[Karl J]

A few of our most notable wildlife sightings, in about 6 hours at Strumpshaw, Saturday 17 May:

First Swallowtail butterfly this year, or more acurately several of them, most notable was the one feeding on Red Campion 3 ft from us. A fantastic sight also quite unexpected with the breeze as it was.
Also Orange Tip, Peacock, Brimstone, Small & Green Veined White.

Lots of Common Blue & Azure Damselfly, 1 x Hairy Dragonfly, 1 x 4spot Chaser - all with thanks to the new book as recommended by BF'ers in another thread ( Steve Brooks, Field Guide.... etc) and a very knowledgeable fellow visitor.

Another first of the year - Yellow Water Lilly, some Yellow Iris showing well in the marshy areas, Bluebells that are now slightly past their peak, but still looking good with clumps of Red Campion mixed in, plus a large clump of Great Stitchwort.

Birds ; counted 42 sp in all, best views were probably the Marsh Harrier - 2 m & 1 f. Others were : an odd view of the Kingfisher - seemed to sort of hover over the water for a while, presumably this was due to the wind rather than anything else. House Martin, group of about 20 which I didn't really expect to see over the middle of the reedbed. Sedge, Cetti's & Willow Wblr, Whitethroat, and a very stately Grey Heron. Heard a booming Bittern & chiffchaff.

Weather - bit of everything really - cloud, rain showers, blue sky, warm sun, breezy at times.

Carlos

Sounds like you had a great time with a fantastic variety. Everyone says Strumpshaw is good, so I must go there one day.

I'd really love to hear a Bittern booming! I've seen them a few times, but never heard a boom. Lovely list of butterflies, and 42 bird species ain't bad either!

Peter

[Andrew]

I like well mixed days especially when thetre are plenty of Butterflies to interest you. Glad you enjoyed the natural spectacle.

[Karl J]

I have to admit that I'd heard a 'booming' Bittern a few times before someone pointed out what it actually was !

Not at all like a 'booming' sound - it's more like the noise you get when you blow across the top of a bottle.

As for Strumpshaw reserve itself, it's actually part of the much bigger English Nature Mid-Yare reserve which, as I understand it, stretches from just outside Norwich, and runs along the Yare river valley - til it meets Breydon Water near Yarmouth. There are several smaller reserves within the Mid-Yare on both sides of the river, Strumpshaw & Buckenham on the north of the river are just 2 of them.

I get the impression that, for some reason, the area gets missed by a lot of 'birders', who come to Norfolk and take in Titchwell, Cley, sometimes Winterton and then on to Minsmere. It does support a great variety of wildlife though.