The intermittent Iceland Gull within the Cley area recently, has been damn difficult to see. We were stood in the ‘beach hotel’ at the NWT Car Park when it flew east just offshore at nothing less than warp eight speed. “Our engines canny take any more Jim” It couldn’t have flown faster had it been designed by Sir Frank Whittle.
Too quick for some to see … apparently.
We don’t get many Purple Sandpipers during winter this far south. No big flocks anyway. Just a few birds maybe, scattered around rocky parts of the coast. This one was one of three we saw at Sheringham the other day when on tour. They are one of those birds like Gadwall or Chiffchaff that improve the longer you look at them. The intricacies of plumage on a Purple Sandpiper; the feather edges and the subtle tones of colour, are quite attention seeking.
The grey misty dank days of late autumn are lit up by the finding of the odd Firecrest. This one was in the Holm Oaks at Holkham Hall. What a delight to see. They have to be my favourite British Bird.
It’s said that we are all no more than 10 metres from a rat. It is in fact an urban myth … however this Carrion Crow found one the other day. The thing that attracted me was the noise. I just got the shot off before the hapless rodent got carried away kicking and screaming.
Yellow browed Warblers, the seven striped sprites, have to be my favourite; tiny loved jewels from the north. Occupants of the Taiga forests these birds move in a fleeting migration through the UK and winter in north Africa and southern Europe in small numbers.
On a birding tour at the end of last month we found not one but two together at Stiffkey. Try as I might to get the right angle to photograph both together I couldn’t do it. Still … just adore these tiny, tiny long distant migrants. In the last few years one was even found in Australia. How’s that for a migration?
The sky was grey. In the distance it had invisibly stitched itself to the sea and the north wind was bringing in curtains of rain. The hedge I can see from my bedroom window is crying out for a Pallas’s Warbler. I stood beneath it waiting for the tell-tale call. A little patience and a Long tailed Tit flock lolly-popped their way through the foliage around me. Among them something smaller. As it came into view I was let down gently by this yellow booted mahicanned Goldcrest.
“Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say – the Guardian 18th October 2017.
Well … no shit Sherlock! As if we needed telling. As if you can spray chemicals at every bug on the planet and expect numbers not to decrease. Or am I in that ‘I told you so’ scenario already?
No doubt even if everyone who understood how the building blocks of life interlock screamed and shouted this from ever rooftop in the kingdom it would still go unheard. Unheard by the zombied masses and unheard by the bickering politicians. Unheard and not understood. Somebody help me understand why we have no foresight as a species to see what’s happening here. HELP!
Convolvulous Hawk Moth photographed in Norfolk
The Tresco estate on the Isles of Scilly have taken it upon themselves to introduce Red Squirrel onto the island. When we were down there in October we sat in the garden cafe and there were several that entertained us as we fought to keep the House Sparrows from our lunch.
Red Squirrels are endearing little mammals that do make me chuckle as they bound from place to place punctuating their leaps with static pauses; as if they are surprised their surroundings changed when they moved!
Letter From Norfolk 