Woodchat Shrike at Kessingland

On Sunday 9th June, hearing Josh had found a Woodchat Shrike I parked just before heathlands in the lay-by and walked down to around 500 yards south of there along the beach, where I encountered a small crowd of birders watching the fine female Woodchat Shrike, in bushes along the embankment.

Lesser Grey Shrike at Horsey

On Saturday 8th June, I drove over to Horsey, no room to park on the bend, so I parked in the wood and walked across down the Nelson Head track almost to the back (around 200 yards before the beach). We looked across and the excellent Lesser Grey Shrike was perched in the mid distance bushes. It eventually flew a little closer. A really stunning bird, with peach coloured breast grey, black and white plumage.

Six dips over three days

On Wednesday 6th June, Josh had found a Marsh Warbler singing on my stomping ground at Fisher Row but I couldn't hear or see it. On Thursday 7th June again after work, he found another this time just past the railway line (in a similar spot to where I found one several years ago) again no sign, it was lovely sunny golden orbed light of an evening, but very nice to see Alison & Chris and catch up and also have a good yarn with Dick F too. Dick kindly showed me where up to 5 female Scarce Chasers were resting on bracken but too far out of reach to photo, but that was not the case for 2 magnificent Norfolk hawkers resting on the same bracken stem right beside the path that posed beautifully until a thundering crescendo of runners feet and 15 runners pounding by just feet away caused one to fly off. Andrew E arrived and instantly found a few more and 2 Scarce Chasers and a Hairy Hawker in tree top foliage. After Andrew E had left I had a very obliging female Scarce Chaser right beside the path just before the bowl. Overall probably 11 (all female) Scarce Chasers and 5 Norfolk Hawkers and 1 Scarce Chaser seen, good compensation for missing the Marsh Warbler. No such luck on Friday 7th June, when amazingly Josh had found a singing Greenish after looking for Richard's earlier Wood Warbler. It was in the north- east corner of the site but there was no sight or sound but good to see Steve P and Andrew E again. I thought there might be young Owls around as I heard a few alrm calls but couldn't find any, Tim B had better success and saw at least 2 Owlets later that evening, so it was a quadruple dip then.

Smooth Newt and Frog duo in Garden pond

On Monday 3rd June, at 5.20pm I was delighted to see a breeding male Smooth Newt basking belly up in the pond by a leaf, sporting a fine yellowy-orange spotted belly and about 3 inches long, I had a quick look bu t then dashed for the camera but alas it had gone so wasn't able to get pic, sadly. Nice to see 2 medium size Frogs in the pond, too. One posed very nicely for the camera in excellent light for a change.

Cuckoo in Broadland

Finally, after 5 visits and almost 9 hours (8 hours and 45 minutes) I was finally able to get pictures of the regularly returning Cuckoo to a caterpillar laden bush at a secret Broadland location. I had been hampered by people regularly walking by on a public footpath, they were perfectly entitled to do so and my stake out was further back on the river bank path with reeds and vegetation helping shield me. My tactics were to wait for the bird to fly in from 100 yards away, from a vantage point, to ensure no disturbance of the bird on my part then crawl into position, this worked admirably. Initially the bird perched on top of the bush but very sadly it was totally obscured, I couldn't move... s I might disturb it had I done so and I was only able to get a few pics of the bird (albiet usually obscured) as it fed mainly at the back of the bush and I can carefully crawl into position but regular walkers passing by on a footpath running right past the bush, forced the bird deeper into the bush. It even stayed after 2 walkers and a small dog went by, I viewed the bird on and off for 30 minutes, until sadly further walkers with 2 labradors probably flushed the bird, but I didn't see it fly out. A Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler were also also seen in the bushes and an Avocet flying over. I will try again for some more pictures but big thanks to both the Smiths: Murray and Steve for tipping me off about this and their encouragement to keep trying despite my initial lack of luck and pics!!

Consolation Iberian Chiff- Chaff at Minsmere

With the goodies at Minsmere potentially on offer (with Cretzschmar's (first for mainland UK) , Broad- billed Iberian and the 2 Savi's potentially the best in terms of rare birds) I raced back from Buckingham, picked up my scope from home and arrived with the news at 9am that both the Cretzschmar's Bunting seen yesterday hadn't been sen and the Broad- billed Sandpiper had flown off. A double- dip then and not surprising as I now miss more at Minsmere than anywhere else now (it used to be Bretdon but I now tend to see everything at Breydon I go for now). Walking around, there were 15 Sand Martin seen briefly from the fence and on the beach, walking along to Dunwich pool, a Glow Worm larvae was seen on the steps and I could hear the Iberian Chiff- Chaff but it soon fell silent as I arrived. After 20 minutes finally it called again and I was able to get glimpses of the bird and then some good views on 3 occasions when it was seen totally unobscured amongst the Silver birches. It was the fine Iberian Chiff- Chaff. A fine consolation and only my third ever. There was also a ringed ordinary Chiff- Chaff singing in the same copse so ID had to be done with great care except when the bird was singing. The Iberian typically pale, more lemony looking. By the pond, first Smooth Newt seen in the water then on the surface, a chap asked what was this Stick Insect creature, it was of course, a Water Stick Insect! 2 newly emerged Four-spotted Chasers seen and one Four- spotted Chaser at rest by the car park pool too. It was getting hot at Minsmere and over run with people so I left.

Buckenham again

On Saturday 1st June, very early morning as I drove down to Buckingham, a Hare was seen in the road, it later went into the corner of a field. very early morning trip to Buckenham, the Cuckoo came over to the bushes perching in both either side of me calling away merrily but he flew over the bushes and away, so again no luck. Consolation came of another Hare also running down the road just past the big barn at Buckingham but it settled down a track going south and I was able to sneak up and get a few pics with the 100-400mm lens with very satisfactory results.