day fee
Post a Comment
Read more

Foulden Common- Skippers and a Hairstreak

Been meaning to get to Foulden Common for what feels like years, and it probably is that in terms of timescale! I recall being poorly last Spring, and my days put aside for a Butterfly hunt there were postponed. Before long, the mid-summer doldrums had set in and all thought of Norfolk's scarce Skipper species were put on hold until 2019.  And so despite the overcast conditions and lack of some Bird Therapy, I headed out this morning. Arriving from the direction of Mundford, travelling through Foulden village and approaching an S bend, I noticed a small bowl-shaped pull in. Doubling back I parked up, walked through two gates and began searching the common land. The first 45 minutes had me cursing the lack of sun and planning my next free morning before returning to work. A pair of Common Blue and Small Copper gave some hope, and a hoarse Cuckoo and 2+ Garden Warbler were clearly harbingers of warmer fronts moving in.  As the sun threatened to bust through the clouds, I pic
Post a Comment
Read more