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Showing posts from May, 2017

Raptor's steal the headlines in May

Red Kites continue to make their push eastwards, and the bird below was photographed (badly) today on Claxton Marshes, coming out of an aerial duel with a Marsh Harrier and continuing to search for food. Another, perhaps the same, was seen on the 13th in the same location. On the 16th I observed one passing the window, from the couch! Huge excitement ensued on the 3rd. when a juvenile White-tailed Eagle made landfall at Buckenham that evening. This individual, assuming it is one and the same, has been touring Norfolk and Suffolk for a few weeks now and this was a rare opportunity to add it to the 'seen from patch' patch list. In brisk chilly weather, I parked at the Beauchamp Arms and walked east to a small hut presumably used for monitoring sailing or fishing competitions. This gave me an elevated view over Buckenham Marshes, and the Eagle was easily picked out on a gate post. Needless to say this was a giant of a bird, and the Oystercatchers were very brave indeed to wan

Winds hit their mark in the Yare Valley

Although the end of April and early May has been chilly enough to warrant a woolly hat and jacket, the winds from the east and north have bought with them some decent birds on the patch. Having been laid up for a spell after Scotland with an infection, I was finally getting better on the 23rd and headed to Church Marsh to conduct a Wildfowl and Waders survey, whilst at the same time noting any Bearded Tit or Marsh Harrier behaviour. Shelduck, Gadwall and Teal were paired up on the lagoon, and a single Snipe landed out of view. A male Marsh Harrier was circling over the western corner of the marsh but no sign of a female with him. I heard a couple of pings from the resident Beardies but nothing conclusive. Reed Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler although late were new for the year. The following evening I enjoyed decent views of the latter on Claxton Marsh, exciting to find new territories of this elusive Locustella. A walk round the patch on the 29th threw up a beautiful Wheatear on Roc