Hobbies again

The pair of Hobbies were seen again this evening, they were a little late due to the windy conditions 8.53-9.31pm continually hunting for Cockchafers over Fallowfields & the garden. They caught quite a few of the July bugs eating them in mid air as they grasped them in their talons, as they were feeding a big piece of the body fell to the ground. They flew very acrobatically often sweeping up to catch the Cockchafers. They only appeared once the July bugs started to fly over the trees. Again they would rapidly flap their wings and put a quick burst of flight on to rapidly go north over the garden and the house.

Garden HobbyFest!!

At 8.40-8.42 I saw an excellent Hobby fly due east and then north over Fallowfields, disappearing behind next door's house it then flew back low seconds later right over the garden giving superb views. I then tweeted this and went outside the front of the garden hearing a falcon-like kee-kee-kee call surely the call of the Hobby. At 9.02 I then saw an incredible 2, a pair of Hobbies, that were continually flying around Fallowfields and sweeping right over the garden, presumably after the 10 or so Cockchafers that were flying just above our trees at the back. They put on an incredible aerial acrobatic display for the next 31 minutes, which is very likely to be repeated tomorrow night! They were scything the air so majestically, turning suddenly and then flapping their wings to fly to put on a spurt to fly very quickly through the air, usually when they were flying past/ right over the garden. They were definitely catching some of the Cockchafers. They were flying sweeping low and then high over Fallowfields, over to the edge of Parkhill Hotel grounds and then regularly flying right over the garden. I watched one Hobby take a Cockchafer in flight right over the garden (I was watching from the best vantage point our bedroom window) it wheeled round right over the garden, clasping the Cockchafer in its talons it started to eat it! Incredible! Is it a coincidence that as soon as our very noisy neighbours go on holiday the wildlife comes back to the garden/ area?

Dunwich & Theberton

At Dunwich Forest early afternoon, Ringlets were seen and Dick W and his wife had an immaculate White- letter Hairstreak perched on an overhanging strand of bramble. Too high up to photograph sadly. Commas were also seen. paul & Jane arrived and we eventually saw a White Admiral on a couple of occasions and another White- letter Hairstreak on an overhanging Elm leave branch, despite Paul's help i was unable to get a decent picture of it. Another White- letter hairstreak was seen perched high up on a Blackcurrant bush. An early Grayling was seen fly over and settle briefly on Dunwich Beach car park. At Theberton woods, no Fritillaries or Emperors seen but 8 Southern Hawkers were seen many perched but just out of reach of the camera lens! A Red Admiral was also seen.

Brown Hawker Duo

Saturday evening 21st July, for once, was spent blissfully eating dinner in the garden accompanied by warm sunshine and without the distraction of a cacophony of screams and shouting "Rhianna" (from next door) at the top of a child's voice were absent. As a result, we noted up to 2 Brown Hawkers, very sporadically, a male and female occasionally patrolling the garden, initially very skittish and landing for only a few seconds (Pagoda wood, trees, bushes etc) before flying off again. Finally, the female Brown Hawker, settled in the Cherry tree around 10 feet up and stayed there for a good 40 minutes, enabling me to take some pictures. She then flew away at 8.35pm and flew in circles around the garden often just inches from me, hawking for insects for 25 minutes, when she saw one changing direction suddenly and flying up and deftly catching them, wonderful to see!

Early and Late

A before work walk along the Lowestoft North beach revealed around 30 Common Terns, one bird was in full winter plumage with black bill and black shoulder smudge. On the Oval, the adult Yellow- legged Gull sat asleep on the middle of the Oval. It then woke up and looked around. It flew off when a groundsman walked over to the middle. As I drove past a very flooded Corton playing fields, I noticed around 30 BH Gulls and noted I would check it out on the way home. After work, I decided to visit Winterton and finally see some Little terns for 2012. At the Little tern colony, one bird briefly seen by a pool of water outside the fenced area. Apparently, they are having a really good year with 200 birds raising around 240 young! I must have seen around 100 Little Terns and 3 baby chicks too. Walking along the dunes the RSPB have roped off about 3/4 mile of beach for the birds. Nothing seen at the Toad pools save for 1 or 2 tadpoles in one, which must be young Natterjacks. Walking back with darkening skies and light rain I noticed a dark Green fritillary perched on a sprig of heather and I managed to get one or two shots. Driving back, late evening 8.45pm, I called in at the Corton Playing fields which were flooded and scanning the gulls, I counted 8 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 adults, 2 2nd summers, 1 1st summer and 1 juvenile bird.

Caspian at last!

Thursday 19th July I was working at County Hall and afterwards I visited Strumpshaw RSPB hoping to see the caspian. I walked over to the Tower Hide, seeing Rob Wils he promptly showed me his stunning photos of the Caspian fishing and hovering right in front of the hide. Sadly that experience wasn't repeated while I was there. 2 juvenile Marsh Harriers perched on a couple of distant bushes whilst a Common Tern flew around and a Little Egret fished right in front of the hide. I then decided to check Beighton Churchyard, initially seing nothing but Wood Pigeons. In a very surreal moment having just visited and touched the gravestone where my great grandfather and great grandmother are buried, I immediately heard the purring of a Turtle Dove. Wonderful! I looked in the trees and then spotted the excellent Turtle Dove still purring perched on one of the figures (angels?) marking each corner of the very top of the church tower. I watching it as it continued purring its crop filling up causing a bulging neck as it purred. It then flew up and and soared down to the trees just west of here. I then spotted it calling from trees just north of the entrance before it flew to a tree west of here by the road. Where I watched it for sometime "purring" I called Paul & Jane and within ten minutes they had arrived but the Turtle Dove had flown back to the churchyard. We walked back in and heard the Turtle Dove purring again, and again perched at the very top angel marking the south- east corner. It was so therapeutic and relaxing to here and see this wonderful bird. A Yellowhammer was calling outside too. At 7.55pm, a tweet from Rob & Andrew stating the caspian was back on Breydon, and for the third night running I left a dinner that had just been cooked and within 20 minutes I arrived at Breydon South wall walking north 300 yards and by the concrete platform, I joined Andrew & Rob, the excellent Caspian Tern was perched on mud. It was a big bird being roughly half way in size between BH Gull and herring Gull. It had a big heavy red-orange bill and black wing-tips. It then flew towards the Lumps, driving around to Asda and it was on the mud amongst Gulls and Terns. It opened its bill wide when other birds got to close fending them off with ease. It flew a short distance and then walked back to join some Terns. Other birds seen were around 8 summer plumaged Knot. 50 Black- tailed Godwits and 18 Common Terns and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Breydon Caspian Dip X12

Receiving a tweet from Peter A stating there was a Caspian Tern on Breydon, I left immediately but despite getting there quickly by the hide Justin was just watching it flying out of sight as I arrived, I missed it by seconds. Paul and jane had arrived literally seeing the tail end of it at Buckenham. This was my 12th Caspian dip on Breydon, I've seen just 1 Caspian on Breydon ever! One of the reasons why it isn't one of my favourite places. We then went onto Buckenham and I had to take the very long walk from the car park to beyond the mill to look on the pool. An adult Mediterranean Gull with white colour ring was noted as it flew around and swam at the back, apparently a rarity for this location! Around 10 Ruff were seen and 4 Black- tailed Godwit to the right. A Barn Owl perched on the gate by the mill and then was hunting over the fields. A tweet by Dick W stating the bird was still at Breydon at 8.35pm was just typical!!! I then took the long walk back and it was very apparent with the darkening skies, rumble of thunder that the mother of all storms was about to break, I just managed to get back to the car before the rain started to lash down like a petulant child throwing water away. As I drove the skies darkened further and the rain came down in torrents turning roads into gushing rivers and lightening punctuating the sky, the energy causing the sky to brighten like a light turned on brefly in a darkened room. great forks of lightening were seen regularly either side of the car and driving along the A47 towards Yarmouth a particularly violent lightening forked to the ground lighting up the sky accompanied a second later by a deafening crash of thunder.