A Good Choice

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JIM BRADLEY!

Just like to say a Happy Birthday to my cousin Jim Bradley (jimsbirdingblog.blogspot.com) I know his Birthday was on Sunday, but I haven't had time to do a post earlier than this. Hope you had a great day Jim!

Anyway, on Sunday just gone, Dad and I wanted to go birding. Dad wanted to go and see the Two-barred Crossbills at Lynford, but I wanted to see the Lesser Grey Shrike near Leiston. So we decided that the Shrike was first. It took a while to find the place, but with some directions we were there in no time. We walked down the bridleway with the big camera, and located the bird with other people. The bird was a bit distant at times, but other times it showed pretty well.

We then went to Sizewell, and we had a cracking time there. Dad wanted to see the Arctic Skua that's been lingering of the rigs, so we had a sharp look, and within 5 seconds, we picked it up about 50 yards offshore. My camera was playing up, so we had to rely on the digiscope.

My Camera - poor

Cracking Digiscope!

That wasn't it though, I picked up a flock of 20+ Common Scoter, a Caspian Gull, a flock of Little Gull and a juv. Black Tern! But the pity was, we missed a Pomarine Skua by 10 mins :( 

We then moved on to Minsmere, and straight to Island Mere. We picked up the 3 GWE in no time. Hard to miss really.

Other birds seen were Bittern, Marsh Harrier and a distant Kingfisher.

Happy Birding!

Norfolk Part 2!

Long time no post! Sorry, about the delay of this incredible part 2 of our Norfolk Trip. I've been back to school, and homework has been flying out of the roof. I shall get started anyway. On the Tuesday we headed to Winterton Dunes, to try and find Pied Flycatcher, and maybe a Skua or two. We got started with loads of Grayling, but not much else in and around the dunes.

Grayling and then one on Dad's sock!

Small Copper

Whitethroat

We then took to the sea. We saw a distant Little Tern, then a pair of Black Tern flew North, which was a long awaited lifer. I shouted "Mum" to come over to see, but I think she may have just missed them. Dad was looking around the Little Tern colony notice board, so he missed them too. Super! We then headed back to the car for lunch, and then we had one final sea watch. We got the scope out, and scanned the waves. For the briefest of seconds, I got a glimpse of a dark-morph Pomarine Skua heading south. I t was a long way a way, and with my excitement of showing Mum and Dad i lost it and couldn't re-find it.

The best day though was on the Wednesday. We headed for the Broads. We first went to Strumpshaw. Well, here's what we saw.

Black Swan

Black-tailed Skimmer or Scarce Chaser

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Hawker sp.

Holy Blue

Marsh Tit

Norfolk Hawker

Painted Lady

Peacock

Ruddy Darter

Ruff

Speckled Wood

Then the star of the show, my first ever Swallowtail Butterfly

Swallowtail

Treecreeper

Willow Emerald Damsel.

We the headed to Cantley to see the Red-necked Phalarope. Well, bingo.

Very Distant though

Other birds of note here were Yellow and Grey Wagtail, Green and Common Sand, Snipe, Ruff and Cuckoo. A cracking day and trip.

Just of note, our neighbour filmed this in his garden on Friday afternnon. Apparently it was in his garden for about half an hour.

Happy Birding!

Local Butterflies!

Yesterday I went for a walk around the area, in the hope of finding some butterflies. I went through the fields at the back of our house, and I found my first Small Copper and Common Blue of the area, and best of all, at least 4 Clouded Yellow! This was an amazing find. I shall have a look today to see if there still there, and also, we have had 2 Speckled Wood in the garden, also a first for the garden.

Norfolk Trip Part 1

This holiday is going to be split in to parts, one of the first 3 days, and then of the last 2 days.

Sunday afternoon, we didn't really see much, or take any pics. We just went to Waxham, Horsey and Sea Palling beaches. We didn't see much in the way of birds, but at Horsey I had my first Wall Brown butterfly of the year in the dunes. We didn't have a camera though... typical. We saw a delightful seal family offshore too, with a pup, which was very cute. Waxham didn't produce much but a big Tern colony on the rocks, including Common and Sandwich mainly, but to far away to id further. Sea Palling didn't produce anything apart from tourists and locals on the beach having a great time.

Monday we visited Cley, Salthouse and Holkham. More Wall Browns at Holkham, not much at Cley apart from a few Ruff and a Little Gull. On the beach at Salthouse was Cormorants, and a couple of Dunlin heading towards Cley. We got a Brimstone at the Caravan Site though.

Butterflies From Before Holiday - Landguard, Bradfield Woods and my Grandparents.

Bradfield Woods:

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Purple Hairstreaks

Ringlet

Silver Y

Silver-washed Fritillary

White Admiral

Grandparents:

Their Buddlea

Large White and Small Tortoishell

Awesome Painted Lady

Peacock

 Landguard:

Clouded Yellows

Common Blue

Starling with a Ring

Went to Landguard on Tuesday afternoon to try and see the Wryneck, spent a couple hours searching around the area it had been seen but had no luck. Saw Black Redstart, Whinchat and several Wheatear though.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Update

Going to Norfolk for 5 days tomorrow, at Sea Palling, so hopefully we will see some great birds. It's been a great week for Butterfly's, with White Admiral, Silver Washed Fritillary, Clouded Yellow and Purple Hairstreak all seen, photos of all taken.

Full update after holiday

Happy Birding