Stealing the Show

We were waiting for the Stejneger’s Stonechat to come a little closer last week when this little chap decided to make an appearance. Not normally prone to dancing across sunlit meadows this Water Rail had obviously not read the books!

Twinned

The report of a Wood Warbler in Norfolk is always refreshing. We don’t often get them here but they are annual on their migration north. I was leading a ‘birds by song’ workshop for the NWT when one turned up on Saturday. We did call and have a brief look around but given it was silent didn’t place too much effort into seeing it. Besides it was a pig to see and even worse to photograph. I did however go back in the afternoon after the workshop and have another quick look for it. The event of lunch had not made it any easier; always at the back of bushes and never really showing well.

The Pied Flycatcher at nearby Granborough Hill that turned up late afternoon was only marginally better to photograph; by the time friend John and I got to it … the best of the light had more or less gone.

Morning after the night before

Looking a bit rough and ready was this little chap that appeared on one of our tours on the marshes the other day. Not quite resplendent in his summer garb but this Ruff was sort of … well … ‘getting there’.

Spot on

We were searching for the Rose Coloured Starling at Caister on Sea once more the other day; searching among the thousands of Starlings. Many of the birds have now acquired breeding plumage with pale bills and heavily spotted plumage. The same plumage once gave rise to an old lady telephoning and telling me she had a Nutcracker on her lawn. When Starlings look like this it’s easy to see why she (and others before her and since) made the misidentification.

As we walked the backstreets of Caister the light was magnificent, enabling the pastel colours at the base of the bills to easily be seen; males having blue and females appropriately pink! Just look at the male below, he puffed out his throat feathers and sang his heart out in the afternoon sunshine.

Taking a dip

As we were watching Otters the other day an old friend we first encountered in January made himself known. The Black bellied Dipper that has overwintered in Norfolk flew down the river and alighted nearby. The opportunity was just too good to ignore.

Swan spat

In north east Norfolk at the moment there seems to have been an influx of Bewick Swans. On tours this week we have come across several hundred Bewick’s in small dispersed flocks far outnumbering the Whooper Swans with which they are associating. Normally it is The Whoopers that make up the larger proportion.

One small heard we encountered at the roadside were arguing among themselves … to the point of drawing blood. I’m not so sure why there was so much fury towards one another but they seemed to sort it out albeit with the loss of a few feathers.

Famous old Friend

A trip into Suffolk the other week gave an opportunity to see an old friend, A Famous old friend at that. This Tawny Owl has been photographed widely in Newspapers and blogs. Sat roosting in a city park for many years and for all to see it was amazing how people passed below her in complete ignorance.

 

 

Mystery Bird October

Only one correct entry last month – well done Keiren Allinson. By far the most entries identified this small wader as a Temminks Stint. Other entries were for Grey Plover and Little Stint. Although our bird has greenish pale legs it is far too bright for a Temminck’s. It is in fact a Least Sandpiper. An American Peep – Peeps equate to the old world Stints. This bird was photographed recently in Tadoussac, Canada where a flock of some 4000 Semi-palmated Sandpipers that landed on rocks around our feet had a smattering of Least Sandpipers among them.

This month’s Mystery Bird is a little easier. Entries by e-mail to carl@wildlifetoursandeducation.co.uk

Booted Warbler Revisited

A revisit to Burnham Overy yesterday saw a merry throng of birdwatchers sneeking fleeting views of the Booted Warbler. I wanted a better picture in the better light the day offered. The bird had other ideas.