[Karl J]

A hot sunny day at Strumpshaw & Buckenham, Norfolk today. Just a few clouds about and little wind.

Bit of a wander, no real aim of the day except to unwind.

Started at Buckenham from the station, past the hide, on to the sluice gate & back again. Most entertaining were 3 Marsh Harrier off toward Cantley including 1 - a female - having a really hard time being mobbed by both a crow and Lapwing at the same time. Several Goldfinch, couple of Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Avocet, Sedge W, 1 Linnet and 1 Whitethroat. Across the river at the Beauchamp Arms pub there's a colony of House Martin which was interesting to watch for a good while - there always seemed to be something going on, with them flying in & out of the nests and over the river, flitting busily around catching flies along with some Swallow, and back to the nest again. I counted at least 10 nests on the front of the building and I think there are some more round the side & back that couldn't be seen properly. Never sat and watched them in that way before, was good.


On to Strumpshaw and the wet meadow. Norfolk Hawker dragonfly were the main attraction, which was really good as they'd been a bit of a target for me since seeing them on Bill Oddie last year, and this was the first time I've seen them.
A very ordered approach to their flight - up the ditch to the end, hover for a short while, then turn round and come back again, backwards and forwards, up & down. They seemed quite territorial and I saw several disputes with up to 4 of them (and other species) their wings making the noise a bit like an electric wire sparking when 2 touched together. A definite id'ing took quite a while though, it seemed to take ages before one landed conveniently enough to get sight of the longish thin yellow triangle on its back & small brown stripe at the base of the hindwings. I should think these are a nightmare to photograph. I guess though I'd still have been fairly sure of the id, - the brown body, green eyes and clear wings, but was interesting to see one at rest. Also 4-spot Chaser around, a few Hairy dragonfly as well, but not as many as a fortnight ago. Banded Demoiselle, Large Red & ? Blue damselfly as well.

Butterflies - lots of Painted Lady about, and Small Tortoiseshell. Was interesting at one point to see several of each sharing the same thistle flower head. Also Brimstone, Swallowtail and Small Heath but didn't see any Peacock today

The meadow also has orchids coming in flower now, of varying colours and patterns etc. only one I could id was the Common Spotted, but the others ( Marsh Orchid I'd guess ... ) varied from almost white through pink to a deep purple in colour, with different lines and markings on. Interesting even if I didn't know what I was looking at !
The Ragged Robin & Musk Thistle in flower are a couple that I did know also Yellow and White Water lily in the ditches.

At Strumpshaw I also got sight of 4 more Marsh Harrier, 3 over the reserve - 1M & 2F - and another across the river. Made the total of 7 which is the most I've ever seen in one day - because of where they were and what I've seen before, I'm confident they were seperate and not the same birds in a different location.

So, all in all a really good day. Unwound, relaxed, watched a fair variety of natures best, bit of reading by the river, a wander around in the sun.

May just have to do the same again soon !

[birdman]

Sounds very civilised indeed Carlos.

Nice read, thanks!