Damsels, and we're going on a Quail hunt.

So, what's new? Damselflies that last year would have just gone down as 'Blue' are now being assigned to species level by this amateur naturalist! The last couple of days at Surlingham and Claxton have thrown up Common Blue, Azure, Banded and Large Red Damselfly. Photo below is I believe a smart looking Azure. The wind has forced our local Butterflies to hunker down, but my unusually good track record with Wall Brown continues, one on the wing at Claxton yesterday. Photo below.
Met Ricky yesterday evening for a quick jaunt round his patch. Proper 'good to be out' evening. Hobby in amongst the Swifts and Cuckoo over the obvious highlights. Ricky also pointed out the key spots for Waders around the reserve and river bank, I am jealous!
We then set out on a Quail hunt amongst farmland near Norwich. Another Hobby passed through, hunting Barn Owl, calling Tawny and a few farmland birds but no Quail....yet. I am sure this species goes under-reported so hopefully the missus will excuse the odd anti-sociable evening trip out to listen for the 'wet-your-lips' call. Had 6 calling standing in one spot last Summer, but that is a bit far too drive to once a week.
This morning got off to a flyer. Attempting to rescue some Snails from the lawnmower, I stopped and looked up. Some 'chip, chip' calls; 8 Crossbill! Heading east over the city. My best city tick so far! Buoyed by this, I tidied up the garden and headed to Surlingham. 2 Common Buzzards over the A146 at the Surlingham turn-off looked great, one individual missing a primary feather from both wings.
Onto the reserve, and a Barn Owl was hunting in broad daylight, flying across to Postwick, with food. A male Marsh Harrier still lingers here, a failed breeder by now surely. Good news from the lagoon- the Lapwing have fledged 2/3 young. Here's hoping they last this time.

Think the Moth is a Common Carpet?

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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 ...

Finally, just in time for the tail end of Spring migration........

.......we get some good weather. Too little too late? Only time will tell. I have enjoyed watching the resident birds go about their business on the local marshes and broads, but that ranks as the poorest Spring I can recall in terms of migrants and variety. That is not to say the birding is not good- but just a little underwhelming. Over at Rockland Broad on Saturday, I enjoyed a bit of a raptor fest, with 3 Hoby, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel all seen well. 2 Garden Warbler were singing, one by the carpark and one by the broad. A couple of Common Tern were hawking over the broad, and a Kingfisher was up to the usual near the hide. Don't get me wrong, this is all great (and in the warm too) but I was hoping for something a little different at Rockland this Spring. Still, with the decent weather set to continue for the next week, eyes to the skies. And indeed, to the ground, for my first Wall Browns of the year were flying and I happened upon my first 4-spotted ...

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...

Notes from the valley

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