Roller at Horsey

Following a fruitless look in the morning for the Roseate Tern at Lowestoft on Tuesday 6th August, as usual no sign of this really elusive Lowestoft bird. I decided after work to go straight for the Roller. After 40 minutes tortuously negotiating the holiday rush hour track through Yarmouth< I finally arrived. Parking off the road just before the Nelson Head pub on this lovely sunny evening, by the style at the start of the walk I saw a Painted Lady with almost half its right wing missing but it was still able to fly, it perched briefly on the path ahead. I met Julian B who was as helpful as usual, describing exactly where to see the Roller near cows in a fenced field 400 yards south of the end of the path. Julian said it was very distant and I was unlikely to get a usable pic. Walking south for around 150 yards I met a 3 birders scoping it, including Jeremy G. The excellent Roller was on posts at the western edge of the field. 2 Kestrels were perched on other posts nearby. Occasionally the Roller would fly down for prey before flying up again to the fence posts. When it flew down the very pale sky blue panels in the tail could clearly be seen. A jackdaw sized heavily built bird with a chunky black bill pale. A blue bird with brown back and black on the primaries and secondaries. Just behind it, a Hobby was perched on another fence post. We enjoyed this scene for around an hour, I took a few record shots but the bird was so far away. A couple asked had we seen the Seals on the beach and in retrospect I wished I had checked them out as there was at least 1 Common Seal subsequently photo'd by Danny P. Walking back we met a birder who had heard the Cranes bugling call and I was very fortunate, whilst driving past Horsey Mill to see 2 excellent Cranes flying directly over the road and right over the car!

Saturday at North Beach

Returning in the morning I initially looked at the rocky area just north of Birds Eye and was disappointed to see the sea was right up to the wall, full tide, so no chance of photo'ing the summer plumaged Knot, indeed I couldn't see it. Seeing Josh on his bike he said he'd seen the bird right out on the point. So returning to Ness Point the summer plumaged Knot was feeding on the very end of the finger in the company of a Dunlin. The excellent immature Black tern was seen flying over the water and indeed did perch on the groynes again, affording further pics once Ali R were happy for me to approach closer. In the afternoon, I spotted my first sighting of a Migrant Hawker dragonfly that was flying around the garden, when she alighted briefly on a bush, I could see it was a feamle. An evening visit parking my car near the tamarisk bushes by the factory, I was forced to hastily retreat back to my car and park it near employees cars at the far northern end of the Birds Eye, when 5 youths mainly 2 boys trying to "impress some girls present", pulled off the Yellow triangular sign with red writing "telephone cable on it"off its post and throwing it down the concrete western slope by the seawall. They were also throwing stone everywhere. So with great trpidation I walked down to the sea defence rcks where it was fairly obvious Dick & OFB were photographing something, almost ceratinly the Red Knot. It, the gorgeous Knot was in full summer plumage and showung very well as it fed amongst the tide, it was together with its friend, the Dunlin that it had been with before at the Point. In the evening my first Silver Y moth of the year was seen flying around the Buddlea plant.

North Beach Seawatch

Joining Rene B< Rob Wil & Andrew E on beach we watched a range of maritme species. The immature Black Tern flew in from north, settled on the groyne I managed to get some pics. A seawatch included a further 3 adult Black Terns which flew south, 14 Whimbrel south, 4 smart summer plumaged Grey Plover flew south, great flocks of Terns flew south, 2 Golden Plover flew south, 2 close Arctic Skuas flew south, the shear sight of these dark marauders from the north panacked a Common Tern which immediately dropped the fish it had and this was eagerly taken in by the piratical skuas. Later on a Little Gull flew north and over the Scroby Sand wind turbines off Great Yarmouth. Also 2 Common Scoter were seen 2/3 of the way out on the sea.

Butterfly bonanza

At around 7.15am this morning, I ventured out into the garden and was surprised to see a Hairstreak on the Hebe, it turned out to be a Purple Hairstreak that soon flew to the middle of the garden where I lost it, a first for the garden and unusual to see this species so low down, too. Meanwhile on the Buddlea, a cloud of butterflies were seen including 10 Peacocks, 6 Large Whites, 3 Small Tortoiseshells, 1 Red Admiral, a Meadow Brown, a gatekeeper and first one and then 2 Painted Lady butterflies recent migrants from across the continent. The first one spent much of its time on flowers at the very top and back of the bush, although both Butterflies were a little easier to see later on.

Afternoon at the Marsh

Arriving home at about 2pm, on Sunday 28th, Jenny first of all spotted the excellent Brown Hawker flying around the middle of the garden. Driving over to Carlton Marshes, looking from Wilton's mount, I saw a Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshanks feeding in the grass, nearby a Wood Sandpiper was also in the grass. Walking up the path and across I finally found the path to the otherside of the marsh and it was much closer. A Little Egret, one of 7, fed on the water close to the path. By a grassy island the nominate limosa race of Black- tailed Godwit fed amongst the long grass of the island, later it fell asleep on the left hand side of the island. Whilst at the back, a winter- plumaged Spotted Redshank fed in the pool at the back. I left and returned with the camera, the nominate race limosa Black- tailed Godwit was by the island again, this time it was asleep on the left side of the island by the mud, later it woke up and fed on the island for some considerable time before it walked over to the mud just left of the island and tucked its bill underneath its feathers. The Little Egret was walking on the grass very close to the path a further 6 were seen also, whilst on islands at the back slept 2 eclipse Pintail ducks. 2 Greenshank and 1 Spotted Redshank were seen too. Walking back to Wilton's mount, the 2 Robs were there with Andrew and we saw 3 Wood Sandpipers 2 in the far grass and 1 much closer by the edge of some water. Walking back, the excellent Little Owl perched on the left side of the chimney pot of the delipidated building it stayed until I set my camera up and it flew west.

Morning at the Arboretum

John & I visited Lynford Arboretum on saturday morning between 9.10 to 1pm, where we saw Barry B and a group of people watching several Crossbills in conifers including 2 immatures and a smart red male. Walking to the entrance hut area over looking several larch trees. We waited here til 1pm, seeing up to 12 Crossbill feeding on larch cones but sadly no Two-barred. 2 Spotted Flycatchers were seen perched at the top of the larch trees. Also a Mistle Thrush flew over heard, rattling as it went.

Evening at the Marsh

On Friday 26th July, seeing Phil at the car park we walked up to Wilton's Mount overlooking Carlton Marshes scrape, as we walked up 3 Green Sandpipers flew around. I saw a Ruff walk into long grass and first Spotted Redshank and then up to 6 Greenshanks.