Red Kite over!

On Monday 25th July, whilst out in the garden I spotted a fine Red Kite slowly soaring over the garden, from 5.30- 5.45pm, a long overdue first for the garden, it soared right over the garden and then veering slightly soth- west.

Yet more garden goodies On Sunday

On 18 July very early in the morning at 7.05am, 2 fine Painted Ladies were seen on the main garden Buddlea. On Thursday 21st July after work, I counted 28 Broad leaved Helleborines in a local wood. There were several by the side of the path, with 1 giant one, caged a little too tightly for my liking and around 5 caged a the wooded area but another 7 were so just by this area uncaged and a worry was a sprig of Japanese Knotweed. In the grassy area, 5 were seen. Then on Saturday 23rd July at 1.15pm, a fine Grayling seen in the garden but soon flew off. Later Saturday 23rd June, on a walk along Gunton Cliff, no sign of any WL Hairsteaks although a fine Purple Hairstreak was seen on the lower leaves of an ash tree at 3.30pm. At Corton woods, I saw a single White letter Hairstreak fly up and several Commas seen here too plus a female Brown Hawker. Later in the garden, a Migrant Hawker seen hunting.

Female Purple Emperor

On Saturday 16th July, I drove down to a local wood and was pleased to see around 8 Silver Washed Fritillaries, several Southern Hawkers too, but none were posing for the camera and at the main area, several Purple Emperor several flying up in the trees some perched but never long enough to get pictures but memorably on one occasion, a fine female Purple Emperor flew down to the ground by the banana skins and I was all alone so I was able to carefully go in resonably close and get a few pictures. She was there for several minutes before flying back up to the tree line.

More Garden goodies

On 5 July, a Hummingbird Hawk Moth was seen in the garden very briefly on the Red Valerian at 9.05am. On 7 July, a Green Woodpecker heard calling and seen flying in a semi- circle around the garden at 7.10am. On 10 July, a mixed flock of Gulls including 8 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying right over the garden and then drifting slowly east towards the Parkhill estate at 6.35pm. Thanks to the tip off from Rob H.

Dark Green Fritillaries & another reasonably obliging Hummer

Its been a while since I last saw Dark Green Fritillaries so on Sunday 26th June, I drove to the Horsey Nelson Head track, took the mile walk down to the end, seeing Small Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell as I walked down as soon as I got to the end, I headed south and immediately saw quite a few Dark Green Fritillaries, they were very flighty and in the brisk breeze, they weren't allowing any close approach. I decided to walk to a group of flowering bramble bushes around 200 metres south and this strategy paid off as the Dark Green Fritillaries were regularly attarcetd to the bramble flowers. I also saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth too. Many thanks once again to Jane & Paul F for the detailed directions.

Photographing local Orchids & then mad dash to Minsmere

On Saturday 25th June, I was out locally checking to see if I would see the fledgling Green Woodpecker which I didn't but plenty of yaffling Green woodpecker calls which is encouraging. Then I went to another site to photograph 2 Pyramidal Orchids. Then a cycle ride to another local site, which yielded 1 Pyramidal Orchid along the entrance path and a Bee Orchid a metre beyond it. Then just over the fence, a further Pyramidal Orchid, 3 Pyramidal Orchids in the usual area further on then incredibly a wonderful total new colony of 42 Pyramidal Orchids. Around 20 Bee Orchids seen here too. Then news of a Caspian Tern and I cycled back home and transferred to the car, once confirmation the bird was back. I got to Minsmere about 6.30am and by 6.45pm, I was in the hide and the bird, a fantastic Caspian Tern, was on one of the spits reasonably close to the hide. Initially obscured by BH Gulls and an adult Mediterranean Gull, a drake Shelduck was bullying all and sundry and the bird was then in clear view. It then flew to the spit just south of the one I originally sighted it on. I walked over to the other side of the hide and nice to see John R, here the bird was soon flying and then it flew to the next spit south again and slightly further away. Kevin then appeared and we eventually got him onto the bird, where it was paddling in the water. It then flew up and headed towards Island Mere, but within 10 minutes it was back. Something put all the birds up and the bird flew over to the east scrape before eventually touhing down in the northg- east corner and out of sight. One alarming sight was of 3 dead BH Gulls one just beside a nest and this has been confirmed as bird flu.

Rescuing Master Yaffle

On Friday 24th June, an invite from Rob H and I was over at his house by 6pm specifically to photo 3 Elephant Hawk Moths, which showed well, one was powering up its wings and soon flew off, all 3 were in pristine condition, all a garish pink. There was also a Silver Y and a Cockchafer present too and a rare micro moth. It had become cloudy and the light wasn't very good so I was confined to using fill in flash and photographing them side on. Many thanks to Rob H for this wonderful vand very local opportunity to photo such stunning creatures. Always a pleasure to see them. I then cycled to Tesco Petrol station and then was confronted with the incongrous sight of a young fledgling Green Woodpecker sat on the pavement right next to the busy road to Tesco Gunton Petrol station! It wasn't moving and you could walk right up to it. It sat in a damp area by its behind, but on closer inspection, it wasn't bloodied and didn't appear injured in any way, it didn't look like it had contracted avian flu either, but I am no vet. I took a few very quick pictures with my 100mm macro lens (the only camera I had with me as I was on a different photographic mission! By wrapping my hands in a plastic bag for for both infection control purposes and to make sure I didn't leave my scent on it either. I very carefully picked it up and put it in a brown box. It leapt up and sat on the very top edge of the box where it inquisitively poked its head around, I had my hands full but coyldn't take any more pics of it, the priority was to get the bird safe. It was clear it had to be moved to the glassy mound beyond where I could hear the yaffling calls of its parents. As I lifted the box over the fence it took to flight, a short flight anti- clockwise over the road and then over the fence to the grassy knoll beyond where I left it. POSTSCRIPT I am delighted to report that half an hour later, James C was in the area, saw the same bird taking short flights here and then last saw it, it flew up into a tree, so good news all round for this little master Yaffle bird! (it showed a hint of red in the sub- moustachial area).