A brilliant first Father's Day present was the fine Pacific Swift at Trimley.
I arrived at the crowds just as a pager message said that it had not been seen for an hour and a half... Great! I only had an hour or so to connect so the pressure was on and this was not the best news. Amazingly about 5 mins of waiting and the bird showed distantly at first then right overhead and straight across the river! At this point a lot of people left, but greedily I wanted more! 10 mins of intense scanning and it was back in my bins for another 5 mins showing well over the pools. Awesome bird, one I never thought I'd connect with. It also appears that just for a change my timing was perfect, keeping me out of the doghouse and not having to stand around for long. Almost certainly one of the only ticks I expect to get this year and its going to be difficult to beat for rarity status!
In other news the patch birding is going well, I'm currently in 17th place in the national league, which is really good for an inland site which has not had many rarities this year...so far.
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Patch tick..again!
Been very busy at the fen and at home recently so have not updated.
Since my last update spring seems to have passed into summer and its actually quite warm in the sun at the moment, at last! ...although there is still a nagging cool wind to moan about!
I had an unsuccessful walk up Blakeney point last week, well, I successfully walked to the point with Connor but failed to see any better than a handfull of Wheatears and a Whinchat.
Today while doing a bearded tit survey a fine Spoonbill did the decent thing and flew up river, this was a bit of an overdue patch tick and a good bird for the fen. I did try to photograph it but it was way too distant from where I was to get a shot of any kind. When I got to Tower Hide two of the regulars had some super images showing the bird was ringed, red over yellow if I remember correctly, probably a bird from Breydon Water. I phoned the bird into RBA in the hope that it would alert a few people further west of its presence, I followed it all the way over Brundall and it looked set on heading towards Whitlingham, although I see no further reports were to be had of this individual, hopefully Jim'll pick it up at Church Marsh tonight!?
Swallowtails and dragons/damsels are really good at the fen at the moment creating a nice overdue summer feel to the fen. The Harriers are having one of their best breeding years on record as well as a recent influx of reed and sedge warblers causing the reedbed to really come to life with bird song, at least 4 Hobby's have set up home at the fen too joining and hunting the 100's of swifts hawking uinsects over the fen as well as 3 Cuckoos racing to find caterpillars and warbler nests to hijack, and finally Kingfishers are darting back and forth taking fish to the nearly fledged nestlings.
Essentially the fen is full of life at the moment, responding well to the warmer weather. Fingers crossed in the next few weeks the bitterns will start their nest feeding flights and some more beardy nests will be found.
All this going on and only a month and a half before fen management is due to start again, hopefully there will be another few goodies to be seen before then!
Since my last update spring seems to have passed into summer and its actually quite warm in the sun at the moment, at last! ...although there is still a nagging cool wind to moan about!
I had an unsuccessful walk up Blakeney point last week, well, I successfully walked to the point with Connor but failed to see any better than a handfull of Wheatears and a Whinchat.
Today while doing a bearded tit survey a fine Spoonbill did the decent thing and flew up river, this was a bit of an overdue patch tick and a good bird for the fen. I did try to photograph it but it was way too distant from where I was to get a shot of any kind. When I got to Tower Hide two of the regulars had some super images showing the bird was ringed, red over yellow if I remember correctly, probably a bird from Breydon Water. I phoned the bird into RBA in the hope that it would alert a few people further west of its presence, I followed it all the way over Brundall and it looked set on heading towards Whitlingham, although I see no further reports were to be had of this individual, hopefully Jim'll pick it up at Church Marsh tonight!?
Swallowtails and dragons/damsels are really good at the fen at the moment creating a nice overdue summer feel to the fen. The Harriers are having one of their best breeding years on record as well as a recent influx of reed and sedge warblers causing the reedbed to really come to life with bird song, at least 4 Hobby's have set up home at the fen too joining and hunting the 100's of swifts hawking uinsects over the fen as well as 3 Cuckoos racing to find caterpillars and warbler nests to hijack, and finally Kingfishers are darting back and forth taking fish to the nearly fledged nestlings.
Essentially the fen is full of life at the moment, responding well to the warmer weather. Fingers crossed in the next few weeks the bitterns will start their nest feeding flights and some more beardy nests will be found.
All this going on and only a month and a half before fen management is due to start again, hopefully there will be another few goodies to be seen before then!
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Strumpshaw fen Biodiversity week
This week at Strumpshaw fen we have our annual biodiversity recording week- Monday to Sunday.
So we are asking as many people to come along and record as many species of everything as they can- from grass to grasshoppers to grasshopper warblers!!
I am opening moth traps in front of anyone who wants to see each morning between 9 and 10, hopefully the warmer cloudy nights will give a good catch for the week.
Andy brazil is doing a butterfly and dragonfly walk on Tuesday and Sunday (book for a place on these- he is so knowledgeable, you're guaranteed to learn something new with him leading.
Saturday is our adult orientated day (not in a rude way although Great tits may be on show!).
On this day we are running about 6 guided walks covering birds, insects, bees and hopefully plants as well as the opportunity to make a bee box for the garden etc.
Sunday is our family day so there will be events for families more suited to children, pond dipping, bug hunts and a bird bingo trail as well as other fun filled events.
If you want to come and record come along at any time during the week or weekend but call in at the office to get a bit of info as to where you are allowed off the trails and what to do with your records.
Fingers crossed the weather will be kind to us, but with May you just have to be prepared for all eventualities!
So we are asking as many people to come along and record as many species of everything as they can- from grass to grasshoppers to grasshopper warblers!!
I am opening moth traps in front of anyone who wants to see each morning between 9 and 10, hopefully the warmer cloudy nights will give a good catch for the week.
Andy brazil is doing a butterfly and dragonfly walk on Tuesday and Sunday (book for a place on these- he is so knowledgeable, you're guaranteed to learn something new with him leading.
Saturday is our adult orientated day (not in a rude way although Great tits may be on show!).
On this day we are running about 6 guided walks covering birds, insects, bees and hopefully plants as well as the opportunity to make a bee box for the garden etc.
Sunday is our family day so there will be events for families more suited to children, pond dipping, bug hunts and a bird bingo trail as well as other fun filled events.
If you want to come and record come along at any time during the week or weekend but call in at the office to get a bit of info as to where you are allowed off the trails and what to do with your records.
Fingers crossed the weather will be kind to us, but with May you just have to be prepared for all eventualities!
Friday, 10 May 2013
A few more good additions
A great couple of weeks at the fen has seen my total rise to 138, 2 full on patch ticks in the form of a cracking subad male Monty's harrier this morning and a all too brief Nightingale yesterday morning. Other additions included a Turtle Dove and 2 Cranes. Finally a few 3 pointers to up my points total!
A few dodgy pics of this mornings harrier, fantastic bird showed so well, if only i hadn't taken my camera out of my bag this morning!- photos taken with my phone :(
A few dodgy pics of this mornings harrier, fantastic bird showed so well, if only i hadn't taken my camera out of my bag this morning!- photos taken with my phone :(
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