Black- winged Kite at Braydon Marsh Hickling/ Horsey

On Thursday 20th July, I drove up really early to Horsey hoping to catch the BW Kite before work 5pm there was thick mist but it slowly started to clear and by 6pm I drew up into a crowded Horsey Mill car park paid the £4 parking fee and slowly made my way along the path by 6.30pm I met a birder who said the Kite was showing and still there!!! It was about 3/4 mile and I literally ran as fast as I could (I didn't take my big lens, so no pics) and met several other birders who confirmed it was still there at the time of leaving. I was advised to go to the second group for views but the first group, they confirmed the bird was till there and it was sitting on top a group of 3 bushes. The left hand one had the absolutely magnificent Black- winged Kite perched on the left hand site of the bush. It was no bigger than a Wood Pigeon being about Hobby- sized and slimmer than the Wood Pigeon perched beneath it, useful for comparison. A real stunner of a bird and it was giving good scope views being closer than I expected. It had a white head, face and breast/ underparts, the striking red eye, had a black- brow above it with pale grey upperparts with dark slate/grey/ black forewing and black wing-tips. It perced on a branch stem showings its bright yellow legs it was constantly looking about and one stage popped down to another stem where it flapped its wings showing the dark slate/grey black wedge on the primaries and secondaries. I looked at the bird for around 10 minutes then walked to the second group where I joined Rob h and could slightly clearer set up my scope and wathced it for a further 50 m inutes. I thought it would be distant but it was closer than expected although it would have only have been poor record shots if I had had my camera with me. This is the first bird of this specis seen since 1999 in China and I have also seen them in the Algarve in Portugal too, a real stunner of a bird! By 7.30pm I had to leave to get back to work.

Dipped the Kite

On Wednesday 19th July, by 3pm, I drove up to Horsey but the time I had there was marred by steady rain and despite the Horsey strait being lined with birders no sign of the BW Kite.

Green Woodpecker over the garden

On Wednesday 18th July at 5.40am, whilst taking a stroll at the front, i saw and heard a fine Green Woodpecker that flew south- east and over the back garden towards the new accursed Fallowfields development, a first seen in the garden for many years!

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.