Deepest Suffolk goodies

Having seen a tweet from Jane F, it seemed if they had gone on holiday to the south-west devon or Cornwall maybe because they had been posting pics of a Marsh Fritillary butterfly but incredibly they were in Suffolk at Market Weston Fen. So on bank Holiday Monday 29th May I made my way just after midday to the Fen which was easily located. On the journey over I saw a Cuckoo fly out of a tree. Jane had told me the butterflies were on the marsh just past the field with the cows and to look amongst the buttercups. I saw a lady already photographing something. No sooner had I walked over and within 10 minutes I had zoned in on my very first Marsh Fritillary butterfly. It spent a lot of time flying around the buttercups either side of the path. We were joined by Jeremy G and soon a further 2 Marsh fritillaries were seen. In a large rectangular area with electric fence, 3 Southern Marsh Orchids seen and by the start of the path an Early Marsh orchid seen. Travelling on further south-west, I parked just past a bridge over an old disused railway line. Walked down to the track and turning right before the bridge, I walked for a mile down the track, it was muddy duting the first 100- 300 metres, then through a wood then skirting a field until I saw a single post with lots of arrows on it. One didn't point right but I walked right for a further 1/4 of a mile and then on the left I could see a field with cages and white flag markers, housed some superb Greater Butterfly Orchids all just about to flower but not flowering. Also in cages, further left were super Fly Orchids, all marked by red flags.

A quartet of RNPs

On early Sunday morning on the 28th May, walking past Valentine Park in Gants Hills, I heard a "kee-kee-kee" screech and 4 Ring-necked Parakeets flew over the road.

Nocturnal creatures sighted on drive back from Hunstanton

On a trip up to the Princess theatre at Hunstanton to see Francis Rossi (from Status Quo) do his tunes and chat with acoustic guitar accompanied by another very proficient musician. This was excellent by the way, nice to go to a gig without earplugs for a change. The show finished just before 10pm (having started at 7.30pm with a short 20 minute interval- an excellent evenings entertainment) on the long 2 hour drive back and on th journey back saw 2 Barn Owls, a large Bat Noctule Bat? and a Hedgehog quickly crossing the road in front of me and safely, mainly the country roads between the A149 Burnham Market and Fakenham.

Oriole singing, Stonie, Hobby & Greater Butterfly Orchids

On Friday 26th May, I drove down to Minsmere but a Whats App stating a Golden Oriole was calling from Clay Lane, Minsmere and I was only 3 miles away meant I diverted to the first crossroad as you entered Minsmere parked up and walked down the lane for around 3/4 mile before taking the path up to the left up the bank into a wonderful oak mature woodland, the wonderful flutey calls of the Golden oriole were heard constantly, occasionally interspersed by cat like screech call, at 11.15 a medium sized Oriole like bird seen to fly back and right through the canopy, it stopped calling for sometime and was later heard further back by the edge of the wood, so that was probably it. Later on it was really nice to catch up with Lenny & his wife and Ali, and finally I saw a distant Hobby over the wood, my much belated first of the year. I also went to another secret location looking out on a field with a dip and sorrel beyond that to the right, from distance, I saw an excellent Stone Curlew walk past the tall weeds and nettles out of view. I also heard a Willow Warbler singing. At another location nearby, I went to the traditional Greater Butterfly Orchid sen on the edge of the wood near a meadow and was pleased to see stick had been arranged to protect from any Deer, particularly Muntjac. There were 5 Greater Butterfly Orchid plants in total, the closest one was on its own, with 3 together and 1 at the back by the ditch flowering in all its true glory.

Carlton Stilts

On Wednesday mid to late afternoon, on Wednesday 24th May, the long hard slog with big camera lens and I had a problemn with my tripod, specifically the Gimbel head. It kept falling off! Sadly the thread had gone. I met with Julie M at the styart of the bund just past the gate and as we were talking a fine Hare lollopped up the bank and started eating on the path in front of us, I had to handhold the heavy lens to get shots. I spent around 10. inutes before James B walked up and I eventually went around to join James B and Rene at the North Hide, I'd just missed the Stilts which had flown probably from the Turnpike Scrape over to the North Marsh. After 30 minutes or so rene left us, James B & were chatting and I suddely spotted the excellent pair of Black- winged Stilts (2nd record for Lowestoft & first ones at Calton since 2017) fly in from the left (north) they briefly alighted on Turnpike Scrape but the Avocets and Lapwings were really harrying them, the Stilts did initially feed before they flew south towards the Octagon hide area. They then flew back, but one Stilt was persistanly pursued by an aggressive Avocet and the pair flew north towards Haddiscowe marshes.

Gunton Green- wings

On Tuesday 23rd May at a local nature reserve, as I entered 3 Muntjac deers stood at the northern end, mother and 2 immatures? The mother was calling them later on from the thich scrub bordering the northern end of the reserve. 3 diminutive Green- winged Orchids seen seen by the bushes whilst looking east 3 Green- winged Orchids were caged. These were much bigger being around 7 inches tall, I was able too stretch the cage to alos accommodate a smaller Green Winged just outside, so 7 Green- winged orchids in total. that was protected too. I also saw one C<b>ommon Twayblade too. None seen at the other site although around 11 Common Spotted Orchids could be seen growing.

Hickling goodies

On Saturday 20th May at around 5.30pm I drove up to Hickling parked up and walked out to Brendan's Marsh, where from the first platform, the fine 1st summer Caspian Tern was soon spied hiding behind an island it walked out and spent a lot of time between 2 plants, before eventually flying off and then back again, settling a little further back. A flock of 19 Black- tailed Godwits actively fed nearby and a diminutive mousy-grey brown Temminck's Stint fed on the left side of the island. Not to be out done an immature Spoonbill was feeding over to the left and then it preened and flapped its wings, posing nicely for the camera at mid- distance. Over to the east in the trees scrub I could see at least a a few more, 3 Spoonbills perched up and a fine yellow- billed Great White Egret flew in and joined them. As I walked between the platforms, a Grass Snake was seen curled up at the side of the path but I spotted it too late (stomping about with 3 cameras and lenses meant i couldn't get a pic, sadly. Overhead House Martins, Sand Martins, Swifts milled around. It was too blowy for Hobbies sadly.