Local helleborines

On Monday 17th July in the evening i wandered over to the local woods and found up to 28 Broad- leaved Helleborines, one was in flower the others were mostly budding up, save for the 8 plants that were very unfortunately strimmed.

Hobby across the A47

On Friday 14th July, a fine Hobby flew across the A47 at 8.15am as I was travelling to work flew south- east towrads Stirrups Lane direction.

Caspian & Spoonbills on Breydon

After work on Tuesday 11th July, I saw Steve S. who said the Caspian was still there and really nice to see Peter A. in the hide. The fine adult Caspian Tern was along the edge of the estuary stood in some short grass to the far right. I scoped it for a while before it flew a short way into a pool by some Black- headed Gulls, it was obscured by long grass but the head and the orange bill. Meanwhile on the bumps, a Whimbrel flew in and was chased by a Curlew. Further back, a large group of Black- tailed Godwits c60 and c100 Curlew and c80 Avocets seen too. Suddenly the Caspian Tern flew north but soon reappeared flying back amsettling again amongst the Black- headed Gulls, 2 Spoonbills, an adult and black wing-tipped immature flew down and walked around the mud.

Juvenile Long- eared Owl and Leverett Hare at Strumpshaw

On Sunday 9th July, a trip to Strumpshaw RSPB was in order after it was reported that LEOs had bred and a juvenile Long- eared Owl was being seen regularly around the reception area. I arrived at 6.30pm and saw Rob H, David H., Justin L. and & David R. & his wife. Looking very near reception, a young Leverett Hare leaped out from the verge and started eating grass half way back and continued this for next 30 minutes or so. Still no sign of the Owl and by 8.30pm it was looking if we might miss out on seeing it. Until Justin L. who had been by the hide was walking very purposely away, I followed and we crossed the road and into the overflow park where the fine juvenile Long- eared Owl was seen along the far north end on a post. Walking carefully up to the car and I managed to get a few shots until it flew to a closer post flushed itself up then looked around and then at us and then it flew to a post further along before finally flying back north and then out of sight.

Elusive Ring- neck but nevertheless a good Carlton Marshes visit

On Saturday 8th July, looked from the Spider bridge, aagin no Spiders. I walked down to Peto's as I approached the first gate along the bund, incredibly I could see a juvenile Cuckoo perched on it, it was looking into the light and I wanted to carefully manoeuvre round by going down the bank in order not to disturb it. I looked around and as is always the case, someone was coming down close behind me, this time an an elderly jogger and he did stop but was reluctant to wait, he flushed it but fortunately it flew down the bank to posts just along the southern edge and I managed a couple of shots before it carried on towards Whitecast marsh. Further along the bund, a Hare ran out from the side and ran down the path away from me! From the part of the marsh looking along from the western bund, I saw 3 Black- tailed Godwits feeding on a watery scrape and walking down to North Hide I met a birder who had just seen it saying it was in eclipse and it had been in the dyke before North Hide but was swimming towards it. When I arrived, I saw a Pochard and a striking beetroot brown coloured female Wigeon but the male eclipse Ring- necked Duck was very elusive mainly hiding behind islands and was distant but I did see it on 3 occasions as it swam between the islands. 3 Common Terns seen on an island also plus 2 Swift overhead, I walked back along the Whitecast Marsh in the hope of seeing the juv Cuckoo again, I didn't but an adult Cuckoo did fly out and away from me. Plus a Barn Owl was hunting over the marsh too.

Triple Emperors!

On Saturday, in mid Suffolk it was good to meet up with Sam & Tim and the Purple Emperors put on a good show, with at least 4 seen, flying around the tops of trees and then settling on the ground initially on a piece of dog's dirt but lack further down the track. They had a pot full of Emperor Moth larvae, with at least 5 caterpillars, quite big and green with the males showing black ring bands and the females didn't. A walk down the ride just before the High seat, where a Bees nest was seen, revealed an Emperor Dragonfly going up and down the ride. By the pond, Sam Tim & saw a Silver- washed Fritillary too. and what looked like a Migrant Hawker back where the Purple Emperors were. A Purple Hairstreak flew past us and settled over to the tops of trees, a Ringlet seen, plus Essex Skipper and Small Skipper and a Red Admiral on the track too.

The next generation

On Friday 7th July, the 2 young Herring Gulls seen on the roof of the Buttage Centre and a look at a local wood revealed the Broad leaved helleborine plants were in bud but unfortunately 6 had been strimmed, particulalry disappointing as this was in the area which had been caged in the previous year.