Norfolk Tour - Titchwell RSPB Reserve

Overcast day for our visit to Titchwell gave sympathetic lighting for the Sandwich Terns, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Brent Geese  and Black-Headed Gulls against the water and sky. It also showed off the colours of the Heron, Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler. Although at a distance it was great to see Grey Plover, Dotterel and Mediterranean Gulls.

 

 

 

 

Norfolk Tour - Pensthorpe

A big change in the weather giving cloudy and cold conditions didn't spoil our day at Pensthorpe Natural Park. We are about a month too early for the gardens and meadows to be flourishing but the birds performed well with the usual suspects - Bearded Tits, Turtle Dove and Ruff putting on a good display in the captive area and lots of activity at the Woodland Hide and the Scrape

Norfolk Tour - Lakenheath Fen RSPB

A bit cooler with more cloud and a lot more wind yesterday for our visit to Lakenheath Fen. The birds unfortunately kept their distance with only a couple of closer views of Hobbies though plenty were visible on the far side of Joist Fen. A Bittern flew up close by but too quickly down again to get it in the frame. In the sunnier intervals, lots of Mayflies, Damselflies and the Hairy Dragonflies. Otherwise the usual selection of mini beasties especially spiders

 

Norfolk Tour - Welney WWT Reserve

Welcome to Norfolk to Jan and David from one cute and very small jumping spider and a rather muddy swallow. This was the first stop on our tour round some of Norfolk's bird reserves. Beautiful warm sunny day with enough birds to keep us occupied all day - Reed Warblers, Reed Bunting, Black-Tailed Godwit, Marsh Harrier, Lapwing, Peregrine and Heron (with  lots of nesting Avocets)

Life in a Buttercup Meadow

We were surveying the wildlife in the two large meadows at Paxton Pits yesterday. Among the identification photos that I took for the survey were these more pictorial images. I particularly liked how the Small Copper fitted into a buttercup and the delicate Cranefly.

 

Egret Versus Worm

It had rained the days before we arrived so water covered some previously dry areas. The Egrets were spending a lot of time probing in the mud and extracting worms. However, the worms did not succumb easily and wrapped themselves around the closed beak forcing the Egret to drop the worm and the quickly retrieve it from the water, toss it and swallow very rapidly.