Drake Ring- necked Duck at Carlton Marshes

Hearing the RND was back at Carlton, I divertedf from my intended destination for SSBlues and drove to carlton. Parking up as I walked down I met ali R leaving and then Andrew E but there were still 4 birders scoping Cormorant island from a 1/3 of the way down the bund. I picked up the fine male Ring- necked Duck asleep then swimming on the water showing slightly smaller size than nearby Tufties, with black bobble on its head, white/ black tipped bill and rear flanks grey looking compared to the white flank area bordering the black breast, it then swam to the water's edge and walked out on dry land showing the legs were unringed, it flapped its wings showing a full compliment of flight feathers and then settled down and fell asleep between 2 Tufted Ducks and a Little Egret was directly behind it to.

More Bee Orchids!

On a work visit to Hellesdon Hospital on Friday 23rd June, on a tour of the Grounds, I spotted 13 Bee Orchids on a grassy verge opposite the W building at the back.

Chlorantha Bee Orchids are back!

On Monday 19th June, directly after work, I showed Izzie where the Clorantha Bee Orchids were at a site north of Lowestoft, there were some 318 Bee Orchids and incredibly 8 Chlorantha Bee orchids with 68 Pyramidal Orchids.

AGP at Cley

Also on Sunday 18th June, I joined John H at hemsby at 1.15pm and John drove up to Cley Beach car park and we walked along the sandy pebbles to the North hide area an open hide where we looked over the North marsh. The fine summer plumaged American Golden Plover was seen close in but was obscured by long grass just before it.

Turtle Doves in deepest Suffolk

On Sunday 18th June, I had arranged via Barry W. to visit a farm and go in a specially constructed hide to hopefully view and photograph Turtle Doves and other farmland birds. I met Barry W. at the prearranged spot at the very early start of 5.15pm and he indicated to drive up and turn left and park. He had some seed and put it out in 3 areas in front of the hide. Barry wasn't joining me as he had some ringing to do but I was able to use the porto loo and went into the hide. basically a small shed converted to a bird hide with netting over and Barry pointed the camera to the relevant the light was awful area. The sky was very overcast and the light was awful with rain showers but after about 20 minutes the birds arrived Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves and 2 Turtle Doves. Later a pair of Yellowhammers also arrived plus the odd Carrion Crow. Even a family of Moorhens with an adult and 2 youngsters. By around 9.30am, the first shafts of sunlight broke through and the Turtle Doves were back, 2 then 3 birds, 1 male was courting the female puffing himself up and chasing the female. Suddenly, they flew off as Swallows started alarm calling overhead,

RFF at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe

On Saturday 18th June, a text from Alison revealed they had a Red- foot on their marsh, so at around 5.20pm I left and the sat nav got me to the Lane but I initially couldn't find the farm, fortunately Paul & Jane F drew up and said follow them, a sign on the left which I had missed simply spelt "RFF" and we parked by the farm and then walked down to the gate down again and then left and followed the marsh around a fenced area with plenty of Southern Marsh Orchids and over to the gate where Alison was standing and the fine 1st summer male Red- footed Falcon was on the telegraph wires very closely before it flew over to the wood and then perched in a tree. It then flew around again and caught a Norfolk Hawker eating the head and thorx with the wings being jettisoned and followed by the abdomen being dropped. It repeated these actions many time, having devoured at least 10 Norfolk hawkers, it then perched further away to the left before flying further right beforte once again perched fairly close on the wires. Later on a Red Kite flew past too.

Carlton Marshes go around

On Wednesday 14th June afternoonn/ early evening, I visited Carlton Marshes and was disappointed a chap had blocked the temporary car park and he refused to budge rather than confront him as I could have done I parked the far end but had to immediately divert around as the Mute Swan family wiuth 6 cygnets were on the Spratts Water path. I tried to get past giving them a wide berth but the male lunged at me and I made a hasty retreat! Others had successfully bypassed them but not me! By the dyke area, yet again no sign of the Fen Raft Spiders, I have tried seeing them but haven't seen them for 5 long years! 5 young Swallows were perched in low hanging branches and the adults were coming in to feed them. I managed to sneak up on one (just with my 180mm macro lens and take a few pics without disturbing them.

A trip to Broadland Norfolk

On Tuesday 13th June, after work I drove to Broadland Norfolk in the hope of finding fen Orchids at a traditional site. I walked over to the usual spot and instead of taking the area juLesser Stag Beetle st left of the path, I took the area just right and found 1 fine Fen orchid then I spotted 3 in a line together and around 11 Fen Orchids in total. The ground wasn't too wet either so easier to take pics. Back at the car park, I spotted a fine Lesser Stag Beetle by the car which I moved to a safer are and took a few pics too.

A trip to coastal Suffolk

On Monday 12th June, on a trip to coastal Suffolk, my first port of call to view a bee Orchid colony was abandoned because parking was difficult instead I visited another coastal site just north of there. On the way I photographed a showy Common Blue butterfly, nice to see around 85 Bee Orchids and 7 newly emerged Pyramidal Orchids plys a further 11 Bee Orchids growing within a metre of the fence.

A trip to Broadland

Later on, on Sunday 11th June, a trip to Broadland Norfolk, as I parked up a wonderful Swallowtail flew over a dyke fall of vibrant Water Soldiers. As I walked onto the marsh, 2 Brimstone butterflies seen flying up and down they never settled though. I saw a Hairy Hawker that flew up and down and settled on some vegetation and posed by the side of the path nicely for the camera. The weather was overcast and incredibly felt a little chilly incredible because elsewhere in Norfolk & Suffolk it was 28/ 29 degrees celsius!

A trip to deepest Suffolk

On Sunday 11th June, a visit into deepest suffolk, in a wonderful area for Turtle Doves, as I parked up I could here them immediately purring away and walking along the eastern edge of the site, 1 fine Turtle Dove perched in a tree and walking to the north of the site another Turtle Dove seen perched on overhead wires. As I walked over to the west of the site, a Turtle Dove perched bya telegraph pole too. Some teenagers walking down the road sadly disturbed it. There were several 5 Yellowhammers seen, the first seen in a nearby bush a male and a female with food in her bill, I left her to it. As I parked up, then one singing from the top of a tree along the west of the site. Finally one showed well in a bush in the middle of the site. I also saw a fine Spotted flycatcher on the western perimeter of the site and many gone Green- winged orchids c100 seen too. A trip to the Frog orchid site revealed a singing Yellowhammer which flew to a tree and in the usual spot, a well down trodden path led to an obvious Frog Orchid, eventuallly I found 5 more just to the left of that plant, so 6 Frog orchids seen in total.

Carlton then Eyed hawk Moths

On Saturday 10th June, a look at Carlton Marshes revealed A Grass Snake by the Spider Bridge, no sign of any Spiders. Plus a hairy hawker seen flying up and down the dyke. A text from Rob Holmes that he had some mating hawk Moths and I popped over to his address nearby and there were 2 mating Eyed Hawk Moths perched on the stem of an Alium. It was a warm day so the offer of a drink from Rob was very welcome, a great photo session in very convivial surroundings! A further visit later, again no spiders revaled an immature Mistle Thrush fly over by Spratt's Water.

Spotted Orchids

On friday 9th June, a look at the local Orchid Meadow revealed a few Spotted Orchids flowering.

Spotted Sandpiper at Corton below radar Lodge and Library Bee Orchids

On Monday 5th June, just after finishing dinner I had a call from Nick B saying he had just found a very special bird in a very awkward and almost inaccessible location. I rang back and incredibly he had found a summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper complete with spots! But it was very flighty and directly below Radar Lodge which had been fenced off because of the dangerous old sea wall and the crumbling cliffs! He advised parking near Beach road, walking down the road and then heading south for around 1000 metres, I did just that and promptly slipped over on a very green encrusted part of the path, no damage done but gingerly I got up (remember I had had a bad fall coming out oif the ditch where the Fly Orchids had been in deepest Suffolk. IA fence was barring access and carried on half way up the cliff, I grimly hung on to the fencing, handily for me there was a gap where I could put my big lenns and camera bag plus the scope and tripod, and feeling rather like a low budget Spiderman I clung on for dear life and just managed to get up halfthe cliff and over the otherside. At which point Nick arrived and took my scope tripod and camera bag, as I then had to balance on a wrecked part of the seawall walk along like a trapese walker and jump 4 feet onto another rock, this was certainly not for the faint hearted. I just about managed it and joined Nick, Andrew and Rob Wil who was just ahead of me. The Spotted sandpiper was feeding by the base of the cliff, the light was poor and the sea was rapidly coming in so we had 30 minutes max to see it. It then appeared from beyond a lump and showed reasonably well on and off for the next 30 minutes, very white below wiuth spots which were densest on the breast. A very striking bird! TBCand carried on there look along the North Beach revealed 2 summer plumaged Sanderling, saw Andrew E too. Tuesday 6th June, by carefully caging the Bee Orchids, I have saved them from certainly being squashed by a large crane than was just millimetres from them aover the past few weeks and working with our great estates team to make sure they are preserved and indeed celebrated. We had 2 last year, this year we have 4 and the original plant has now produced its first flower. I am offering all Hospital staff Bee Orchid safaris (very popular last year) and have already shown 5 people today!

Large Red Damselfly & Owlet

On Sunday 4 June, I noticed a fine male Large Red Damselfly was perched on the open conservatory door. The first one I have seen in the garden for several years. I went to retrieve the camera but no batteries in it meant I had to put one in when I returned the damselfly had gone. James W tweeted out about an Owlet, I drove to a local wood and taking the western track, I eventually spotted the fine Tawny Owlet perched high up in the canopy of a tree.

Lowestoft Shrike

On Saturday 3rd June, I went down in the morning to photograph the Kittiwakes. Rob Wil found a Red- backed Shrike, driving down to the Links's Road car park, I joined a few Poeple Chris D, James B and we soon saw the fine male Red- backed Shrike perched briefly in bracken and then it flew back and perched in a bare tree where it hunted for insects. Moving up to North Parade the light was much better with the sun behind us.

Man Orchids in the heart of Norfolk & Rockland Black Tern

On Wednesday 31st May, I drove to the heart of Norfolk. Parking up crossing a busy road, I walked across under a low hanging branch with black and yellow tape then turning right. Walking up and on the right were 3 superb Man orchids, the one further back were slightly past their best but the closest one to the path was prsitine especially at the top of the plant. It was overcast on Wednesday but I went back on Friday 2nd June and the lovely evening sunlight showed them off to their best. I then travelling back called in at Rockland Broad, travelling past the village and south then took the car park on the left and walked past the pub and down the footpath to Rockland Broad where I walked for just over half a mile hearing several Willow Warblers calling and past the hide, looking out over the Broad, plenty of Swifts over the Broad and over to the right the super Black tern would be seen in its dipping Marsh tern like flight often wheeling round then diving down to the water's edge and the flying right and out of sight again. A Cuckoo calling flew right past me.