Some you win … some you lose

I’ve been working at Wild Ken Hill for around seven months now leading some of the ‘Big Picture’ tours. The tours cover the coastal marsh, the regenerative agricultural implementations on the estate and also the 1000 acre rewilding area. At WKH they are doing some amazing things which I passionately believe we should be doing.

I don’t take my camera with me on the walks as it’s quite a heavy beast of a thing and can be a little strength sapping when on foot all day.

Tania came with me last Saturday, as she sometimes does. About 2 hours into the morning tour we were just starting to climb the hill that is ‘Wild Ken Hill’ within the rewilding area when I saw something flitting half-way up one of the Scots Pines. I raised my binoculars expecting to see a Robin. In fact what I saw floored me. The red wasn’t on the breast but down the flanks of the bird and as it turned I saw an ivory white throat and a beautiful blue tail. It was a female/first winter type Red flanked Bluetail. I forget what I actually said … but it was something quite exclamatory! The bird flew down to a pile of scrubby removed Rhododendrons and promptly disappeared.

I think this is the second March record for Norfolk. None of the twelve guests with us were bird watchers and I had a timetable to observe. However, I explained the significance of the sighting and reluctantly left the area, with more than a single backward glance, to continue the tour. In the short time we had available to look on the afternoon tour it was nowhere to be seen.

The following day, on Sunday, we decided to see if we could see any of the Garganey that had been reported at Cley NWT over the preceding week. Garganey, our only summer visiting duck, are normally elusive; preferring the shelter of vegetation and reedbeds to open water. After waiting unsuccessfully in one hide most of the morning we decided to have lunch back at the centre and try the centre group of hides in the afternoon.

As we got to the hides friends Greg and Andrew were departing and announced they had seen a pair going up and down the drain close in front of them. Well, they weren’t wrong. The birds were ridiculously close. I had to take off the extender and reset the minimum focusing distance. In fact I could have easily have taken photos on a mobile phone.

Sometimes you win by taking the camera … sometimes you lose when you don’t.

A Howl

Another shot of one of those amazing Short eared Owls that are gracing many of Norfolk’s marshes and dunes at the moment.

Thief

I’ve seen bold kestrels fly up to Barn Owls and steal their catch. Until yesterday I’ve never seen a Kestrel do the same thing with a Short-eared Owl.

It was as if the marsh was giving birth to owls. They just kept springing up. First one, then two. Three, four five and maybe a sixth. They offered superb photo opportunities. I followed one through the viewfinder of the camera and watched it swing in an arc down to the ground. It jumped as a vole lept forward in a desperate attempt for freedom. The shortie cut off the escape route. A kestrel swung down from above and took the vole from under the owls very nose! … but not without a bit of a fight.

Merry Christmas

I’d only just mentioned to the girls that we should keep an eye open for Bob. Sure enough he appeared like some sort of apparition; feeding the gulls as we passed Walcott. It was good to see him. It’s been a long time since we got together and it was pleasing to spend a little time together.

Spending time with people has been difficult over the past twelve months. I’ve missed the camaraderie of friends and family; it was very pleasing Holly made it down from Manchester to spend Christmas with us.

We decided to have a morning walk at Cart Gap; that’s where we were heading when we saw Bob.

Scouring the beach we looked for mammoth teeth. This was the second day in a row we’d searched the shore for fossils. One day I’ll find a nice example.

It was Holly who saw a flash of orange behind the breakers. I suspected it was a Turnstone. No. On closer inspection it was a Purple Sand. Not one but three of them; picking and pecking at the alga on the walls and rocks. A nice find for Christmas.

I hope you all manage some time with family and friends this Christmas, you stay well and have a pleasant surprise or two. Merry Christmas from Tania and I (and Holly too!)

Turning Over

The photographs I’ve taken this year will soon be turning over and disappearing into annals of the Wildcatch Photography site; they won’t be available to view in the one place under the ‘Latest Photograph’ section.

So if you would like to take a browse of the latest photos please do so now … I hope you enjoy them.

https://wildcatchphotography.zenfolio.com/p34814967

I’m a fan

I’ve always been a fan of the Dartford Warbler. An iconic species that is represented in Norfolk by possibly the most Northerly population in the world.

We waited for around an hour in a cold wind for one to show last week. I know it was there as I’d heard it chuntering from inside the gorse. This is a species that shows on it’s own terms. However, I could see the blue sky on the horizon slowly working it’s way towards us. A little sunshine always helps to procure a sighting and sure enough he eventually sat atop his thorny perch; even fanning his tail for us.

Some people should just be barred

The roads at Wiveton are narrow. Visitors to the Barred Warbler were asked not to park on the road or verges; but one idiot still did. Churning up the verge in front of resident’s houses. No wonder suppression of sightings seems to be on the increase. This attitude promotes it. The ignorance of some people just raises my hackles. ‘It doesn’t apply to me’. ‘I’ve no need to give way’. ‘I’ve no need to wear a mask’. ‘The injection program doesn’t apply here’. Pure unadulterated arrogance. I’m tiring of uncooperative people. Some should just be barred!

However … the Barred Warbler luckily didn’t take any notice of the raised voices behind me. This is the latest I’ve seen one in the UK. By now it should be feeding in some Turkish Olive grove. Normally long gone from our shores by December, this young bird did what Barred’s normally don’t do; it showed surprisingly well. Tania and I enjoyed watching it feed on insects within the ivy covered hawthorns. Why is it here? I think a quick look around any trees on the coast will give you the answer; many are still in leaf. We’ve not really had any frost to speak of as yet. There’s still a veritable insect larder within foliage.

I wonder if this bird will over winter? I suspect not, but I’d love to revisit it in March when it would be starting to look like a Barred Warbler at its best.

You’re having a Lark …

Friend Andrew has a great view from his bedroom window here in the village. That’s how he found the Short toed Lark among Skylarks and Linnet that were feeding on the fresh plow in the field opposite.

I couldn’t get down the road to see it yesterday but I called at first light this morning. It eventually flew in from the South West corner of the field and showed pretty well before the rain set in. However, it was always pretty distant. I left it until later in the day when fewer people were around and the sun came out before I tried again. Tania joined me on the clifftop after she finished work and we both enjoyed good views as it slowly made its way over the field towards us.

Gathering

There are several post migratory gatherings of Stone Curlews within Norfolk. Numbers drain away through October as birds move South and make their way into the beautiful dark continent. Given the mild weather perhaps more than usual still remain.

Not just rares

Those that have never visited the Isles of Scilly may be under the impression it’s only for those chasing rarer birds Not so. Some common species are at their easiest to photograph here.