Smashing records

I have had 4 Elephant Hawk Moths in a trap before, but Friday night with perfect conditions lured 15 into my trap in the back garden! Quite a sight, especially when some of the more sleepy individuals were left together to settle down in a conifer upon releasing them. I still struggle with some of the smaller species, but was delighted to see a single Rosy Footman amongst the haul. Others included Poplar Hawk, Buff Tip, Brown Tail, Sycamore, Smoky Wainscott, Leopard, Peppered Moth and Riband Wave. Over 100 Moths came to light during the night, my best ever trap for both variety and number.

Although I couldn't find a reported Mandarin at Rockland Broad on Friday, I did pick up 2 Curlew heading south which when I looked at my data proved to be a patch year tick. 10+ Tufted and 20+ Mallard were loafing on the artificial islands in front of the hide, and we surprised a Barn Owl from its roost and enjoyed watching it hunt over the marshes soon after.

Today I took some students to Minsmere, and despite the drizzle we had a goods day pond-dipping and bird counting. Best find were 6+ Spotted Redshank, along with 3 Blackwit and 1 Ruff. One of the lads netted a young Newt from the pond, and the expected Caddis Fly and Damselfly Larvae delighted the group.

It has been a slow month hence the lack of posts, but the Albatross at Minsmere proves anything can and will turn up. Hoping for a Caspian Tern or maybe an early Red-footed Falcon on the patch before I jet off for Thailand later this month. For now, I have been content with a local Tawny Owl waking us up over the weekend, and the usual Warblers are still giving the odd burst of song down the local marsh.

Coming up- a Bat walk at Strumpshaw on Friday and a Thetford foray Sunday. Then, hammer the patch before holiday!

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Everything is about edge

Hardley, where it is often confusing to define where the garden ends and the marsh begins. Tumble-down houses and rickety shacks, away from any bus route and Team Sky sorts wrapped in lycra, this is a village that by choice is cut off. The secret is out, and pre-storm Ciara as many as 10 large lenses littered the river bank firing at will. Their target- Winter ghosts. First, the classic Scooby-Doo type, as a Barn Owl responds to an ill-advised squeak in the grass and heads towards the onlookers. Another quickly joins the hunt, their formation a picture of double-edged stealth. But these year-round residents are not the key objective today, that honour is given to the Short-eared Owl. 3/4 of these can be seen from the staithe at the minute, floating like giant moths over the tussocks and edges. In a recent article in The New Yorker, Jake Fiennes states "Everything is about edge". Hedges, ditches, scrub, forgotten tracts of land that link nothing and no-one. Fiennes, now ...

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 th...

Wood's End and Surlingham, 13/03/11

Decided it was time to search for a Lesser Pecker within and around the patch, ideal habitat alongside the Yare and plenty of deadwood. I should say now that the search was fruitless, but did throw up some good habo and a few decent birds for the area. Wood's End had a large flock of Siskin in a small conifer plantation, and a Nuthatch called from within. A Common Buzzard called overhead, and was seen again from the pub- I will keep an eye on this a potential breeding site. Great Spotted Pecker showed well, and my second Brimstone Butterfly in 2 days passed through- stealing a march, or so I thought! My first was seen from the staffroom yesterday, not all bad on the Western Front then. Surlingham was looking pristine in the sunshine, and approaching the lagoon I could hear Lapwing- usually across river at Wood's End- and then a familiar call which I almost ignored, but then realised where I was.....Redshank! Never actually saw it, but still a new bird for the patch. A pair of S...

Notes from the valley

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