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 Gull 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.

Winks Meadow wonders!

An incredible mid evening visit to Wink's meadow on Friday 19 May, where as the sun was shining and soon unfortunaely setting and the Yellowhammer was singing, I parked up as usual at Christmas Lane and walked to this wondrous meadow and what a sight over a thousand Green- winged Orchids all out in blue providing a spangly purple carpet interspersed by the occasional yellow Cowslip, very much in the minority being completely outnumbered by the Orchids and other flowers. Being so plentiful the wondrous colour variations ranged from deep wine red (around 3 plants to pure white also around 3 plants with around 15 or so being pinky- white in colouration. I wish I had been able to bring my dear late mother to see such a sight, something she witnessed in her child hood days when wildflower meadows were so extensive.

A Great day in Norfolk

On Sunday 14th May, starting back along the A47 just west of Great Yarmouth, I looked initially from Britiannia farm Monty's, a chap was already and pointed to an area near Berney, but just this side of the river, where just left of a windmill where some cattle had grouped. I spotted the fine female Montagu's Harrier fly out and quarter the area just in front of the river. I knew Paul & Jane were viewing from an area by the corrugated iron hut about a mile further east. I texted them to say I had spotted it. I joined Paul & Jane and the Montagu's Harrier flew around and then came quite a bit closer over a field with sheep and showed well. In fact it was flying for some 45 minutes non stop constantly in view. As we walked back to th car parked in a layby along the Acle straight slightly closer to Great Yarmouth and Jane spotted a fantastic Wall Brown butterfly on the grass before it quickly flew off. We then drove to Cantley. We walked down to cantley Sewage Works, saw somne of the Dereham Boys and half way back along a ditch the fine Great Reed Warbler was seen below some white flowers before it disappeared. The bird showed 5X usually when some people were walking down the lane directly adjacent to the ditch and the bird would briefly pop out flying either over the ditch disappearing in reeds or popping out again in bushes or flying bacl to the furthest bush near the ditch. We also saw a male Blackcap, Whitethroat, Kingfisher, flew right past the ditch too. At Ormesby Little Broad an Osprey, perched up in a tree the farside of the Broad. A Cuckoo heard too & 2 Common Terns. Next stop Ness Point at Trinity road, a very smart male Whinchat popped up in a bush at the back of a yard, then seen from Hamilton road on fencing following a tip off from Rob wil, I then drove along to relocate the fine Early Purple Orchids along an east Norfolk roadside.

Monty's No show

One evening on 13th May, from the Britannia farm, just off the Acle straight near Great Yarmouth, no sign of the Montagu's Harrier, I heard a Whimbrel though.

Pectoral Sandpiper at Carlton

On Friday 12th May, in the evening at Carlton Marshes, a long slog down to Peto's Marshes was rewarded with eventual good views of the super fine Pectoral Sandpiper , at 7.10pm. Jeremy G. was present. It was initally behind a clump on an island in the middle of marsh on Peto's Marsh, it spent the entire time around this clump and an Avocet and Black- tailed Godwit seen by it. The pectoral was seen in spring plumage with thick dark centred mantle coverts with thick buff edges, a dark streaked crown looking almost Whimbrel like. A diffuse brown streaked breast with white belly no really defined, so assume a female bird? dark black mid length bill drooping slightly atb the tip and black legs. A fine bird.

Temminck's, Hen Harrier & Toadlet

On Wednesday 10th May, a Temminck's Stint was found by Gavin on Peto's and with Chris D saying it was still there mid afternoon, I decided to drive over to Carlton Marshes and take the long walk down to try and see it. I saw Maurice B as I walking up there and he said Paul & Jane F and Chris D were still watching it. I reached them and the bird was on the Turnpike Scrape left of a resting Chinese Water Deer, the only problem was it sat down and completely disappeared for a good half hour before Jane picked it out by the edge of the water, with its head sticking up and the the back showing the streaks on the back, Proving it was a Temminck's Stint. Meanwhile Phil D who had just joined us announced there was an interesting bird of prey behind us soaring around, it was clearly a Harrier and specifically, a ringtail Harrier. Its broadish wings looked like more like Hen to me. The belly was streaked, it showed a white rump and as it flew away it appeared pale on the lower belly. Chris D showed us a pic showing 4 protruding primaries, streaky belly and no boa, which confirmed beyond doubt that any lingering hopes of a rarer Ringtail harrier species could be dismissed and it was clearly a ringtail Hen Harrier. It then flew north towards Somerleyton marshes. After this excitement, we saw the fine Temminck's Stint walking slowly left along the waters edge showing its pale legs before A Lapwing forced it to fly right. Followed by 2 Avocets. A fine flock of 21 Ruff flew high and north over Peto's Marsh. As we walked back, 2 Bearded Tits flew up, a fine male perched high up in the reeds and a juvenile bird too. briefly before flying across the path and into the reeds by the river. Jane also spotted a tiny Toadletcrossing the path ahead, hiding underneath some grass and I obtained a few pics before moving it to safety in longer grass. Amazingly, this was the first Toad I have seen in Lowestoft proper (I have seen some at Lound!).

Early Purples in Norfolk

On Monday 8th May, after driving back from Norwich, at the back of the Cathedral, I saw a fine Peregrine circling over the road. I also saw 5 tall (1 foot plus) Early Purple Orchids by the side of the road, I was able to stop 10 metres beyond them and have a look at them although no pics as I didn't have my macro lens with me. these was my first Norfolk ones and nice to find them for myself.

Garden Goodies

On Sunday 7th May, 6 screaming Swifts initially heard flying directly overhead and then seen flying over the front garden, in the early afternoon, a fine male Orange Tip briefly visited the back garden as later on did a Holly Blue, both new for the year but both fleeting visits so no pics.

Minsmere Kentish Plover

Minsmere on Friday 5th May from the East Hide, I experienced the new boardwalk walk to the east hide for the first time. The super fine full summer- plumaged male Kentish Plover (my first in Suffolk for 39 years, the last one Ricky & I found on a sponsored birdwatch at Corporation Marsh in 6 May 1984!) and Ringed Plover plus 2 summer plumaged Knots on a spit mid distance but the sky was very grey, it was raining and there were rumbles of thunder in the distance. Time to sadly go.

Minsmere Black- winged Stilt

At Minsmere on 30th April, again on a grey overcast afternoon, a fine female Black Winged Stlit seen from the west hide, initially distant alking up and down the spit running due east odf the hide, but it flew a little closer on the right. I then alked to Soth Hide, the fine female Black- winged Stilt flew onto the south scrape in the extreme north- west corner it walked directly in front of the hid enad gave really good views as it fed. Meanwhile at the back, a fine full summer plumaged dusky Spotted Redshank walked by feeding. Plus a winter- plumaged Black- Tailed Godwit seen too.