Bee Orchids & Nightjars in deepest Suffolk

On Sunday 2nd June, at one site, during the afternoon I counted just 15 Bee Orchids with no Clorantha White Bee Orchids present at a site in coastal Suffolk, disappointingly the landowner had mown a metres perimeter around the whole area obviously cutting down some Bee Orchid plants. I ventured into deepest Suffolk to try and sea Nightjars, walking down the path we heard 2 Willow Warblers singing and I saw a bird drop down. I heard a brief churr of a Nightjar and at 9.40pm suddenly the churring started in a clearing, I suddenly saw a bird, a fantastic Nightjar fly across the ride. It started churring from this side of the ride, whilst another bird churred from the same area as the previous bird, amazingly Rob spotted it, a second fine Nighjar perched on a manmade structure. It was churring away. We also saw Muntjac and heard one barking from the deeps of the Pine tree woods.

Corton seawatch

On Saturday 1st June, at Corton Baker's Score, 15 C Scoter flew N 3 C Scoter flew N and around 30 Gannets in total flew S- most were adults, a group of 6 Terns including 2 Sandwich Tern flew north, whilst a close Fulmar flew north just off the cliffs and I was joined by Rob H & I picked out an Arctic Skua flying far out to sea.

Local patch = few birds

On Sunday 26th May, early on I had a look at Corton Old Sewage Works and failed to see the RBS, although pleasingly there was a nice creche of Starlings with 48 youngsters accompanied by around 18 adults. A hunting male Kestrel was seen in the field just north. Nothing birdwise at Netposts or Ness Point, however I did see a close Green Hairstreak on the southside of the bramble bush that the then Waveney District Council tried to destroy, fortunately to no avail. Sadly no macro lens with me.

Skin of the teeth!

On Saturday 25th May at around 8.30pm I checked the phone and I had forgotten I had switched the audible alerts off as I was in a meeting at work yesterday. There were several messages stating tfrom 4.59pm here was an RBS at Corton ORT, so by 8.45pm I was walking down the track to Corton cliffs, I met a a birder walking back said he'd just seen it but it had dropped out of view. Along the cliff top path, I walked north half way along so I could look back into the SE corner of the old sewage works. A Wood Pigeon and male Linnet were on view intially but no Shrike. Then literally a minute later the fine male Red- backed Shrike popped up in the Tamarisk bushes in the most south- easterly part of the Tamarisk looking into the compound before it dropped out of sight after 2 minutes, presumably into roost. I didn't see it again.

Bee Orchids and RBS

On Thursday 23rd May, early I visisted Lound on the hunt for an RBS seen in the evening before, I parked by the hill and walked up past the Lakes on the left, I saw a chap who hadn't seen it and neither did I. I did hear and see a Whitethroat though. the first flower on the Bee Orchids in the garden at the James Paget Hospital were starting to flower. In the evening, I headed over to Castle Marshes. Just after 6pm, I parked up in North Cove car park, hearing a brief snatch of Garden Warbler song but I couldn't see it. Going past the dykes, I sawa Hawker patrolling the dykes, almost certainly a Norfolk Hawker, although only seen in silhouette. I walked out to the river walk turning right for just 30 metres, it was nice to see Gavin and Tony B there, we were later joined by Phil D. too. Looking back over the Castle marshes, the excellent male Red- backed Shrike was seen. It was seen in a big islated bramble patch, perched up and actively hunting for insects and it dispatched several bumbles bees whilst I was there. It was a fine adult male in full summer plumage with a pinkish flush to thje breast being most vivid on the flanks particularly the rear flanks. It hunted around the length and the breadth of the bramble bush and surrounding dyke area, often flying down to the ground in pursuit of its prey. Whilst we were standing on the riverbank, we heard the very close bubbling call of a female Cuckoo but sadly we couldn't see it. A female Marsh Harrier also flew by. Walking back as, I was about to rejointhe path from the river bank, I heard another brief snatch of a Garden Warbler but again, I could't see it, a very vocal Chiff-Chaff was seen in the bush as well. I then travelled back to Carlton Marshes looking around the car park and reception but no sign of the SEO, people were still there and a child still playing in the play area.

Worlingham Marshes

A trip to Worlinghan Marshes on Sunday 19th May, as I parked up, up to 2 Swallows were on the overhead lines. As I walked down, I heard Whitethroats singing, one of the barbed wire gate barring access to the lane running west. Another Whitethroat sang from a bush bordering the path down to the river. Up to 2 Cuckoo were heard but no sight nor sound of a Garden W (always a very hard bird to see- last one seen in East Anglai 4 Oct 2020 at Sizewell)) seen earlier. Still no Willow W either. Also I saw no dragon or damselflies whatsoever during the walk. Back at the car, 2 Swallows, and then 3 took pity on me and landed on wires directly above the car.

Angel of the Woods and finally an ID Dragonfly for 2024

On Saturday 18 May, I travelled into deepest Suffolk and at the usual site, I had to repark as the usual parking area had 3 lots of broken glass small square fragments indicative of side windows being smashed. I therefore parked the car just off the road and walked on to a group of 4 Butterfly Orchids. They were a little bit past their best but one or 2 flowers were still nice near the top of the plant so I concentrated my pictures on this area. A Blackcap was heard singing, too. I then travelled onto the Hen Reedbeds, unusual to see all the corrugated iron sheets/ mats moved and nothing except Ants were seen underneath. I walked over to the Quarry, no sign of any Garden warbler but I did see a fine Nightingale fly from the hedge across the road to the car park hedgerow, its ruddy reddish- brown tail which was really obvious as it flew over. The Nightingale had been previously singing from across the road. In a bramble hedge bordering the road, with a couple of small Oak trees a fine female Broad- bodied Chaser, flew in this was my first belated sighting of an identifiable dragonfly species this year! She posed well for the camera, especially as I only had my 100mm lens with me and not my dedicated 180mm macro lens for butterflies/ dragonflies, unlike a suspected male BB Chaser that flew off, it had a light blue abdomen, but not seen that well as it was a little further away and quickly flew off on closer approach.