Life’s a beach

Short winter days soon end. It was sunny but cold.

As we walked along the beach last week a flock of Snow Bunting flew in, apparently off the sea. I’m sure they didn’t, but again as they were disturbed by dog walkers the whole flock flew out to sea. We lost sight of them but waited a while until they returned, which they duly did. The whole flock floated in like feathered blossom being carried along on a breezy day. As they landed their long shadows betrayed the lateness of the afternoon. We still managed a further hour or more of light enabling a Short eared Owl to put on an equally impressive performance.

Mystery Bird December

All the answers for the November Mystery Bird fell into three camps; American Golden Plover, Golden Plover and Grey Plover. The answer is in the underwing.

Prior to American Golden Plover and Pacific Golden Plover being split into two separate species they were regarded as one and the same species, they were conspecific; the ‘Lesser Golden Plover’; One of the identification features of ‘Lesser Golden Plover’ and therefore of American (and Pacific) is they have dusky grey underwings.

Grey Plover may be eliminated as it would show the blackest of armpits in flight. The bright white underwing of the mystery bird dictates it must be a Golden Plover. This individual was photographed during late summer this year in the eye field at Cley Marshes in Norfolk.

This month’s photograph, the last one, is pictured below. As usual send me your entry on e-mail to carl@wildlifetoursandeducation.co.uk

Hide and Seek

The distinctive and repetitive calls of a local Yellow browed Warbler last week did nothing to belie how non cooperative it was being. It would just not show. Even when it did eventually put in an appearance it was still playing hide and seek. It was one of those occasions when you have to piece together a picture: a supercillium here a wing-bar there and it never truly posed for the camera. I do however never tire of seeing these warblers of the Taiga region; enigmatic, transitory and subtly beautiful.

Mystery Bird October

Only one correct entry last month – well done Keiren Allinson. By far the most entries identified this small wader as a Temminks Stint. Other entries were for Grey Plover and Little Stint. Although our bird has greenish pale legs it is far too bright for a Temminck’s. It is in fact a Least Sandpiper. An American Peep – Peeps equate to the old world Stints. This bird was photographed recently in Tadoussac, Canada where a flock of some 4000 Semi-palmated Sandpipers that landed on rocks around our feet had a smattering of Least Sandpipers among them.

This month’s Mystery Bird is a little easier. Entries by e-mail to carl@wildlifetoursandeducation.co.uk

Winter Visitor?

One could be forgiven for thinking we are in some other season than summer. Things are a little ‘topsy turvey’ and when you see a winter visitor on the marsh it doesn’t add to the normality of the situation. This Whooper Swan was seen this week; it should be in Iceland! There were times last week when it felt as though I was in Iceland. Let’s hope the ‘summer’ forecast for next week happens.

Rushing Water

Water is the lifeblood of our countryside. It attracts all manner of wildlife; indeed it is essential for its existence. One species which is at home around it, particularly fast running water, is the Grey Wagtail.

I called at the mill race this week to photograph the Grey Wagtails nesting there. Given the dearth of fast moving streams and rivers in Norfolk the species is not common in the county.

Above all it was important not to disturb them. The welfare of the birds always comes first. I hung back to watch for a while getting a feel for their habits. I watched from a distance. Both birds, the male and female, were building a nest within the thatched roof of the building and I didn’t want to impede or distract them. I stood at the opposite side of the mill, the sunny side, out of sight. As the birds were leaving to fetch more nesting material they sometimes briefly stood on the sunlit side of the roof to take off. Completely oblivious to my presence they went about their business. It was a delight to be hidden in the shadows and listen to the rushing of the water as a spring dawn bled into late morning.

I managed, after a few hours waiting, to get one or two shots of these beautiful birds.

Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs, kill nothing but time.