Waders at RSPB Snettisham

Friday evening at Snettisham should have seen a 'Wader Spectacular' when thousands of waders roosting on the mud in the Ouse Estuary are driven off by a spring high tide and form murmurations etc. Because of the strong onshore wind and the very high tide, this did not happen - the waders appeared able to anticipate this happening and went straight to roost on the gravel pits behind the beach in 'spectacular' numbers. Lots of species seen Knot, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Common and Sandwich Terns, Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls, Egyptian Goose here plus an extra inquisitive Hare. Also recorded Spotted Redshank, Spoonbill, Avocet, Egret, Cormorants, Lapwing,  Greylag and Canada Goose, Herring and Common Gull

Spoonbills at Snettisham

Great excitement to see a Spoobill very close at Snettisham even if it was asleep only waking occasionally. Later, an adult flew in and immediately the youngster started begging for food. Eventually, the adult allowed the young spoonbill to put its beak right inside the gullet and retrieve food. It continued to beg but the adult flew off to join other spoonbills (9 in all) and it followed. Not the easiest to photograph as difficult lighting with the sun coming out occasionally but a great sightings.

 

Garden Project 13 - In the Summer Heat

The garden is a mass of flowers and insects at the moment. Here are photos from the small  meadow, vegetable patch, pond, flower beds and woodland meadow area. The best insect species are the teasels, scabious, wild carrot and wild parsnip, knapweed, ragwort, linaria, marguerites and evening primrose.

Hunstanton Birds

I spent Friday morning on Hunstanton Beach, watching and attempting to photograph some of the birds including the colony of 

Fulmars that nest on the cliff in the company of Swifts. As the tide went out the rocks were visited by Oyster Catchers, Cormorant, Curlew, Redshank and various Gulls including Mediterranean with the eye ring and pure white plumage.

What No Supermoon

On Wednesday evening we were promised the brightest full moon in 2022 so I chose a good view point and waited. Unfortunately a bank of cloud completely covered the eastern sky although the western sky presented a lovely colourful sunset. In the field, the harvest is underway.