Long-Eared Owl

Another visit to the "leo" site for the third evening in a row and the male
bird was a full thirty minutes later than the previous evening before he finally
started hunting at 8.45pm.

I never tire of these birds.

Spotted Sandpiper, Brockholes

30th May 2011 and a text from Casper, that Bill Aspin had found a Spotted Sandpiper
at Brockholes, just had to be twitched. The bird showed well and interacted with a
Common Sandpiper nearby, spreading it's wings and fanning it's tail.

This bird seemed a little duller than last years bird at Stocks, with less defined spotting
and duller legs and bill.

A great find, well done Bill!

Spotted and Common Sandpipers

Local Birding

27th-29th May three visits to Foulridge during the period yielded: 2 Dunlin, 5 Little
Ringed Plover (one excavating nest scrape), Turnstone and Arctic Tern.

I spent two evenings at a Long-Eared Owl site, where both adults and young were seen.
The adult birds had several "run-ins" with Carrion Crows that were determined to
steal voles/mice, brought in for the chicks.

Long-Eared Owls

Grasshopper Warbler

Footage from Lakenheath RSPB

Gannet, Lower Foulridge

May 24th 2011 and a report of a Gannet on Lower Foulridge by an unfamiliar name
on the ELOC website had to be investigated. After scanning the res' for ten minutes
i almost gave up when, tucked up against the bushes on the far bank was a large
white shape.....

Lower Foulridge played host to another Gannet during July 2008, when an immature
bird was seen on and off for over a week!

The bird showed extremely well at times, down to a few yards.
It made many half-hearted attempts to plunge dive but was unsuccessful in catching any
fish.

Close!

Almost missed was a female Common Scoter at the opposite end of the Reservoir in

the choppy water, ( nice one John!)

Three Dunlin were on the Upper Reservoir.

Norfolk 21st-23rd May 2011

A whistle stop tour of Norfolk and neighbouring counties for some of the
special breeding birds of the area resulted in mixed success.
I failed to see Montagu's Harrier and didn't meet anyone who had, also failed
with Honey Buzzard too. On a brighter note, self-found Golden Oriole and Wood Sand'
made up for the omissions.

A splendid Red-Necked Phalarope at Burton Norton and churring Nightjars on
Salthouse were magic. Other highlights included Little Stint, Garganey and Black Tern.

These Coot images below show how a coupling of Damselflies met their ending

Coot with chick

Shoveler

This Carrion Crow stole five Avocet eggs in thirty minutes at Titchwell RSPB

Med' Gulls

Grasshopper Warbler

Nightjar

Sandwich Terns

Swift

 Turtle Dove, the only ones seen all weekend

Foulridge Starlings

20th May 2011 Two pairs of Little-Ringed Plovers and the odd Redshank were
the only waders on Foulridge upper reservoir early afternoon.
On the lower res' with water levels still high, around 200 hirundines were feeding.
A Hobby flew over and attempted to catch a Sand Martin, then carried on west.
The bird had some brown flight feathers on the upper wing, indicating second summer
plumage.

A pair of Starlings have been nesting at Burwains clubhouse and i stood behind a
fence and managed to get some close shots without disturbing the birds.

Hobby

Starling family

Common Swifts

18th May 2011 a late evening visit to Upper Foulridge to check for migrant waders,
4 Little-Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and
Redshank were present.
A small group of Swifts, feeding low over Brownhill Lane, quickly built up to over
100 and i attempted some shots in failing light.

Common Swift

Marshside RSPB

16th May 2011 marshside i spent all afternoon moving between junction pool and
Sangrounder's, with a brief visit to Nel's.
150 Dunlin were on junction pool, along with a Little Stint. 10 Ringed Plover
and a Curlew Sandpiper. A Whimbrel and Little Gull dropped in later in the afternoon.

Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin

Curlew Sandpiper (one of two)

Avocet turning it's eggs

Black-Headed Gull copulation

Little Stint

Little Gull

This Herring Gull snatched a Coot chick from the

reeds, only to drop it in mid-air.

from Nel's Hide