Another Brick in the Wall

Holkham looked a good bet for today’s birding tour. It wasn’t the juvenile Red Backed Shrike that lit up our walk; or even the two or three Yellow browed Warblers that were shouting at us from the end of the pines. Not even the four Cattle Egrets in with the Belted Galloways took centre stage. It was the Wall Butterflies.

I have honestly never seen Wall Butterflies in such profusion. We must have seen about 40 or so during the afternoon. Not in one’s and two’s but frequently in groups of three or four.

I think I managed to see more Walls in one afternoon than I have seen collectively over a couple of years. Perhaps these are a third brood taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine and the shelter from that persistent Northerly wind offered by the pines.

Autumnal Visitor

The lack of steeply wooded valleys contributes to the lack of breeding Pied Flycatchers in the East of England. Although they have bred in a couple of coastal locations in the past in Norfolk they are mainly known as an autumn migrant. Last week a splattering of what were presumably Scandinavian birds occurred along the coast. This particular bird made Beeston Heath, just up the road from us, its temporary home for a few days.

Six Whistler

When staring out to sea, as I often do, looking for cetaceans, birds often attract my attention. These Whimbrel flew West the other week when watching at Cley.

Wild Ken Hill

One of the best places in the county to see Grey Partridge is Wild Ken Hill between Snettisham and Heacham in the West of Norfolk. Book yourself on a ‘Big Picture Tour’ for a trip around the estate and learn what good work the WKH team are doing on the farm and in the rewilding area to look after our wildlife and produce our food sustainably.