High Overhead

It was a notification from friend Andrew that had us looking skyward.

He had been stood on the hill at Northrepps when he’d picked up a Marsh Harrier flying West high-up. When we eventually picked it up as it flew towards us at West Runton it was really high … I mean REALLY HIGH! It was trying it’s best to migrate North and go out to sea but was having a really problem with the strong Northerly wind.

Would we have noticed it at upwards of a 1000 feet above? I doubt it. Andrew can still hear crickets … which gave him the nickname of ‘Dog-ears’. I reckon we should christen him ‘Hawk-eye’

Catching Flies

Late last month I was waiting patiently for a Booted Warbler to show in a bank of coastal bushes. As I stood there a small piebald object skimmed over my left shoulder and alighted in the bushes I was watching. It had come off the sea. A Pied Flycatcher.

It took a little time to gather itself. It perched and preened. After removing the toil of a long flight it soon set about feeding and doing what flycatchers do best.