A dozen Purple Sandpipers!

On Sunday 9th March, there was a kettle of 3 Buzzards soaring low over our garden at 1.24pm. Later on at Ness Point, I saw 8 Purple Sandpipers feeding by the rocks by the compass, they were joined by a further 3 Purple Sandpipers. 8 then flew north, quickly joined by the rest but there were 4 in flight not 3 so a definite 12 Purple Sandpipers seen.

Minsmere Black Adder

On Friday 7th March, after having seen the uniformly excellent Buster James Band at the Legends of Rock, Vauxhall Holiday Park at Great Yarmouth at the unusual time of lunchtime 12.40pm. I didn't manage to arrive at Minsmere unmtil 2.15pm, having navigated reception, I took my optical gear and 3 cameras and lugged all this to the area underneath the Sand Martin cliff, on the south side/ right side of the bank. I was on the search for Adders specifically a Black Adder, no not Rowan Atkinson or Edmund Black Adder from the classic BBC comedy series but the reptile, Adder! I was immediately successful as no sooner had I started checking I mmediately located one at 2.20pm, a black Snake sunning itself with flattened body high up on the bank in a sunny spot but were there 2 Snakes because the Snake looked about 2.5 to 3 foot long? Eventually, this melaistic Adder moved and proved it was just 1 Snake it was the excellent black Adder, as the Snake moved the head was finally seen. Certainly the largest Adder I have ever seen measuring an estimated 80cm or 0.8 metres or in old imperial 2 and half foot long! I first heard and then briefly saw a Chiff- Chaff, my first of the year. I also heard the rasping call of an unseen Brambling. On the drive out, I checled a field and saw 2 Mistle Thrushes in the field and a lovely calling Curlew flew in and settled in the field too.

More Bee Orchids found

On Tuesday 4th March, I found another 3 Bee Orchid rosettes spring up in the Burrage Centre garden, when I was caging them later, I checked the other Orchids and 1 was a double plant so from 12, 1o 15 then 16 rosettes!

Ness Point wander

On Sunday 2nd March, in the afternoon, as I was leaving I saw a butterfly fly across the forecourt over the road, it was a probable Peacock flying west. I went to Ness Point and saw just north of there 2 Purple Sandpipers flying north just north of the Point, checking the ledge by the caravan park, not much there but 2 Oystercatchers flew in. walking back to the Point by the north-east tip where the sea defence rocks jut out eastwards towards the sea, were 3 Purple Sandpipers asleep and a busy feeding Turnstone, the 2 Purple Sandpipers woke up when the Turnstone fed amongst them.

Garden goodies

On Wednesday 26th February, at 4.18pm, I looked out of the window as I saw a bird flop to the ground, it was an excellent female Sparrowhawk that flew down from the pagoda to the central circular flower bed but she then immediately flew south-west and out of the garden. I went outside and could hear Frogs croaking and I saw an amorous pair of Frogs conjoined, canoodling and cavorting in the wildlife pond. This courting behaviour is called amplexus. Lets hope this leads to lots of Frogspawn soon! Bring on the spring!

Purple Sandpipers back at Ness Point

Mid afternoon on Sunday 23rd February, I checked out Ness Point, it was quite breezy and the light was dreadful but it was nice to see first 6, then joined by a further 2 when awave crashed over the rocks to the right, making 8 Purple Sandpipers feeding on the ledge just east of the compass at Ness Point. 6 Turnstone also seen slightly further north, nothing this time along Hamilton Road or in the Dock.

Kite bonanza from home

Following Whats App messages from local birders, on Saturday 22nd February, I saw a close low Red Kite from the front garden just east of Fallowfields which was flying slowly south at 1.27pm perhaps following the Millenium Way road, I then walked down Fallowfields and at 1.30pm-1.31pm I saw 2 Red Kites circling together again St. Margaret's Churchyards area perhaps.