Craning our Necks

As we stopped for a look around on a tour in north East Norfolk a group of cranes could be heard somewhere in the distance. We waited and they eventually came right above us. Wonderful graceful birds.

Wales

A family break in Wales over the bank holiday weekend; but you take your camera and bins’ with you, don’t you?

White Bluebells

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Chough

Early Purple Orchid

Raven

Red Kite

Red Kite

 

A flower without a bite

Just love these flowers. The chequerboard pattern on the petals  reminds me of an Elizabethan garden. Snakes Head Fritillary are not common but they can be sought out in the wild in a few places; usually in wet meadows or beside rivers.

Winging it

A nice surprise during one of our morning walks on the Scottish Birders Tour last weekend was a small flock of Waxwings. I heard them before they came into view; their ‘boiling kettle’ calls are quite distinctive. The flock stopped no more than a few hours before they continued their journey north back to their Scandinavian breeding grounds.

Scotland

A great group in Scotland last weekend on the Scottish Birders Weekend. We saw some good birds including this Crested Tit in Abernethy forest. Next year the itinerary has been changed slightly to incorporate an additional day at the coast for some passage migrants and late winter visitors such as White billed Diver and King Eider. Great hotel, great food, great birds … what more could you ask? Here’s the itinerary.

Deadly

False Morels are a fungi that’s not often found in Norfolk but they did make an appearance a week or so ago. With their purple velvet convoluted surface they do look quite delicious … but they are deadly poisonous … avoid at all cost.

A face only a mother could love!

Out with Derek & Jim Temple on the boat at Blakeney the other day. Not too many Grey seals on the point (they are all at Scrooby Sands) but what were there made entertaining viewing. One in particular had one of those faces. A good haul of Red breasted Mergansers too.

Resplendent orient

In the Brecks last week listening to a charade of Firecrest song. However it wasn’t that that caught our attention. It was the flock of Mandarin ducks looking resplendent in breeding garb that stole the show. What beautiful ducks these are.

Through the square window

The end of the tax year saw me sitting at the laptop first thing this morning.

It was the song of a Blackcap that drew me to the window. Not my first for the year but always good to hear. Under the feeders was a Stock Dove. The iridescence around the neck  was absolutely glowing in the morning sunshine. I had to get my camera. As soon as I moved he flew up and away. I thought I’d set up the camera anyway just in case he came back; or maybe something else would put in an appearance.

I’d no sooner set up the tripod when an absolute carpet of Blackbirds landed in the garden. A spring movement north. Much to the consternation of the local birds that didn’t like interlopers on their patch. As I finished adjusting the camera I noticed something piebald land at the pond.

For the fourth year running Ring Ouzels have visited the pond here. Stunning birds these thrushes. I had a chance to fire off a few shots before the whole flock took off west.

A lark’s song

As we were waiting for the Great Grey Shrike to show last month I could hear Woodlarks singing in the distance. I couldn’t quite believe it when another flew from the opposite end of the heath and landed on the branch of the tree just a few feet in front of us. How lucky is that. It then started to sing in reply completely oblivious to clicking shutters. It stopped there quite a while before being flushed by a dog walker and flying off in the direction of its rival.