Great Grey

Shrikes are always good value. This Great Grey was in the Brecks earlier this month.

 

A New Species to Science

In 2000 when Jonathan Revett collected what he described as a ‘fleshy form of the Rayed Earthstar’ at Cockley Cley, Norfolk. He sent specimens to Kew and other places but was assured that it was a known variant.

 

It was only several years later that DNA analysis uncovered that Jonathan’s discovery was indeed a new species; and so Geastrum britannicum was named. So far it has no common English name. Since the initial discovery several other sites throughout the UK and in particular Norfolk have come to light.

Fallow

Herd animals are always difficult to photograph. They never look the same way! This little group of Fallow Deer sheltering from early spring sunshine and framed by the tree caught my attention.

 

Rallying Rail

Everyone knows that Water Rails show well at dusk. This individual had not read the books. Walking alongside the path at Titchwell it was attracting a steady steam of admirers.

Never Close

The problem with raptors is they hardly ever do come close. The Pallid Harrier at New Holkham was no exception. It did show well but never gave us a fantastic photographic fly by.

 

A juxtaposition of events

We went to watch ‘Kong – Skull Island’ the other night at the cinema. Give it a miss; thin non-captivating plot, mediocre acting and CGI worthy of no more than a computer game. It was a late showing so we drove back home quite late at night. I like driving in the dark. We went by the scenic route. Country lanes, field edges, roadside copses and overhanging trees. It was mild too. I expected badgers, deer, rabbits, hares and the odd owl. What did we get? … a single, lonely moth. Just the one!

And yet … earlier in the week we had been for a walk along the dunes to see the Grey Seals hauled out on the beach. We didn’t count them all but it was plain to see there were a lot. We estimated there to be 3000 over a mile or so of beach. It wouldn’t have been far from the true number. This is more than I’ve ever seen before… anywhere. The tide was high and it was a weekday with few people and dogs around. Seals will have been pushed here from the sandbanks off Yarmouth and there was little disturbance to push them back into the sea here so numbers would be at a peak. 3000 equates to 1% of the world population. Even this weekend when things were much busier with people I did a more accurate count on a lower tide and there was 1426. Less than half the number than a few days earlier but that’s still a lot of seal flesh perched on the sand. Nothing less than a wildlife spectacular. A scene from an Attenborough episode.

What a juxtaposition of events.

When we have such spectacles and numbers it’s easy to think everything is ok. To think things are on track; that nature is in balance and our wildlife is safe.

 

Breeders?

The first recorded occurrence of Great White Egret in Norfolk was in 1979. Since then they have been regular visitors. On a tour this week we came across three together and another was reported less than a mile away. Do you think breeding is on the cards this year? I’ll be surprised if it’s not.

beating the blues

Coming back from a bird filled holiday is never easy; even if you do have a to-die-for job. I wasn’t helped by the relentless cascade of news, comments and photos relating to a Bluethroat just inside the Lincolnshire border. The fact it was a male and quite fearless gave me itchy feet. So on Wednesday I jumped in the car to scratch the itch and went to see the little chap. I wasn’t disappointed.

 

Giant Willow aphids

I don’t know why I’ve never seen them before. One of our largest Aphids. The Giant Willow Aphid. Found obviously enough on Willow. Thank you to Francis Farrow for pointing them out to me. Not the most endearing thing created by mother nature but no less fascinating for that.