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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (7 Viewers)

Fieldfare still in the village today

couple of Turtle Doves

Little Owl

Little Terns still seem to be doing okay...

sea mist still persisting - for about the 10th day on and off
 
matt green said:
Saw one this afternoon at Strumpshaw Fen, very obliging it was too while I fumbled with the camera.Matt
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Good to hear there was at least one Swallowtail out and about today, although it looks as if that poor thing has been in the wars.

Forgive my ignorance but am I right in thinking the dragonfly is a Norfolk Hawker?

Ron
 
NoSpringChicken said:
Good to hear there was at least one Swallowtail out and about today, although it looks as if that poor thing has been in the wars.

Ron
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LOL

The Swallowtail was a fluke to be honest, landed on the trail path by the flower meadow and gave good long views to me as well as a couple I was chatting to while watching the barn owls.

Regarding the Dragonfly, yes I think it's a Norfolk Hawker as you say.This one was photographed at buckenham though most were seen along the ditch on the far eastern side of strumpshaw fen along the path that runs from the river to the woodland trail - they were all very active and quite difficult to ID
let alone photograph!!

Matt
 
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The dragon is a Norfolk - the only UK hawker with green eyes. There's been reports of scarce chaser's seen at strumpshaw as well - think Black-tailed skimmer without the black tail!

I forgot to mention the birds on Sunday! Marshie, hobby, grasshopper, sedge and cetti's, but best of all a Cuckoo at the top of a bare branch for about an hour giving great views right in front of the visitors marquee. (took us hours to superglue it on before the visitors arrived).

Springwatch in Chapelfield Gardens this coming saturday for those with kids. I'm hoping the white-letter hairstreaks will be out - so if anyone needs a butterfly tick come and see us on the butterfly conservation stall. (face-painting optional unless you're under 5)
 
Used to be called Green-eyed Hawker I think?

you can just see the dagnostic yellow isosceles triangle on the upper body

these and Hairy are oten the only dragonflies out for a fair while

Tim
 
matt green said:
Sheringham would be a good spot, you can get anywhere on the north coast with the coasthopper service which runs regularly along the coastline between kings lynn bus station/hunstanton and cromer, sheringham train station also takes you direct into norwich/norfolk broads etc.
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Absolutely - I did just that for a week in April.

And I'm gonna do it again for a fortnight in August or September - it's the ideal solution.

I stayed at the Beaumaris hotel, about 5 minutes walk away from the Coasthopper bus stop.

It's a slightly "past its best" hotel if I'm honest - still pleasant enough though, and comfortable - but the evening meals are excellent, it has a decent garden, and Alan, the owner/manager, is a (somewhat lapsed) birder himself - his hotel garden list is over 60 species!
 
When I was a Strumpshaw Fen about ten days ago I saw some damselflies which were a very dark irridescent bluish green including the wings. They were beside the track from the Tower hide to the railway crossing.

Information gleaned from the appropriate section of this forum suggests that they were either Beautiful Demoiselles or, more likely, Banded Demoiselle, neither of which are that common (especially the Beautiful Demoiselle.) If anyone is at Strumpshaw it is worth looking out for them as they looked rather beautiful, dancing about over the reeds.

Ron
 
Fantastic views of a Bittern as it flew low right over the hide at Rush Hill after a terrific rainstorm

couple of Hairy Dragonflies and the most amazing display of Marsh/Spotted Orchids I've ever seen in a field at Hickling.

Tim
 
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Had a pair of super Hobbys over the house in Dersingham this evening, hawking insects at times comin down really low! Wonderful!

Connor
 
Back in Norfolk now, having finished my stint at Portsmouth uni. Straight out birding at the 1st opportunity, obviously.

Monday night, visited Salthouse Heath with dad, in the mist. reasonable amount of activity, with lots of Whitethroats, Yellowhammers, Linnets, Skylarks, etc. No Nightingales sadly, being the obvious target bird. However, a Tawny Owl flying past the car through Taylors Wood on the way home was more than compensation.

Spent Tuesday at Cley. Plenty of good birds here to keep me amused, including 2+ Spotted Redshanks in full black plumage, 4 Curlew Sands, 1 Common Sand, 1 Green Sand, 2 Ruddy Shellduck (worth reporting them, or are they gonna be megas?!) Also 1 male Ruff in black breeding plumage and Bar Tailed Godwits among the many Black Tails. All the commoner waders and wildfowl as well. 1 Redshank took a liking to a post outside of one of the center hides as its calling post. Got some nice pics, and will post them later if I can. Also a Spotted Fly stopped on one of the posts in frond of the hides.

Jason
 
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Here are some of the pics. Taken using my mobile, through my cheap scope.
 

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And here's the posing redshank. Probably the best pics I've manage thus far with my 'equipment'.

Jason
 

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Nightingales

I was at Salthouse Heath last thursday around 2am after i'd finished work in the pub and got three nightjars and there were about six nightingales singing beautifully.

Got a Hobby this morning skirting the River Stiffkey opposite the Red Lion for about ten minutes. Just back from Blakeney where i got awesome views of the female Red-Backed Shrike.

Andy
 
andyrew said:
I was at Salthouse Heath last thursday around 2am after i'd finished work in the pub and got three nightjars and there were about six nightingales singing beautifully.

Got a Hobby this morning skirting the River Stiffkey opposite the Red Lion for about ten minutes. Just back from Blakeney where i got awesome views of the female Red-Backed Shrike.

Andy
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Did better than me then. I think I'll persevere with them though, knowing you've heard them!

Where was the Shrike, btw? It's been around for a while, so I might have a look tomorrow.

Thanks

Jason
 
According to my pager, this morning the shrike has been "just north east of blakeney at friary hills. c200 yards east of main gate, in hedge"

She's been around that area and showing really well all week.

btw, i got two male and one female Montague's Harrier yesterday, as well as five Marsh Harrier, one Peregrine, seven kestrel, two barn owl and a little owl, all just driving between hunstanton and stiffkey!!! Raptoriffic!!!
 
BTW - weather looking very good for rarities again, particularly tomorrow, but potentially Saturday morning if heavy overnight rain showers persist, but are interspersed with clear conditions on Friday. Low pressure over the North Sea, high pressure and generally fine weather over the continent and strong easterly winds. Classic fall conditions if it were a month earlier. June is often the month of mega rarities rather than scarcities, so even if there doesn't appear to be much about, it's worth holding out for the rarities. Think along the lines of Paddyfield Warbler or Black-headed Bunting....:)
 
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Sounds good Ilya. May get myself down to Blakeney point tomorrow. See if I can find my own rarities!

Red Backed shrike showed really well this afternoon in front of Friary hill. Gets about though. Makes sure you check the hedgrows in the fields as well as the ones along the path if you go looking for it. She spent a lot of time hunting from the hedgerows in the field, swooping out and then returning to a prominant perch. Coughed up a pellet during the hour I was watching it. Brilliant bird!

Jason
 

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