Insects, Black Terns & Cattle Egret

On Monday 27th August, a Painted Lady was seen early morning on the garden boodle, a Bush cricket seen on a bush too plus a Shield Bug. Mid afternoon I travelled over to Rollesby broad and saw Dave H and his wife looking over Ormsby Little Broad, 3 winter- plumaged Black Terns were flying over the channel over the far side of the broad flying over a sky blue masted yacht and showing black spot behind the eye and smoky grey mantle. They had the characteristic "dipping" buoyant marsh tern flight action too. Always a delight to see but sobering to recollect the last time I saw this species was with Ricky last Spring. an immature Mediterranean Gull also seen flying over in the distance too. Parking at Burgh castle Church, walking to the first kissing gate, at first I could not pick up the Cattle Egret, but I eventually located it, the fine Cattle Egret walking around Cattle, of course. I had to stand on the kissing gate to see anything of it as it was often obscured. Seeing Dave H in the distance half way along the walk, I retraced my steps and had clear interrupted views of this bird as it was seen walking around the Cattle, often crouching down low with its head barely above the ground and held parallel before it snapped up a tasty morsel or two. Again a fine plumaged bird with cinnamon buff heah and back.

Semi- P then No Migrants 22nd & 23rd Aug

On Sunday 19th August, hearing early afternoon of a Semi- P at Minsmere, having not seen one since August 1996 I was keen to see another. An hour and a half later I joined the throng in the south hide and seeing Paul, Jane, carl B et al. I was treated to views through Paul's cope of only my second ever Semi- palmated Sandpiper. Typically small stint- sized wader with short bill appearing slightly thicker at the base and tip. It showed a super cilia and speckled back. It spent the time running down the muddy strip directly in front of us running a third down the spit, it was to be the closest we saw it before it flew over to the spit further back. I watched it amongst 15 Little Gulls (all appeared to be adult in winter plumage, sat on the spit, plus a Spotted Redshank seen too. laterWednesday 22nd failed to reveal any migrants, 5 adult winter adult Mediterranean Gulls on the roof of Corton NSW and a Buzzard in a bush by a field just west of NSW. On Thursday 23rd August a look around Gunton failed to reveal Whinchats at Gunton or The North Denes, a Great- spotted Woodpecker seen in a tree and that was it.

Cattle Egret at Leathes Ham

On August 16th having missed the roosting Cattle Egret at Leathes Ham the previous evening I decided to arrive pre dawn and sure enough walking around just left of the board walk I could see the excellent summer plumaged Cattle Egret perched in a bush on the small island. pre first light on the island at Leathes Ham, Normanston Park, Lowestoft at around 5.30am this morning before it flew south-west at 5.37am. Apologies for poor pic (it was before dawn!) It was seen again that evening. I saw it again on the evening of the 17th when arriving slightly late at 7.30pm it flew in. It appears to have been hassled by 3 Magpies also using the bush to roost and it forced the poor bird to fly out twice before returning. It later flew and appeared to settle in trees further south along the mere.