Great Knot in the bag and some local bits and bobs

Couldn't help but feel I had been here before, when a Great Knot was reported once again at Breydon Water. I absolutely love Wader watching so was not put off at all by the 'probable' reported on the Sunday night, and in preparation I slung some clothes and gear in the back of the car. I finished up at work early with a couple of tasks to complete, but there was only one place I was headed to first. It was a hot day, and I was glad of my shorts and t-shirt as I paced out the 1 and a half miles down the estuary towards Burgh Castle where I was delighted to find the bird feeding on the mud not too far out. I made a few notes at the time. Some spotting on the flanks, and scapulars looked black but fringed with white allowing for a chequered effect. The bill looked slightly decurved, the tail accentuated. The head colouring actually looked dark red but in fact was black, the sun playing tricks on this glorious hazy afternoon. I went home and read up on the Great Knot some more, who knows it could be me one day.

Although my local listing has slowed up I am still respectfully placed in the Patchwork minileagues. I have been very busy with wedding preparation which perhaps accounts for a lack of additions, but I still manage fairly regular visits at least to Church Marsh. Last night Debs and I heard at least one Gropper in full reel, saw our first Common Tern of the year fishing here and noted young Grebes and Tufted Ducklings doing well.

On Saturday we stopped briefly at Zak's in Mousehold and connected with a couple of Purple Hairstreak at the top of the oak in the car park. We also saw a young Peregrine near the river in the city centre.

At home in the garden, I have finally seen the local Nuthatch! A Gatekeeper was the newest addition to the Butterfly year list.

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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

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

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

Notes from the valley

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