15th July 2023 – Summer Tour, Day 2 & Nightjars

Day 2 of a three day Summer Tour. Less rain forecast today – more thundery showers – but the problem in the forecast was the wind, which was predicted to be gusting up to 50+mph. Thankfully, once again, even though it was very windy it wasn’t as bad as we thought it might be and we managed to make the most of the day.

As the wind hadn’t yet picked up, we stopped at Wells first and had a quick look on the pools there. They looked quiet when we arrived, but we set up the scopes and started to scan. Five Spoonbills were asleep on the island on the back of the pool east of the track. There were several Ruff and Black-tailed Godwits roosting here too, and a couple of Ruff closer to us, on the mud nearer the track. Three Green Sandpipers were feeding on the mud behind the islands – they kept disappearing from view, but eventually everyone got to see them.

Spoonbills – asleep

Lots of gulls drop in here to drink and bathe from the nearby pig fields. They were mostly Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Black-headed Gulls, with a smaller number of Herring Gulls in with them. Looking through, we picked out a slightly larger gull, still immature, a fourth calendar year, with a beady dark eye and darker mantle. It was an immature Caspian Gull, a nice bonus.

Moving on, we drove west. We were heading for Titchwell, where we would have the benefit of hides to get out of the wind. We checked out the harbour at Burnham Overy on our way past, but there were no terns in the channel today. As we drove through Brancaster Staithe, a Sparrowhawk flew off over the houses ahead of us, carrying something in its talons.

As we arrived in the car park at Titchwell, a Song Thrush was feeding on the grassy verge by the toilet block and another was singing from the trees nearby. The sallows were rather quiet as we walked along the path to the Visitor Centre and the bird tables beyond had just a couple of Woodpigeons, plus a Moorhen on the pond, so we headed straight out along the main path. Stopping to scan the Thornham grazing meadow, a female Marsh Harrier flew past along the near edge of the grass.

Marsh Harrier – a female

Out from the trees, and a Sedge Warbler was singing and songflighting up from the reeds on the Thornham side of the path. A couple of Reed Warblers were singing their more metronomic song the other side, with several flitting in and out of the reeds around the borrow pits. A Common Tern was hovering over one of the pools in the reedbed beyond and a Gadwall was in the channel. Two Little Grebes were over towards the back of the larger reedbed pool, where small rafts of Shoveler and Teal sailed out from behind the reeds too.

Just before Island Hide, we stopped when we heard Bearded Tits calling, and had a glimpse of one dropping down to the base of the reeds below the path, out of view. There were several Ruff, of various colours and various different stages of moult, on the mud just beyond the reeds and a smart Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit in rich rusty breeding plumage with them. Further back, we could just make out two Spotted Redshanks with the Common Redshanks on the far compartment. An adult and juvenile Mediterranean Gull were loafing around the bricks, with the Black-headed Gulls and a family of Common Terns.

Ruff – moulting

We went into Island Hide, to see if we could spot any Bearded Tits from there, along the edge of the reeds. Two close Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits were feeding right outside the hide, along with a couple of Avocets, giving nice close views. A single Little Ringed Plover was on the bank to the left of the hide, so we could see its golden eye ring in the scope. A couple of closer Common Terns were on the near island, where we could get a good look at the length of their tail streamers.

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit – in breeding plumage

Scanning along the base of the reeds to the right of the hide, we eventually picked up two juvenile Bearded Tits working their way along the edge of the water. We had some lovely views of them in the scope.

Back out onto the main path, and we could see dark clouds approaching from the south west now, so we headed straight on round to Parrinder Hide. We had slightly closer views of the Spotted Redshanks from here, along with a Continental Black-tailed Godwit, of the nominate limosa subspecies, sporting colour rings which showed it had come from the Ouse Washes and a single Dunlin.

Continental Black-tailed Godwit – subspecies limosa

Then the rain swept in and for a few minutes it was very heavy. We watched the birds standing with their bills pointing upwards, allowing the water to run off. An even closer Spotted Redshank appeared briefly on the island with the Continental Black-tailed Godwit, and we could see its very thin, needle fine bill tip. The rain quickly cleared through on the brisk winds and blue skies returned. A Ringed Plover appeared on the grassy island in front of the left part of the hide and several Mediterranean Gulls landed in front of the other side of hide to preen and dry out with the Black-headed Gulls.

With the sun back out, we decided to walk out and have a look at the beach. It was windy, but not as bad yet as the 50+mph gusts which were forecast, and we found a little bit of shelter in the lee of dunes. There were a few waders on the mussel beds, including a nice Bar-tailed Godwit next to a Black-tailed Godwit for comparison. A Common Seal was hauled out on the beach just beyond, with several Grey Seals in the water just offshore. We could see lots of Sandwich Terns flying past over the sea, along with a few more distant Gannets.

We made our way back for lunch, and it was sheltered on the picnic tables in the trees by the Visitor Centre. After lunch, we drove round to Snettisham and out to the hides, where we figured we could still do some birding out of the wind, which was starting to pick up more now. It was not a big tide today, and not high tide until 6pm, so there was still lots of mud out on the Wash when we arrived. Several Oystercatchers were sheltering behind the vegetation on the seawall.

We stopped in at Rotary Hide first – we planned to work round from shelter to shelter. Flocks of Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank were constantly flying in over the pit, a good early sign, suggesting there would be some birds on the pits despite the current stage of the tide. A Common Sandpiper was feeding along the back edge opposite. Lots of Common Terns were nesting on the near island and flew up calling as a Great Black-backed Gull flew over. A couple of Sandwich Terns flew in over the pit too.

Sandwich Tern – flew past the hide

Moving on down to Shore Hide, there were Linnets and Pied Wagtails in the grass on the seawall. From the hide, we could see five Spotted Redshanks in between the rocks in the middle of the water, patchy black and white now as they moult into non-breeding plumage. There were several Spoonbills here, but they were hiding out of view in a dip on the top of the bank opposite, presumably sheltered from the wind. A scalloped juvenile Mediterranean Gull was begging to be fed by its parent on the island below the hide.

Mediterranean Gulls – adult & begging juvenile

More waders were starting to gather on the edge of the island by the bank to the north of the hide. We could see several Knot here, mostly still in rusty orange breeding plumage, along with a few Dunlin still sporting their summer black bellies, all in among the legs of the larger godwits – mostly Black-tailed Godwits but with a few Bar-tailed Godwits in with them. There were more Redshanks on the tip of the island and another Spotted Redshank in with them. More waders were arriving all the time, a particularly big flock of Black-tailed Godwits flew past at one point, all dropping down to land around the southern end of Pit.

We pressed on further, down to South Screen to check out the waders at that end of the pit, and it was very blustery now. Nine feral Barnacle Geese were in with the Greylags on the grass as we passed. From the Screen, we noticed a White-fronted Goose swimming with the Greylags on the Pit, presumably another feral bird as the wild birds would be in Russia at this time of year.

Barnacle Geese – a small feral group

We scanned through the gathering of waders on the bank, lots of Black-tailed Godwits in particular, along with smaller numbers of Knot and Dunlin, a very impressive sight but we couldn’t see anything different in with them. We were watching carefully as more dark clouds approached over the Wash and at first they looked to be missing us, the skies going increasingly black off to the north, but when it looked like we might catch the edge of the rain, we decided to head round to the big hide where we would be more sheltered.

Little Stint – dropped in

When we got in the hide, one of the group spotted a Little Stint which dropped in on the island right in front, stopping to bathe and preen in the edge of the water, tiny next to the godwits. A Whimbrel appeared on the front edge too and we had great views of the godwits and Knot. Then the rain arrived, and for a short while it was very heavy, whipped across in the blustery winds.

Whimbrel – dropped in too

The rain cleared through quickly on the wind, but it was still spitting for a bit, so we waited in the hide until it stopped. Most of the smaller waders had disappeared, but the Spoonbills now flew out and landed on the islands right in front of the hide to preen and dry out. We counted twenty eight, including eleven juveniles with short ‘teaspoon’ bills.

Spoonbills – some of the 28 here

Two Little Terns flew in and round over the water, but didn’t land. There had been no sign of any Sandwich Terns before the rain, presumably they had all been out on the mud, but now they came in, and a good-sized flock gathered on the shingle island opposite.

When the rain stopped, we made our way back. It was probably too windy for the Turtle Doves to be feeding along the seawall today, and there were none on the wires by the Coastal Park either as we passed, but as we drove out of the village, two Turtle Doves flew over the road ahead of us, and off over the fields to the south.

Nightjar Evening

The weather was far from ideal for seeing Nightjars this weekend, but tonight seemed to represent our best chance. At least it was dry, but we had never tried to see them in gusts up to 40mph before! We met again just before sunset and drove over to one of the local heaths. As we walked out, the trees were thrashing around in the wind. A family of Stonechats appeared briefly in the gorse by the path, but were keeping down out of the wind tonight.

We stopped in the middle of one of the Nightjar territories and waited. It didn’t feel very encouraging, but on cue about twenty minutes after sunset we heard one call and had a glimpse of it as it flew through the edge of the trees. It went quiet and for a minute we thought that might be it, then the male Nightjar started churring on the edge of the trees briefly. It flew out and round in front of the trees, before landing on a dead branch which it often uses. We got the scope on it, but unfortunately, it didn’t stay long and only a couple of members of the group managed to see it through the scope.

The Nightjar flew out into the middle of the heath, where it churred again from the ground, a bit half-heartedly. There is a small path out in that direction, so we set off to walk out to see if we could find it. Before we had got very far, it flew back back in and started churring more strongly now in a big oak right next to the main path. We stopped to listen to it. It took off again and became more active, flying back and forth past us several times, at one point coming right over our heads, and then joined by a second Nightjar, lovely close flight views.

We would happily have settled for what we had already seen and heard, given the weather, so when it seemed to go quiet again, we started to walk slowly back. We hadn’t gone far when we heard another Nightjar call and another male flew in and hovered right above us for several seconds, flashing the white in its wings and tail. Amazing! It flew round, then came back to check us out a second time. As we continued on, in the gathering gloom now, we stopped to listen to yet another different male churring on the edge of the trees.

The evening had already significantly exceeded all expectations, given the strength of the wind. Then, as we drove back, we noticed a Tawny Owl perched on a sign by the road. We pulled up slowly where it was illuminated in the headlights, and it stayed there staring at us for a while before it eventually flew up into a nearby tree. A great way to end the day.

26th June 2023 – Targets Acquired!

A Private Tour today. It was a nice bright day, not as hot as it has been in previous days and with a stronger W/WNW wind – comfortable conditions for birding. We had some specific targets to find, so we started in the north Brecks, headed up to the North Norfolk coast, and then went out again in the evening for Nightjars.

We met in Swaffham as the rest of the group were on their way up from the south this morning. We had a particular target to find a Tree Pipit, so we headed out into the Forest and parked by a convenient clearing. It was quiet when we got out of the minibus, apart from a Yellowhammer singing in the distance. We set off down the path through the middle of the clearing, and had gone no distance when a Tree Pipit started singing behind us. We turned to see it flutter up and fly over our heads, before landing in the top of a tree next to us, where we got it in the scopes. A good start!

A Yellowhammer flew in and swooped at the Tree Pipit, landing on a nearby branch. The Tree Pipit continued singing unperturbed but after a while, launched into another song flight, fluttering up and parachuting down into the next tree down. We had an even better view of it now, side on.

Tree Pipit – singing in an oak

The first of our targets acquired in no time, we decided to move on. Back to Swaffham, we picked up the car we had left there and drove north up to the coast at Cley. There had been an American Golden Plover here for over a week, but it had disappeared from its favoured North Scrape for most of yesterday before reappearing on Simmond’s Scrape in the evening. It was apparently back on North Scrape this morning, and would be a new bird for the group, so after a quick check in at the Visitor Centre, we headed straight round to the beach car park.

As we walked along the shingle, there were lots of gulls offshore in a feeding frenzy, we could see the fish splashing on the surface. Looking through, we picked out several Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Sandwich Terns in the throng. There were a few Curlews moving offshore too – strange to think they are coming back already, their breeding season over.

When we got to the screen overlooking North Scrape, we could see the American Golden Plover on the mud close to the front. We found somewhere we could see over the reeds with the scope and had a good look at it, noting the long primary projection and bulging white on the sides of the breast.

American Golden Plover – back on North Scrape

The second of our targets in the bag, we had a scan round the rest of the scrape. A single 1st summer Little Gull was wading around in a small pool, looking particularly small between a couple of Black-headed Gulls, and there were more Mediterranean Gulls roosting with a small group of gulls on the dry mud. As well as Lapwings and Oystercatchers, we found a single Little Ringed Plover too. A pair of Linnets landed in the gorse right next to us.

Linnet – landed next to us

As we walked back to the car park, there were several Meadow Pipits song-flighting, fluttering up and parachuting down, so we stopped to listen and contrast their much simpler song to the Tree Pipit we had heard earlier. There were Skylarks singing too, and one perched obligingly on a fence post close to the path for us to admire.

Skylark – on the fence

We drove back round to the Visitor Centre and with a bit of time before lunch we walked across the road and out to Bishop Hide. Along the path through the reeds, we could hear Bearded Tits calling and saw a couple fly back and forth across the path, though it was a bit too windy for them to perch up today. From the hide, we could see lots of Spoonbills and Little Egrets on the nearest island in front of the hide. There were several juveniles off both, the young Spoonbills sporting short teaspoon-bills.

Spoonbill – a ‘teaspoon’ juvenile

There were several Ruff feeding on the mud. The males take no part in raising the young and once the lekking season is over, they leave the breeding grounds. As soon as they get here, they start to moult, rapidly losing their ornate ruffs. They look very scruffy at this time of year, and the variation is bewildering – no two are alike! There were lots of Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits and several Little Ringed Plovers on here too, and we could hear a Greenshank calling from further over. A few Teal have already returned too and a female Shoveler swam past in front of the hide.

Ruff – a scruffy moulting male

It was a good time to break now for an early lunch. Scanning from the balcony at the visitor centre afterwards, we could see a Marsh Harrier out over the reedbed and some Sand Martins distantly out towards Arnold’s Marsh. A Ringed Plover flew in and landed briefly on Pat’s Pool.

We walked out to the central hides for a quick look at the other scrapes next. The Greenshank we had heard earlier was still on Simmond’s Scrape, along with a single Dunlin. Two more Little Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull and a Common Gull were dozing on the mud. The water level here has dropped very rapidly in the recent warm weather, and the warden appeared in the hide, as he wanted to go out to open the pipes and let some more water on. He waited while we finished scanning, then we decided to walk back and let him get on with it.

Our final destination for the afternoon was up on the Heath. A pair of Bullfinches landed briefly in a bush in the car park, before flying off calling. A male Stonechat perched on the top of the gorse and several Linnets flew in and out calling. There was some high cloud this afternoon, and it was still breezy, but when the sun came out we found several Silver-studded Blue butterflies.

Silver-studded Blue – showing its silver studs

We were hoping to find a Dartford Warbler, but we drew a blank in the first two territories we walked through. They can always be tricky in the afternoons and are often easier to find in the mornings, but we had other priorities this morning. Then just as we were walking up to the next territory, we heard a male Dartford Warbler singing, and turned to see it in song flight. It then flew in and landed right in front of us and we realised there was a female here too, collecting food. We stood quietly where we were and watched the two of them, completely unconcerned at our presence – great views.

Dartford Warbler – great views

We were just walking back when a Woodlark flew over our heads singing. It seemed to be dropping towards a favoured feeding area which we had just come past, so we walked back to see if we could find it. We stood and listened, but there was no sign at first, so we thought we would try the other path back. We had only gone a short distance when we heard a Woodlark calling from the long grass and as we stopped to look we noticed another on the track right in front of us. More great views. Eventually one flew up out of the long grass, and was followed by four more, including the one from the path, a family group.

Woodlark – on the path

As we resumed the walk back, we stopped to watch lots of tits in the trees by the road, along with several Chiffchaffs. Then it was time to call it a day and give everyone a chance to get something to eat.

We met again later, and headed out first to look for Barn Owls. We had a quick drive round the marshes where they like to hunt, but there was no sign of any owls out yet, so we stopped to scan. A Grasshopper Warbler started reeling across the road, so we walked over to see if we could find it but it must have been tucked down out of view. A couple of Sedge Warblers flew back and forth. Then we turned to see a Barn Owl flying across the road behind us. We thought it would hunt a nearby fields but it flew straight over, over the reeds and disappeared straight into a bush, back in to roost. It was obviously not having to feed hungry youngsters!

Back up onto the bank, we watched a distant Marsh Harrier over the marshes and an even more distant Barn Owl. It appeared to drop down, so we drove round to have a look and see if we could find it, but there was no sign. A good start, with two owls briefly, but we still had a little time to see if we could find more. We set off to drive back round to where we saw one the other night, and hadn’t got that far, when we noticed a Barn Owl hunting the field by the road. We stopped to watch as it quartered over the field, a coming right round in front of us. It dropped into the grass a couple of times, but didn’t come up with anything – it stayed down for a while, so may have eaten something itself. Then it landed on the roof of a nearby barn, where we got it in the scopes.

Barn Owl – out hunting

We had another appointment to fulfil still tonight, so we had to tear ourselves away from the Barn Owls. We drove up to the heath and walked out, positioning ourselves in the middle of one territory. We didn’t have to wait too long before the first Nightjar started churring. It was distant, but then another started up much closer to us, from somewhere down on the ground. As the light faded, they started to fly round – a couple of times, the resident male came in to check us out, flying over our heads, flashing the white in its wings and tail. We had the scope set up on its favourite perch, but when it flew in it changed its mind at the last minute and didn’t land on it tonight. A female flew past too. We stood and listened for a while, a wonderful sound on a summer’s evening. Then we decided to head for home.

As we walked back, a Nightjar flew round and landed on the path a short distance ahead of us. It appeared as it it may be dust bathing, so we got it in the scope and had a good look in the last of the light. We couldn’t get round it, so in the end we had to walk on – the Nightjar kept flying up and landing again further along the path ahead of us, until we were almost at the edge of the heath! A great way to end a very successful day’s birding.

14th June 2023 – Nightjar Evening

An evening tour to look for owls and Nightjars. It was a lovely evening, clear and bright, although there was still a slight chill to the E wind, even if it was lighter now than earlier in the day.

We met in Holt in the evening and headed down to the coast to look for Barn Owls. A drive along the main road drew a blank, so we stopped and had a walk down across the marshes. It was rather cool out here, and perhaps that was why it all felt a bit subdued – a couple of Reed Buntings were still singing and a distant Marsh Harrier drifted over the bank in the distance. There were a few Common Swifts over the village, but not screaming about like they often do in the summer. Three Little Egrets flew past, heading off to roost. And no sign of any owls.

We decided to try a little inland, to see if they were out hunting where we had seen one the other night. As we drove through the village and out the other side, we spotted a Barn Owl hunting over the meadow by the road. We pulled up in a convenient layby, but by the time we had got out the Barn Owl had flown across the road and over the hedge the other side. We checked from the gateway next to us and there was the Barn Owl hunting over the grass.

Barn Owl – out hunting

We watched it now as it made several circuits around the grassy field, at one point flying straight towards us and seemingly only seeing us at the last minute and veering away. It disappeared over the hedge at the back but came back just a moment later and resumed its circuits. Great views.

Barn Owl – lovely close views

Eventually, having caught nothing, the Barn Owl flew back over the hedge and back over the road. We watched it now hunting the meadows in the distance. It dropped down into the grass, but came up without anything again. Then it disappeared through the trees at the back.

We drove on down to the bridge to see if we could refind the Barn Owl, but it had gone. Still, it was a lovely spot to stand and scan. A Marsh Harrier quartered over the meadows in the last of the evening sun. Then it was time to head up to one of the heaths for the evening’s main event.

The sun was just setting as we walked out onto the heath. We stopped to admire watch a pair of Stonechats perching on the top of the gorse bushes. We got ourselves in position in the middle of one of the Nightjar territories and we didn’t have to wait long before the first Nightjar started churring. They were early tonight!

The first Nightjar was rather distant, back the way we had just come, as was the second which was out in the middle of the heath. Then a third Nightjar started up from the trees a bit further on, so we walked a little further on to listen. An amazing, other-worldly noise, it is easy to hear why these birds would be the source of so many old myths and legends.

The male Nightjar whose territory we had positioned ourselves in earlier now started churring close behind us, so we turned and hurried back to our earlier spot. We were hoping it would come out to a nearby dead tree, but perhaps we were a bit too visible now and it flew out and headed out over the heath. Thankfully some of the group saw where it landed in a large oak tree and we were able to get it in the scope through a gap in the leaves. We could see it churring.

Nightjar – landed in an oak tree

The Nightjar didn’t stay long enough for everyone to get onto it, and dropped down into the gorse. Thankfully only a minute or so later it flew back up and landed on the same perch. The scope was still on it, and it stayed longer this time, so everyone could get a look. Eventually it flew off again.

We stood and watched for a while, several times Nightjars flew round in front of us, males with white flashes in their wings and tails and darker females. We could hear several churring, with others calling as they took off and wing-clapping.

Nightjar – a male

The light was starting to go, and the Nightjars on this part of the heath seemed to go a little quiet, so we began to make our way back. We stopped to listen again further on, where another Nightjar seemed to be churring particularly persistently. A Tawny Owl hooted in the distance too. Then it was time to call it a night.

10th June 2023 – Early Summer, Day 2 & Nightjar Evening

Day 1 of a 3-day Summer Tour. What a difference a day makes! Today was bright and sunny, and much warmer, up to 20C already by 9am and a maximum of 22C in the afternoon, despite a freshening east wind. We spent the day down in the Broads and then went out again in the evening to look for Nightjars.

Our destination for the morning was Hickling. As we arrived in the car park, a Willow Warbler was singing. One of the wardens was just setting up for a children’s moth morning in the car park and kindly gave us a couple of his surplus moths to look at – the Reed Leopard was much rarer, found only in the UK in the Norfolk Broads and a couple of other restricted sites, but the Poplar Hawkmoth proved more popular!

Reed Leopard moth

We went to try and check in at the Visitor Centre as the door was open, but we were told they were actually still closed and the door was promptly shut. We thought we would go out for a walk first and check in later. Then we were just walking past when someone came running out chasing us for permits, despite the fact that the Centre was not actually due to open until 10am. It was then very slow to process everyone through and we should probably have gone out and focused on birding first.

We eventually got away, and walked down towards the Stubb Mill track. A Swallowtail butterly flew over the path ahead of us but disappeared straight over the hedge the other side. Still, a good omen to see one on the wing already.

At the first pool, we could see a Spoonbill feeding at the back, but it quickly disappeared into the vegetation. We could hear Common Cranes bugling, but couldn’t see well from here due to the bushes lining the track, although we eventually managed to see one flying round and dropping into the reeds through a gap.

Great White Egrets – four with a Little Egret

There were four Great White Egrets together on the back of the next compartment. We had a better view of them when we got to the first platform and could look over the bank, feeding together with a couple of Little Egrets and a Grey Heron for size comparison. There were a few waders on here too – a single Greenshank with some Redshank, a Common Snipe, lots of Black-tailed Godwits, a couple of Avocets and a few Lapwings, but there was no sign of the Black-winged Stilt which had been here earlier. There was a nice selection of ducks to – another Wigeon, a couple of Teal, plus several Shoveler and lots of Gadwall.

As we continued on along the track, there were several dragonflies flying now in the sunshine – Four-spotted Chasers and our first Norfolk Hawkers of the year (in Norfolk at least!). Damselflies included nice views of Variable Damselfly.

Variable Damselfly

When we got down to the corner, we discovered that the Black-winged Stilt had just flown off. We had only missed it by a few minutes, so we would probably have seen it if it hadn’t taken so long in the Visitor Centre! There were several Tundra Ringed Plover on the scrape still and we had nice views of a Little Ringed Plover in the scope. We could see several Spoonbills in the trees beyond. A Hobby circled high over the middle of the reeds, catching insects on the wing, but drifted off away from us. Two more Cranes flew in from beyond the dead trees, but dropped down out of view.

There was no sign of the Stilt returning, so we set off back along the track. We hadn’t gone far before two more Cranes circled up over the reeds. They were trying to find a thermal so we had much better views now, as they gained height, before eventually heading off to the north, over the track ahead of us and away over the wood beyond.

Common Cranes – circled up

Back at the junction, we turned left and walked out along the Whiteslea Track. A Garden Warbler was singing from the back of the overflow car park as we passed. We had a look back at the first compartment of Brendan’s Marsh from the viewing mound, but we couldn’t see anything we hadn’t seen earlier. We were hoping for more Swallowtails now but it was a bit breezy here, and then a couple of people said the Swallowtails showing very well along the path past the Lodge, so we carried on down towards the Broad.

We stopped briefly by Bittern Hide where we heard a Bittern booming. We were surprised we hadn’t seen any feeding flights, as we normally do at this time of year, though possibly the breeding season is behind schedule this year due to the cold spring weather.

Along the path towards the Observatory tower, we found a couple of people watching a Swallowtail. It was resting on a thistle at first, with its wings up, but then flew round and landed on a grass stem right beside the path. There are not many flowers out after the recent cold weather, no nectar sources, so it was interesting to watch this one feeding on grasses.

Swallowtail – nectaring on grass

We had a quick look from the Observatory, so we could see the Broad. Two Common Terns flew round and landed on one of the posts marking the channel. There were lots of Mute Swans on the water beyond, along with Coots and a couple of Great Crested Grebes, typical of the deep water broads. Further on, a Grasshopper Warbler reeled briefly. We stopped to listen, but unfortunately it had gone quiet.

Further round, once we got into the lee of the trees, we found several more Swallowtails, another 3-4. One was wanting to come down to feed on a Flag Iris by the path, but was possibly put off by all the admiring people and landed on a reed stem a little further out.

A couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers called from the wood and we watched them flying through the trees and landing briefly. As we turned back along the path towards the Visitor Centre, we could hear a Bearded Tit calling, but it went quiet. At the mention of lunch, the walking pace accelerated notably and only the laggards heard more Bearded Tits, and had a couple of brief flight views. At the pond dipping platform, a Willow Warbler was singing in a willow above our heads.

It was time for lunch, so we set in the picnic area – it was so warm and sunny, we even sat in the shade. How different to yesterday! The Garden Warbler was still singing in the trees beyond and another Hobby zipped over just above us. The ice cream at the Visitor Centre proved particularly popular today, with the rhubarb & ginger a personal favourite although various flavours were tried by the group! We were just finishing lunch when another Swallowtail flew in around the bushes in the picnic area.

We had walked a good way already today, and probably couldn’t manage a lot more in the heat, so we headed down to Potter Heigham Marshes to see what we could find on the pools. It was a good day for Swallowtails – as we found another one nectaring on vetch by the track as we arrived and then had several more fly over. They had clearly emerged in numbers in the warmth.

Four-spotted Chaser

Up onto the bank, we had a slow walk along, scanning the pools. There were lots of ducks, including more Wigeon and several Common Pochard, but no sign of any Garganey this afternoon. We noticed a Cuckoo in the trees and got it in the scope. When it took off, it flew across the path in front of us and out into the reedbed, where it landed in a small alder tree. A flock of Avocets flew past, there were a couple of Cetti’s Warblers calling and several Reed Warblers in the reeds.

We walked down along the edge of Candledyke, but once we got out of the shelter of the trees, it was very windy. We were hoping we might find Bearded Tits here, but there was no sign of any now and they were probably hiding in the bottom of the reeds. As we were heading out again this evening, we had to be back in good time today, so with a long drive back to base we decided to call it a day.

Nightjar Evening

We headed out again after dinner, driving up to the coast, past the barn where the Little Owls were last year but which is now almost completed development into a house. Sad. There was no sign of any Barn Owl activity along the coast road, but a Spoonbill flew out of the trees at Cley and dropped down towards Snipe’s Marsh, where it appeared to flush a second Spoonbill up from the pool, and they both flew off. There was no sign of any Barn Owls the other side of Cley either. A Kestrel was still out, and landed in a dead tree.

We decided to try our luck inland, and hadn’t got far when we spotted a Barn Owl disappearing behind some trees. From further up, we could see it again, flying back behind us over the field. We turned round, and tried to follow it, turning down a side road which would take us down to where it was heading, but by the time we got there it had disappeared.

It was already time to be heading up to the heath, so we drove on. We parked in the trees and walked out onto the open heath. We could hear Stonechats calling and spotted a couple perched on the gorse in the gloom, a male with a couple of streaky juveniles. We had not been here long before the first Nightjar started churring – they were early tonight. It was rather distant, right out in the middle, but we stopped to listen.

Another Nightjar churred briefly much closer, so we walked over just in time to hear it call and see the male flying round, flashing the white in wings and tail. One landed on a branch, and although it was hard to see against the dark trees we managed to get it in the scope. Thankfully it stayed for a minute or so, so we could all get a look at it.

Nightjar – perched on a branch

When it took off again, there were now at least three Nigthjars flying round, a couple of males and one female without the white flashes. The original male was still churring out in the middle on and off, and another male started churring further along. It was nice now to just stand and listen. A Tawny Owl hooted in the distance, and we could hear Roe Deer barking too.

Nightjar – a male with white wing flashes

As we stood and listened, we had several more flight views of Nightjars overhead and hunting for moths around the trees. Then as it started to get dark, it was time to head back. We bumped into one of the locals, a regular on the heath, who monitors the Nightjars, and he related the story of a recent egg theft of one of the nests. Shocking that such practices still occur.

On the drive back to base, another Tawny Owl flew over the road and landed on the wires as we passed. Then it was time for bed for a few hours – we were going to be out again tomorrow.

13th July 2022 – Summer 3-day Tour, Day 2

After a cloudy start, it gradually brightened up through the morning and was then bright and mostly sunny, with the temperature topping out at 24C this afternoon. Our focus this morning was to be on catching up with some of our rarer summer visitors, and then maybe we would have some time to look for some of our other summer wildlife.

It was only a short drive over to Swanton Novers this morning. If was forecast to be sunny this morning but after a bright start it had clouded over, not ideal weather for raptors. We were possibly a bit early too so while we waited for the forecast to come good, we looked at some of the other birds in the Raptor Watchpoint car park. There were several Yellowhammers, with some smart males perched in the hedge and singing.

Yellowhammer – singing in the car park

A Reed Bunting perched up briefly to sing in the blackthorn scrub at one point too. There were lots of Linnets, including a couple of red-breasted males, in and out of the hedges. One or two Common Whitethroats flicked in and out of the bushes and a Blackcap was calling from the corner behind us.

The cloud gradually started to break up from the north, and it began to warm up. The first Common Buzzard circled up in the distance over the wood, always a good start when looking for raptors. A Kestrel appeared over the trees too, flying towards us and then hovering over the field in front of the watchpoint.

We didn’t have to wait too long before a Honey Buzzard appeared out of the wood and we watched as it circled up over the field in front. It drifted away, over to the forestry plantation along one side, and flew up and down over the trees a couple of times. We had a great view of it here in the scope as it circled, a male. This was what we were hoping to see here this morning.

Honey Buzzard – a male

Even better, the male Honey Buzzard now started displaying – flying up in a gentle climb, stalling at the top and lifting its wings high above its back before quivering them very rapidly. Having lost height, it would then repeat the process, flying up and wing quivering again at the top, several times in succession. Great to watch.

Someone else who was watching shouted – and drew our attention to another Honey Buzzard coming in right behind us, directly over the watchpoint. A female this time, it started displaying too, wing quivering right above us. Wow!

Honey Buzzard – the female wing-quivering

The two Honey Buzzards then circled together, drifting back over the watchpoint before gaining height, and then dropping back down towards the wood. When they disappeared into the trees, we decided it was a good moment for us to move on. Mission accomplished – and not too long to wait this morning.

Our next destination was over in NE Norfolk. We arrived in the RSPB car park at Trimingham to be told that the Bee-eaters had just returned from a feeding trip. They hadn’t, but we didn’t have to wait long before one of the locals picked up four of them coming back in over the trees to the south. Two flew in and landed on the wires, where we had a great view of them in the scopes.

Bee-eaters – two on the wires

The Bee-eaters flew down into the quarry to the nest hole and one went in. Presumably it was change over time, and it was a different bird which flew out shortly after. They flew back up to the wires. More Bee-eaters appeared, and we had up to five together now. We watched them for a time, making occasional sallies to catch bees and other flying insects, taking them back to the wires to bash them into submission before eating them. Periodically, birds would fly round calling.

This is only the eighth time that Bee-eaters have attempted to nest in the UK, although with a warming climate it is a species we might expect to reach here more often. Formerly mainly a Mediterranean species, they have already expanded their range north through Europe. There have been up to eight birds seen here in the last few weeks and there are two pairs nesting – hopefully they will be successful.

There were other birds here too – a family of Kestrels, mostly perched on the wires too. A Red Kite drifted over and several Sand Martins flew in and out of the quarry, but the Bee-eaters were the main reason we had come here today.

After a while, the Bee-eaters took off again and flew round calling. Two flew back down into the quarry and we had great views of them circling below us, their bright colours dazzling in the bright sunshine. We watched as one went into one of the nest holes. When one came out again, that was the cue for the whole group to fly off again to feed.

That was the cue for us to move on too. We drove back up to Cley next, cutting across inland to avoid the traffic, arriving in perfect time for lunch. Looking out over the reserve while we sat at the picnic tables, there were several Marsh Harriers up, adult males and female hunting beyond and a juvenile hanging around the reedbed. At one point, the juvenile Marsh Harrier drifted over the scrape and flushed everything – as they gradually flew back in, we could see Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits and a little group of Teal. A Spoonbill flew over and disappeared off west.

Checking at the Visitor Centre, there was not much reported on the reserve today, so we decided to try something else and headed back inland up to the heath. As we walked up from the car park, there were lots of Essex Skippers on the brambles, along with Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers. There were lots of Red Solider Beetles on the hogweed and a conopid fly, a Bee-grabber (Sicus ferrugineus) lurking on the ragwort, waiting to grab a bee to parasitise.

Gatekeeper – on the heath

There has been a pair of Stonechats with several juveniles nearby, so we walked on further to check up on them. We quickly found them, the adult male plus three streaky juveniles – presumably the female is now incubating a second brood clutch.

The Stonechats are occasionally followed around by warblers, presumably as they are good lookouts for approaching danger. At first we found a Common Whitethroat feeding in the gorse near two of the juveniles. Then we noticed a juvenile Dartford Warbler low down in the heather nearby. Positioning ourselves, we had a good view of it on the edge of the vegetation as it picked round looking for food. We managed to follow it for a while, before it disappeared deeper in.

Dartford Warbler – a juvenile

Eventually the Stonechats flew further back out of view. We walked round on the path to where they had gone. A smart male Linnet perched up on the gorse as we passed. We found the Stonechats again, further over, and the Whitethroat was still with them but despite watching for a few minutes there was no further sign of the Dartford Warbler. The Dartford Warbler was our main target here and we had found it much quicker than we had anticipated, particularly given that it was hot and typically a lull in the middle of afternoon. So we decided to try something else.

As we walked back down towards the car park, a small wasp on the path caught our attention. It was struggling to carry something, which we eventually managed to see was a shieldbug nymph. The wasp, sometimes known as the Shieldbug Stalker, more formerly as Astata boops, catches the shieldbug nymphs to put in its nest burrows for its young. This one was having a great deal of difficulty carrying off the one it had caught!

Shieldbug Stalker Astata boops – with shieldbug nymph

We drove over to Stonepit Heath next. As we walked in through the gate, there were lots of butterflies on the buddleia in the old car park, lots of Peacocks at first, and then several very smart Silver-washed Fritillaries which flew in and out to feed. A Small Skipper landed briefly.

Silver-washed Fritillary – on the buddleia

We made our way down through the kissing gate to check the brambles. We found a White Admiral here, which showed very well, although it was a bit worn. There were more Silver-washed Fritillaries here too and a couple of Purple Hairstreaks around the top of the small oaks, but they were showing no signs of coming down to feed.

White Admiral – on the brambles

We walked on through the trees to another patch of brambles where there were more butterflies feeding. A very large and striking red and yellow hoverfly was doing a very good impression of a hornet – a Hornet Hoverfly, Volucella zonaria.

Hornet Hoverfly – Volucella zonaria

There was no sign of any White-letter Hairstreaks on the brambles but someone else who had joined us to look found two up in the top of a very small elm nearby. We could see one silhouetted through a leaf, and another flew round over the top. A Nuthatch was calling in the trees.

With an excellent selection of butterflies, and other insects, seen in just a brief visit, we made our way back out to the minibus. As we got out onto the road, we could hear a flock of Long-tailed Tits calling and looked over to see several crossing the road just beyond the minibus. We stood and looked and found a Marsh Tit with them. We heard it call first, then it came back out onto the front edge of the hedge, and we watched it picking caterpillars from the leaves of a small briar. A couple of Chiffchaffs flicked across with the tits too.

We needed to finish in good time today and it was too hot to walk far now, so we drove back down to Cley for a quick look at the sea. It looked pretty quiet at first, apart from lots of people swimming, but as we stood and scanned a succession of Sandwich Terns flew past, a trickle of Gannets passed by further out and an adult Kittiwake flew east close in. A large Grey Seal surfaced just offshore, looked at the people on the beach for a minute or so, then swam off west.

Then it was time to head back, to have a chance to catch up and get something to eat.

Nightjar Evening

We met again in the evening, after a rest and something to eat. It was still a bit early for Nightjars, so we headed down towards the coast first.

On our way, we stopped to look for our regular Little Owl. It was in its usual place on the end of the barn roof tonight. Once again, using the minibus as a hide we repositioned a couple of times to let everyone get a good look at it. Most of this complex of barns has already been stripped for redevelopment – it will probably not be around much longer.

Little Owl – in its usual place, still for now

We had a quick drive round to see if we could find any Barn Owls next, stopping again where we had seen one hunting the other night, but there was no sign of any tonight. A Spoonbill flew over the grazing marshes and lots of Swifts and Swallows were hawking around in the evening sky. When the hirundines all started alarm calling, we looked over to see a Hobby zoom into them. It didn’t catch anything and disappeared off west as quickly as it had appeared. We didn’t have much time to wait though – as we needed to get up onto the heath in good time.

Out on the heath, we didn’t have to wait too long before we heard the first Nightjar churring from the trees behind us. It was quickly followed by a second which churred from out in middle. When the second Nightjar called, we looked over to see flying across over the heather, and had a great view of it as it broke the skyline, a male flashing white in wings and tail.

It flew towards where the first Nightjar had been churring and disappeared into the trees. Then we heard more calling, and could see the two of them chasing through the trees. The first then landed on a branch, just long enough to get the scope on it, before it was off again.

As the light started to fade, the churring activity increased – we could hear at least three different male Nightjars now, from where we were standing. From time to time, one would fly round, hard to see low down against the heather and gorse, but great views when it broke the skyline. At one point, one came hawking for insects right over our heads!

When a male Nightjar flew across in front of us, it landed in the top of a young pine tree not far out. We got it in the scope now and had a great view, balanced on the pine, churring.

Nightjar – landed in a young pine

We stood and listened for a while, taking it all in. What a great way to spend a summer’s evening, out on the heath listening to Nightjars churring all around. Heaven! It was getting harder to see the birds flying round now so we decided to call it a night. We had another busy day ahead of us tomorrow.

8th July 2022 – Nightjar Evening

A standalone group Nightjar Evening tonight. It was a bright evening with some hazy high cloud, and pleasantly warm although there was a fresher breeze on the coast.

We met in the evening, and as we had a little time before we had to be up on the heath, we had a quick look for owls first. As we drove up towards the coast, we stopped to admire a Little Owl on the roof of some barns. It was perched right on the ridge today, but once again we got some great views of it using the minibus as a mobile hide.

Little Owl – perched on the ridge

After a while, the Little Owl flew round the end of the barn. We weren’t sure where it had gone but we drove past and looked back. It was perched now in an old round window in the gable end. A very photogenic location!

Little Owl – in the round window

As we have said before, these barns are in the process of being developed for housing (presumably more weekend homes and holiday lets!), so the Little Owls are shortly going to be evicted. Very sad.

We drove round via some fields where Barn Owls sometimes like to hunt, but there were none in view so we parked and got out to scan the grazing marshes. Our luck was in here, as a Barn Owl was out patrolling back and forth over the grass. It was distant at first but turned and came steadily towards us. Suddenly it banked sharply and dropped down into the grass. When it came back up, we could see it had caught a vole, and it flew determinedly past us and disappeared, presumably to feed some hungry owlets somewhere.

Barn Owl – dropped sharply

While we stood and scanned, a Spoonbill flew over the back of the marshes. A few minutes later, the Barn Owl was back out again hunting. It did a quick circuit of the marshes and then we watched it disappear off towards Cley. We got back in the minibus and drove through the village to find it hunting out the other side. There had been a Night Heron in North Foreland plantation earlier, and we thought we might be able to see it quickly on our way past, but it had disappeared into the wood by the time we got there. We had other things we needed to do, so we didn’t stop.

Barn Owl – flew past us

We made our way up to the heath and walked out into the middle. The first Nightjar started churring behind us, bang on time tonight. Almost immediately, we heard one call in front of us and turned to see it flying in towards us, low over the heather. It flew straight past us, and disappeared into the trees.

There was clearly a bit of a territorial dispute, as the two Nightjars then emerged from the trees and chased round after each other, both males, flashing the white patches in their wings and tails. We had great views as they came out over the heath past us.

After a minute or so, one of the male Nightjars flew back round behind us, and a female came up from the ground below and joined it. We could see the female lacked the white patches. They flew round over the bushes together briefly, then dropped down into the gorse. The first broods have fledged already, so the females should be getting on with second broods now.

We could hear two males churring now, stereo Nightjars! We stood and listened. Over the course of the next hour or so, we watched and listened. Either males were churring or Nightjars were flying round over the heath in front of or above us.

Nightjar – flying round above us

What a way to spend a summer’s evening! As it started to get too dark to see the Nightjars, we made our way back to the minibus. Time for bed!

14th June 2022 – Summer Tour, Day 2

Day 2 of a three day Summer Tour. It was a bit cloudier than yesterday, though it did brighten up a bit more again in the afternoon, and a cool easterly breeze picked up around the middle of the day, which was not in the forecast. We spent the morning in The Broads and worked our way back in the afternoon.

Our destination for the morning was Hickling. As we got out of the minibus, a Willow Warbler was singing behind the car park. As we walked down the track, a male Blackcap flew up into a tree ahead of us. We couldn’t see any sign of the Glossy Ibis on the first section of Brendan’s Marsh from the corner – just an Egyptian Goose, a few Avocets and Little Egrets. So we walked on down the path to Stubb Mill.

There was a lot of insect activity around the brambles along the side of the track, so we stopped several times to see what we could find. There were plenty of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies nectaring on the bramble flowers and a Painted Lady with them further down. There were lots of blue damselflies in the vegetation too – Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure and one or two Variable Damselflies. They were very skittish at first but we eventually got better views of a Variable Damselfly settled on a leaf.

Variable Damselfly – eventually one settled

We took it in turns to climb up to the first viewing platform. There were quite a few Black-tailed Godwits, feeding and loafing on the islands. A Greenshank at the back was a more unusual sighting for this time of year – still waiting to head north or on its way back south already? It is always hard to tell with waders in mid-June! A small group of six ‘Tundra’ Ringed Plover should also similarly be northbound. We could also hear a Little Ringed Plover calling, and eventually found one on one of the bigger sandbanks in the flowers.

Over the back, out in the reedbed, we could see eight Spoonbills perched in one of the dead trees. We had a better view from the second platform, where we got them in the scope. One Spoonbill flew in, circled round and dropped down on the marsh where it started feeding, sweeping its bill side to side in the shallow water.

Spoonbill – dropped it

From up on the top of the bank at the far end, we stood and scanned reedbed. There were a good number of Marsh Harriers up now, and a distant Hobby, but no sign of any Bitterns or Cranes today, or the Glossy Ibis from here. A brief Swallowtail butterfly whipped across over the reeds but disappeared out of view before everyone could see it.

As we walked back, we finally located the Glossy Ibis which had now reappeared on the first section of Brendan’s Marsh. We could see it from the start of the Stubb Mill track, but we had a better view from the viewing mound along the Whiteslea track. We got it in the scope, and watched it feeding along the edge of the reeds and then walking out over the sandbank at the back. A smart Grey Heron was stalking the shallows right in front.

Glossy Ibis – reappeared on Brendan’s Marsh

Another Swallowtail flew in over the reeds and looked like it might drop onto the brambles in front of us, but continued on over the gate. It landed on the top of a marsh thistle briefly, but then flew off again. It turned and came back in, and this time it did land in the brambles briefly before flying away over the reeds.

Swallowtail – landed on a marsh thistle

We walked on up towards Bittern Hide, scanning the reeds to see if we could spot one of its namesake but there was surprisingly little Bittern activity this morning. We did stop to admire three Six-spot Burnet moths feeding on the marsh thistles, and there were a few dragonflies around the reeds, including Norfolk Hawkers and our first Black-tailed Skimmers of the trip. We found a few caterpillars too, several Peacock butterfly caterpillars on the nettles and a couple of very hairy Garden Tiger moth caterpillars.

Six-spot Burnet moth – on marsh thistle

The wind had picked up, not the best for Bearded Tits, but we did see a male perched up briefly and, further up, a couple more flew across over the reeds and dropped in. One of the group who had walked on ahead saw a Common Crane fly low over the reeds, and apparently it had dropped down towards the back of the Bittern Hide pool.

We went into the hide to see if we could see anything, but there were just a couple of Little Egrets here. We did see a single Common Crane in the distance, back towards Stubb Mill, flying off over the wood. A male Bearded Tit flew across carrying some food in its bill and a Common Tern flew over.

Tummies were rumbling, so it was time to head back for lunch. On the way, as we cut across on the path through the wood back to the visitor centre, we did add a Large Skipper to the butterfly list and a Ruddy Darter to the dragonfly list, both on the brambles. We had lunch in the picnic area in the sunshine, where a Willow Warbler serenaded us from the trees.

Willow Warbler – singing in the picnic area

With the wind having picked up significantly now, which was not in the forecast, we decided against walking round the other side of the reserve after lunch. So we got back in the minibus and drove round to Trimingham in NE Norfolk. Four Bee-eaters had been found here on a rainy 5th June, and it turned out that they were prospecting a potential nesting site in a nearby quarry. Fast forward a little over a week and the RSPB were setting up a car park and watchpoint so people could come and see them.

There were already several other cars in the field when we arrived and a small group of people over by the edge of the quarry, in the viewing area. There have been up to 7 Bee-eaters here, but just a pair were here now, the others having flown off along the coast to feed. We watched them perched on some nearby wires, flying round occasionally, catching bees. After a while, they dropped down into the quarry – one went into a small hole on the bank, excavating, while the other perched nearby. After a few minutes digging work, they both flew back up to the wires.

Bee-eater – perched in the quarry

Having watched the Bee-eaters for a while, we decided to move on. As we walked back through the field towards the minibus, we stopped to look at the orchids in the parking area, Common Spotted Orchids and a number of hybrids.

Our next stop was up on the Heath. As we walked out, it was rather quiet – it was a bit sunnier now and the mid-afternoon lull. We found a male Stonechat singing, and another pair further over, and several Linnets. A male Yellowhammer perched up on the gorse briefly.

Walking round, we heard a buzzing call and looked across to see a Dartford Warbler flitting around low in the heather. It flew up onto the top of a large gorse bush, where it perched in full view, looking round. A bright male, we had a good view of it here. Then it flew again, across and into the top of another gorse bush further over where it sang briefly. Then it dropped down out of view. We walked round to where it appeared to have dropped but it had gone quiet and there was no further sign.

Dartford Warbler – a male

We did find a July Belle moth in the heather here, and a single male Silver-studded Blue butterfly, our first of the year. It was time to make our way back, but on our way we checked out another area for Silver-studded Blue and here we found several more males and a female.

Silver-studded Blue – showing its silver ‘studs’

We had to get back in good time today, as we would be heading out again later.

Nightjar Evening

We met again in the evening, after a rest and something to eat. It was still a bit early for Nightjars, so we headed down towards the coast first. On our way, we noticed a shape on the roof of an old barn, silhouetted against the sky, a Little Owl thinking about heading out for the evening. We pulled up nearby and had a great view of it using the minibus as a hide.

Little Owl – on the barn roof

This is a regular spot for Little Owls, and a pair has lived here for as long as we can remember. But unfortunately this complex of barns is in the process of being converted into houses (presumably more second homes or holiday lets!), so the Little Owls will be out of a home soon. The barns at the back have already had their roofs stripped.

We had a quick drive round to see if we could find any Barn Owls, but they have been a bit thin on the ground this year. It was rather cool down towards the coast, with a fresh breeze, too. We had seen one yesterday, so we didn’t spend too much time looking. We drove along the coast road to Salthouse, where there had been a Quail singing earlier in the evening, but that had gone quiet too. So, as the sun was already setting, burning orange across the marshes, we decided to head up to one of the heaths.

We were not even in position, when the first Nightjar started churring, early tonight. A second then started up in the trees nearby. We were listening to that when we heard the first Nightjar call and looked over to see two males chasing each other round gorse bushes, flashing the white patches in their wings and tails. A Woodcock flew overhead, roding.

The two male Nightjars chased each other round and round the same repeatedly, calling and wing clapping. One flew up and landed in a lone oak tree above our heads briefly, but didn’t settle and flew off again. The other Nightjar flew a bit further away and landed on the edge of the heath in the trees that side where it started churring. We walked up to see if we could find it, but it was very dark along this edge and we couldn’t pick it out before it flew again.

The Nightjars resumed chasing each other again now, and then came in to investigate, circling round low just above our heads. Great views!

Nightjar – a male

Having enjoyed stunning flight views of the Nightjars, we decided to call it a night before it got too dark. But as we started to walk back, we heard a Nightjar churring ahead of us and picked it up perched on a dead branch in the top of the trees, against the last of the light in the night sky. Now we could get the scope on it and see it churring.

Nightjar – perched, churring

When the Nightjar eventually flew off, we resumed our walk back. But there was one more surprise in store – as we came off the heath, we noticed a small light glowing in the grass at our feet, a Glow-worm. A nice way to round off the night, and we had an early start again tomorrow, so it was time for bed.

Glow-worm – glowing in the grass

14th May 2022 – Spring 4-day Tour, #3

Day 3 of a four day Spring Tour in Norfolk. The wind had dropped today and it was a gloriously bright and sunny day, with just enough high hazy cloud at times and light breeze to stop it getting too hot. We spent the day down in the Broads.

It was a long drive down to Hickling Broad, but as we got out of the minibus in the car park the bushes were alive with birds singing. Walking out from the car park, a Blackcap was singing above our heads and then we stopped to admire a Willow Warbler singing in the top of a tree. We could hear a Cuckoo but way off in the distance.

Willow Warbler – singing in the top of a tree

We turned onto Whiteslea track and walked up towards the viewing mound. As we passed the wood, a couple of Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies were hawking for insects around the trees and one perched nicely on the reeds in the ditch by the path.

Four-spotted Chaser – hawking around the trees

Scanning Brendan’s Marsh from up on the viewing mound, the first bird we saw was a very smart summer plumage Bar-tailed Godwit, very rusty underneath with the colour extending from the head right down to underneath the tail. There were really good numbers of Ringed Plover and Dunlin here too, though mostly asleep, and a Greenshank just behind the line of reeds in the next pool.

A Common Crane came up out of the reeds, and circled round in front of the dead trees. It never gained much height though, and quickly dropped down again out of view.

Common Crane – came up out of the reeds

One of the wardens stopped to catch up and told us where the Temminck’s Stints had been earlier, viewed from over the other side of the marsh. So we walked back to the corner and turned down along the track towards Stubb Mill.

From up on the platform we could see the two Temminck’s Stints. They were close in, on the nearest sandy spit, but partly obscured behind the reeds. Still we had a good view of them in the scope. One of the scarcer spring passage waders here, this is the peak time so it was good to catch up with a couple.

Temminck’s Stint – one of two

A Common Sandpiper was nearby too. There is only space for two people on the platform, so we took it in turns. But there were more people waiting to come up now, so we descended and scanned the marsh from the path below. We could see a Greenshank now in front of the reeds at the back and a very smart Spotted Redshank dropped in, looking its absolute best now in its jet black breeding plumage with silvery spotting.

Walking on, we scanned the next field on the other side of the track and quickly located the male Ring Ouzel on top of a straw bale on the corner of the hedge. We had a look at it in the scope and then it dropped down to feed in and out of the long grass around the base of the trees. Most of the Ring Ouzels which pass through in the spring have gone north already but there are often one or two stragglers, so another nice bird to catch up with here.

We carried on to the far end and up onto the bank. The Black-winged Stilts had been here but there was no sign of them now. Scanning around the marsh we did see another Greenshank and a single Common Snipe feeding in the vegetation. The Spotted Redshank flew past us calling and disappeared off east towards the coast.

Eventually a couple of Black-winged Stilts came up out of the reeds, circled round calling and dropped back in out of view again. A good start, but we really wanted to see one on the ground. While we waited to see if they would come out, we walked up a little further to look at a Wood Sandpiper on another smaller pool. We had a nice view in the scope, but we were distracted then.

First a Bittern came up in the distance, back towards the Whiteslea track. It flew up high and towards us, but rather than dropping in quickly it flew high all the way across the reeds and over the dead trees, before turning and heading out towards Horsey Mere. It brought up another Bittern from the reeds below it and the first turned back, back past the dead trees before finally dropping down. An unusually long flight for a Bittern here at this time of year, but speaking to the warden it seems to be a bird which is wandering widely around the Broad (it has a distinctive feather missing in its left wing).

Bittern – on its long flight

While we were watching the Bittern, the first Hobby of the day appeared, and flew low across over the reeds the other way. And the Stilts came up again at the same time and dropped down towards the scrape. We didn’t know which way to look! Unfortunately the Stilts flew straight back into the reeds again.

We stood for a while and watched, hoping the Stilts would come back again. Another Crane came up over the reeds behind us. There were a couple of Hobbys up now up, and one drifted high overhead. Two Common Buzzards circled up over the trees. The second Bittern was booming from the reeds now, presumably stirred into action by the interloper flying over.

By the time we turned our attention back to the Wood Sandpiper, it had disappeared in all the excitement earlier, before everyone had seen it. We walked back to the viewing platform, where there were meant to be a couple of others. A male Marsh Harrier circled over the path ahead of us. The Ring Ouzel was now out in the middle of the field, next to a Stock Dove, but there was more heat haze now.

Marsh Harrier – circled over

Before we got back to the platform, we spotted a Black-winged Stilt now sat down on a sandy spit out on the marsh. We got it in the scope, a female with a mostly white head and browner back. It was spooked by a Dunlin, and stood up, showing off its extremely long pink legs. It stood and preened for a second or two, then flew over and landed much closer, right behind bank. There was no one on the platform now, so we had a great view of it from up there.

A Wood Sandpiper emerged from the dense clump of rushes in the middle of the marsh now and while we were watching it a second Wood Sandpiper appeared nearby. Everyone managed a nice view in the scope this time, without any distractions!

As we made our way back, there were several Azure Damselflies and Blue-tailed Damselflies around the bushes and more Four-spotted Chasers. A Grey-patched Mining Bee landed on the path and several Flavous Nomad Bees buzzed around the gorse.

Blue-tailed Damselfly – on the way back

We had planned to walk back round to the mound on the Whiteslea track, as we had been told there was a Black-winged Stilt there, but we had already had good views of one now. However, one of the group had left a camera there earlier, so we went back round to look for it. We were glad we did!

There was a male Black-winged Stilt now further back, blacker and with a black patch on its head, where the female had been earlier in front of the viewing platform. Then we heard calling and looked over to see the female on a spit much closer. It took off and flew straight towards us, landing down on the edge of the water right in front of us and then proceeded to pick its way even closer. Great views!

Black-winged Stilt – great views eventually

Six Common Cranes came up in the distance and flew round. A couple of Little Grebes swam across behind the line of reeds. Then it was time to head back for lunch. We cut back along the path through the wood. There were more Four-spotted Chasers here and a Small Copper butterfly landed on the path. A Common Whitethroat was singing in the top of a dead tree.

Almost back to the Visitor Centre, something flicked out of the oaks up in the canopy. A Spotted Flycatcher! It flew again and disappeared back deeper into the trees. A scarce bird here and presumably just a migrant stopping off. Unfortunately, not everyone saw it before it disappeared so we waited to see if it would come out again. There was no further sign, but we had nice views of a Treecreeper on the tree trunks.

We had lunch on the picnic tables in the sunshine, listening to Willow Warblers singing and with Cranes bugling in the distance. We had been thinking about going somewhere else this afternoon, but while we were eating someone walking back told us that there were several Swallowtails out by the Broad, showing very well. We decided to try for those next.

As we made our way round, we had a quick look at the Broad. A single Great Crested Grebe was out on the water, as well as lots of Mute Swans. A Hobby raced in over the Broad, and disappeared back the way we had come. Another circled high over the wood behind us. Along the path towards the Observatory, a couple of Green Tiger Beetles flew up from the path ahead of us.

We hadn’t gone too far before we saw a Swallowtail flying out over the reeds. It landed on a reed head, wings open, basking in the sunshine, but we were looking at it from behind and it was hard to get an angle to see it front on. A good start, but we knew they had been showing better than this earlier. We carried on to the Observatory and looked out over the Broad. There were a couple of Common Terns out over the water. We sat down in the cool for a rest and another Swallowtail flew past over the reeds.

We walked back the way we had come, hoping for a Swallowtail on the path and found some people watching one basking high on a sallow on the other side of the track from the reeds. It was a much better view now, with the sun behind us. Having only just emerged, the Swallowtails are absolutely fresh and pristine.

The Swallowtail then fluttered round and landed on a hawthorn bush right in front of us, only a metre or so off the ground, where it nectared on the flowers. Stunning! It kept flying up and round between us, gliding back in to the flowers, or up onto the sallow in the sunshine. It almost landed on someone’s head at one point! We stood and watched in awe.

Swallowtail – stunning views

The Swallowtails are out early this year and there are not many flowers out yet. The hawthorns are about the only things in flower, which is why they are nectaring on the bushes. Lucky for us, as it meant we were treated to such an amazing display. Eventually we had to tear ourselves away and walked back round towards the Visitor Centre. The first Swallowtail was still basking on the reeds as we passed.

We stopped to watch one of the Hobbys again, high over the scrapes, when it suddenly turned, folded its wings back and plummeted vertically, disappearing behind some trees. When it came up again it was eating a dragonfly. From a little further round, we could see the Hobby zooming back and forth repeatedly low over the scrape. It seemed to be doing well, catching a dragonfly on every pass. Great to watch.

Hobby – catching dragonflies

We had another quick look in the wood, but there was still no further sign of the Spotted Flycatcher. We had heard one calling earlier and we did now see a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the dead trees. Then it was back to the Visitor Centre for an ice cream before the long drive home.

Nightjar Evening

We met again in the evening. We hadn’t prearranged a Nightjar Evening for this tour, but the first Nightjars are back so by popular demand we headed out to see whether we might be able to find one.

As we drove out of the village, we noticed a shape on the roof of an old barn. Little Owl! We stopped and manoeuvred the minibus so everyone could get a look without disturbing it. It stared down at us disapprovingly, the went back to staring out at the fields across the road. These barns are in the process of being developed into houses – some of them are already being converted now – so it may only be a few more months before this Little Owl loses its home.

Little Owl – stared at us

We drove over to one of the local heaths with a beautiful sunset in the sky to the west. As we walked out onto the heath, a couple of Roe Deer were feeding in the field next door and we flushed a Muntjac from the path which ran out past them.

We stopped to look at a female Stonechat, perched on the gorse alarm calling in the gathering gloom. We caught the back end of a Woodcock, unusually silent, disappearing off away from us.

We had only just got ourselves into position when the first Nightjar churred from the trees right behind us. It was obviously churring from where it was roosting, and there was no sign of it. It churred again and then called and we saw it fly up over the treetops hawking for insects. It came past us again, a male with white flashes in the wingtips, and then disappeared out over the heath.

Another Nightjar started churring further away, with possibly a third further off still. The first Nightjar then started up again, this time out in the middle of the heath. We were hoping it might come back in towards us but it stayed out in the middle of the heath for some time before it eventually did so – it came in low over the gorse, flashing its white wing flashes and up into the trees behind us. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see where it landed and it didn’t stay too long before it was off again.

It was lovely standing here on the heath listening to the Nightjars. The Woodcock reappeared a couple of times, flying over roding. A Tawny Owl hooted from the trees. It was getting dark now and we decided to call it a night. We had another day’s birding to look forward to tomorrow.

10th July 2021 – Summer Tour, Day 2 & Nightjar Evening

Day 2 of a three day Summer Tour, including a Nightjar Evening today. It was a cloudy start, but brightened up nicely with some sunshine and hazy high cloud particularly through the morning. We spent the day in North Norfolk.

Our first destination for the morning was Stiffkey Fen. A couple of Coal Tits were singing in the nearby pine trees as we got out of the minibus. A couple of orange-headed juvenile Marsh Harriers were circling over the meadow across the road as we pulled up, and drifted round behind the trees as we set off down the permissive path. A Gatekeeper fluttered up and landed again in the hedge, our first of the year.

Gatekeeper – our first of the year

There were a few birds singing in the copse at the end, the melodic tones of a couple of Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff doing what it says on the tin, and a Wren making a lot of noise for such a small bird. A Magpie chacked in the trees too. Making our way down along the river bank, we could see a few House Martins around the house on the ridge.

The vegetation between the path and the Fen is very overgrown now, making it difficult to see over but we could make out a sizeable huddle of large white birds. Up onto the seawall, and we had a much better view of the Spoonbills. We counted 29. There were three Little Egrets with them too. The Spoonbills were mostly asleep, but one or two were awake and showing off their spoons, including a recently fledged juvenile with its noticeably shorter, fleshy-coloured bill – a ‘teaspoonbill’.

Spoonbill – some of the 29 on the Fen today

There were lots of waders too – a large roost of Black-tailed Godwits, sitting out the high tide in the harbour; several pairs of Avocets, some still with fluffy young; a couple of Little Ringed Plovers on the island. We got the scope on a Common Sandpiper feeding in the shallow water, and another two flew up from behind the reeds, over the seawall, and disappeared up over the water in the harbour channel. We counted at least five Green Sandpipers feeding round the edges, in and out of the reeds, and seven Greenshank roosting over high, with a small group of Common Redshank.

There were gulls coming in to bathe and loaf too, and a couple of Common Gulls dropped in with the Black-headed Gulls. Several Egyptian Geese were scattered around the islands, along with a lone rusty eclipse drake Wigeon. Two Stock Doves flew in and landed on the grass.

Another large white bird flew in and landed among the Spoonbills, its long neck towering above the sleeping birds, a Great White Egret. We could see its long dagger-like yellow bill. A Grey Heron was asleep in amongst the Spoonbills too – the Great White Egret was clearly pretty comparable to it in size.

The Reed Warblers were very active, flitting around in the reeds below and coming up to feed in the flowers on the bank, along with one or two Sedge Warblers too. A Common Tern was flying up and down over the harbour channel, looking intently down into the water for fish.

Common Tern – hunting over the harbour channel

Continuing on round to the harbour, the tide was starting to go out, and there were now a few waders on the emerging sandbars and muddy edges. There were already several Curlew and more dropping in. A single Whimbrel flew across low over the water but landed out of view. Five Grey Plover dropped in on one of the sandbars, along with a single Dunlin. Several Ringed Plovers were hiding in the short vegetation on the mud on the other side of the channel.

There were lots of Common Terns fishing out in the shallow water in the harbour. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew in past us, heading up the channel towards the Fen, flashing its translucent white wingtips. We could see the seals out on the tip of Blakeney Point too. It is a lovely view from here – we could stand here all day – but we had to tear ourselves away as we had more to do today.

As we were walking back, a small falcon came fast out from the Fen and over the seawall ahead of us. A Hobby. It dropped down low over the saltmarsh and zoomed out to the harbour, before turning and heading off east. It was gone in a flash, a super fast hunter. Back at the Fen, we stopped to watch one of the juvenile Marsh Harriers begging from the male, circling round after it.

We made our way round to Cley next, parking at Walsey Hills. A couple of eclipse drake Tufted Ducks were on Snipe’s Marsh, and a Cormorant was fishing in the ditch opposite as we walked along the road to the East Bank.

There were lots of Reed Warblers flicking around the edges of the reeds and feeding in the flowers at the bottom of the bank. A Sedge Warbler was singing its mad, unstructured, scratchy song from the top of a small bush below the bank, but flicked out into the reeds as we approached. The Bearded Tits were rather quiet today, despite the still conditions – a tawny coloured juvenile perched briefly in the tops, and we saw several zipping back and forth low over the reeds in typical Bearded Tit fashion. The Reed Buntings were, as ever, more obliging.

Reed Bunting – perched up obligingly

The male Yellow Wagtail has been singing here since the middle of May but has still not found a mate. We could hear it on the walk out this morning, but the grass is so long now, we couldn’t see it despite scanning several times. Several small flocks of Starlings flew west over the bank. One group of three included a strikingly pale bird – unfortunately just a leucistic Starling rather than anything more exciting.

There were lots of Greylags out on the grazing marshes and several Curlew in the grass. We had seen a Spoonbill distantly dropping down on the marshes as we got out of the minibus earlier, but there was no sign of it again until it suddenly walked up out of a ditch in the middle. We had a good view in the scope, an adult with a yellow tip to its long black bill.

There were quite a few Avocets on the Serpentine, a small group sleeping on the far edge and more feeding in the water. A flock of Lapwings dropped in. We could see a small wader on Pope’s Pool at the back, and through scope we confirmed it was a Wood Sandpiper. We could see its white-spangled upperparts and more obvious pale supercilium. It was nice to see one after being frustrated by the hiding Wood Sandpiper yesterday. A Greenshank flew over high, calling, and continued on west.

There were lots of gulls on Pope’s Pool, mostly Black-headed Gulls, but several smaller ones were all Little Gulls. We counted at least nine that we could see, with several feeding in the shallow water, moving quickly, pecking at the surface, and others asleep on the nearby mud in with the Black-headed Gulls. The Little Gulls were all immature, 1st summer birds, one with a black hood. A Meadow Pipit was singing, fluttering up and parachuting down onto the short grass of the Serpentine.

Out at Arnold’s Marsh, there were lots of terns loafing on the sandbar along the edge. Mostly Sandwich Terns, with shaggy black caps and yellow-tipped black bills, but with a smaller number of Common Terns too. There were more Little Gulls here too, at least five, but with birds coming and going all the time it was hard to know how much double counting there was versus the ones on Pope’s Pool earlier.

Sandwich Terns – and gulls loafing on Arnold’s Marsh

There were lots more gulls loafing over on the back edge. Mostly larger gulls, but looking through we could see a good number of Mediterranean Gulls in with them. Two adult Mediterranean Gulls were behind us on the brackish pools too, where we had a much better view of them in the scope, admiring their jet black hoods and overdone white eyeliner.

Scanning through the big gulls, we noticed one looking rather different. It had a slightly darker mantle than the silvery grey of the nearby Herring Gulls, but not dark enough for a black-backed gull. It was quite big too, long wings pointing down and a jutting keel of a breast. It was an adult Caspian Gull – its small dark eye standing out in its white head. As it preened, we could even see the distinctive pattern on the underside of its primaries. A nice bonus! This is a good time to see Caspian Gulls here as they disperse westwards from their breeding colonies in central Europe.

Caspian Gull – an adult at the back of Arnold’s Marsh

There were not so many waders on here today, but a Whimbrel did drop in briefly. Continuing on out to the beach, there were more Sandwich Terns flying back and forth close in and a huge number of gulls offshore too just away to the east of us.

It was time to head back for lunch now. As we walked back, we could still hear the Yellow Wagtail singing. We stopped for another scan, and this time picked it up on an area of short grass towards the back. We had a good view through the scope, bright canary yellow below, but harder to see when it turned and showed its green, grass-coloured upperparts. There was a Little Grebe on Snipe’s Marsh now too, as we headed back to the minibus.

We ate lunch on the picnic tables at the Visitor Centre. While we were eating, we could hear a Wood Sandpiper calling on Pat’s Pool, then it flew up, accompanied by a Green Sandpiper, and the two of them flew off over the car park. More waders on the move. After lunch, we drove west.

In the hope of finding any waders which had dropped in, we made a quick stop at Wells. We walked down the track, between the pools, scanning but the best we could find was a Green Sandpiper on either side. There were lots of Lapwings and Avocets at the back and still one or two juvenile Redshanks close in. We decided to move on. A family of Grey Partridge on the track as we left ran into the verge before anyone could get a look at them.

We continued on west to Titchwell. We only had time for a quick look at the Freshmarsh today, so we headed straight out along the main path. A Marsh Harrier was over the reedbed at the back and three Common Pochard on the reedbed pool were an addition to the trip list.

There were Bearded Tits pinging from the reeds occasionally by Island Hide, but again the best we could manage was seeing them zipping in and out over the tops from time to time. While we kept one eye out for them, we scanned the Freshmarsh.

There were lots of waders, particularly Avocets – the latest count was 688 earlier, with birds gathering here at the end of the breeding season. There was a large flock of Black-tailed Godwits too, many still with their rich rusty tan breeding plumage and lots of Lapwings. In amongst them, we could see a selection of Ruff in different stages of moult and at least six Spotted Redshanks, some still mostly in their silvery-spotted, black breeding plumage.

A Whimbrel appeared in with the godwits too, and we had a good view of it through the scope. Shortly afterwards, we heard Whimbrel calling and looked up to see a flock of 23 flying overhead. As they headed out over the saltmarsh towards Thornham, they were joined by another Whimbrel which flew up behind them, possibly the one we had just been watching with the godwits, called up to join the others. More waders on the move.

Whimbrel – a flock of 23 flew overhead

Looking through the Black-tailed Godwits more carefully, we found one juvenile. It was standing on one leg, and we could see it was fitted with colour rings, yellow over pale green coded with a black ‘E’. This means it has come from the Fens, Welney or the Ouse Washes, one of the very small British breeding population of nominate limosa Continental Black-tailed Godwits. Possibly one of this years young which has been ‘headstarted’ – first clutches are taken from nesting pairs (giving them time to relay), incubated to hatching and then raised in aviaries on site to try to improve juvenile survival. Breeding productivity without headstarting has been very poor, due to the increasing frequency of summer storms causing flooding of the Washes.

Continental Black-tailed Godwit – a colour ringed juvenile

The number of ducks here has been increasing steadily, with a good number of Teal back already, although all the drakes are in drab eclipse plumage now. There were several Shoveler too.

Then it was time to walk back – we needed to get back and have something to eat as we would be heading out again this evening.

Nightjar Evening

We set off out again early evening. Before we went to look for Nightjars, we had time to try to find a few owls first. To start with, we drove round by the barns where we had seen the Little Owl yesterday, but the timing was not ideal – it was just spitting with a light shower and some people were getting out of their car nearby – and there was no sign. So we drove on to another set of barns, and this time we could see a Little Owl on the roof as we pulled up. We all got out and got it in the scope for a closer look.

Little Owl – the adult keeping watch

While everyone was taking it in turns to have a look, we scanned down the rest of the roof and realised there were three fluffy juvenile Little Owls a little further along. Needless to say, the adult Little Owl was quickly forgotten and all attention turned to the very cute young ones! They seemed to be very different sizes, one noticeably bigger than the other two – an adaptation to varying prey availability.

Little Owl – three juveniles on the roof

Another Little Owl was on the top of another barn the other side of the road, but was more distant. A couple of Brown Hares posed on the track nearby and we could see flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws gathering on the wires across the fields.

Tearing ourselves away from the Little Owls, we drove down towards Cley. We were just coming in to the back of the village, when we spotted a Barn Owl flying past. Even better, it was the local celebrity, ‘Casper’ the white Barn Owl. We got out and walked back to where it was now hunting round a meadow. We stood and watched it flying round, occasionally turning sharply and dropping down into the grass or stopping to hover and listen.

Barn Owl – ‘Casper’, the local celebrity all-white bird

It was a great setting, the mist rising in the valley, looking across the meadows towards Wiveton church – set off perfectly by the Barn Owl quartering back and forth in the foreground.

Once again, we had to tear ourselves away – it was time to head up onto the heath. As we walked out, we could hear a couple of Song Thrushes singing in the trees. As we got out into the open, we could see it was misting over now, and we could feel a chill in the air as the temperature had dropped.

We got into position out in the middle of the heath just in time to hear the first Nightjar start up. It churred briefly from somewhere on the edge of trees behind us, probably on the ground. Then it called, and churred again. It was still quite early, just after sunset, and still fairly light as the Nightjar flew out. It came right over our heads, and circled round low above us, probably investigating us. A fantastic view, we could see the white flashes through the tips of its wings, a male. Then it flew out over the gorse and we watched it head over to a couple of tall trees further back, where we could then hear it churring again.

Nightjar – a male out over the heath

When the Nightjar stopped churring, we heard wing clapping as it flew out. It seemed to drop down into the gorse in the middle, where we could still hear it churring briefly. Then it flew up again and came back over the track, hunting for food. It circled back round and came back over us, circling right overhead again. More great views.

While we were watching the Nightjar, we heard the squeaky call of a Woodcock roding over the trees. We turned to look for it but unfortunately couldn’t see it beyond the treetops. It did the same thing again a short while later. A second male Nightjar started churring in the distance away to our left.

The first male Nightjar came back in again and did another pass, over the gorse in front of us. Then with the light fading, we decided to call it a night. We were still not done though and, as we walked back, we heard a squeaky Woodcock call again, and turned to see two flying past behind us, a good view silhouetted against the last of light. Then it was back to bed – still another day to go tomorrow.

5th June 2021 – Early Summer, Day 2

Day 2 of a three day Early Summer Tour today, including a Nightjar Evening. After a grey and cloudy start, it gradually brightened up and then the skies cleared from the west around midday, producing a lovely sunny afternoon. We spent the day down in the Norfolk Broads, then the evening looking for owls and Nightjars.

We started the day with the long drive down to the Broads. There had been a 1st summer male Red-footed Falcon at Hickling Broad reported yesterday and we were hoping to see that and some Swallowtails too. As we got out of the minibus at the NWT car park, several Willow Warblers were singing in the trees nearby and the Peacocks at the next door animal rescue charity were calling too (unfortunately that one doesn’t count!).

We set off down towards the track to Stubb Mill, which was where the falcon had been, stopping on the corner for our first scan. We could immediately see several distant Hobbys in the dead trees out in the reedbed. As we had hoped, the falcons were yet to really get going, with the cloudy start to the day. We could see a small group of other birders further up Whiteslea track, on the bank, looking for the Red-footed Falcon.

We were just debating which way to go, when we noticed a local birder walking back along the track towards us, so we asked him for an update. He told us there was no sign of the Red-footed Falcon this morning and he also suggested that most of the later reports yesterday related to misidentified Hobbys. So it looked increasingly like it hadn’t roosted in the trees here with the Hobbys overnight as we had thought it might have done, and had probably moved swiftly through yesterday. He did tell us about some Garganey on the pools, and we figured we would continue on down the track towards Stubb Mill to see what else we could see.

A couple of Common Whitethroats were flitting around in the bushes by the track ahead of us as we walked along. We had just stopped opposite the second of the pools to scan for the Garganey, when one of the group spotted a Common Crane flying in over the fields behind us. It disappeared behind the trees then reappeared over the track ahead of us, flying out over the pools, before circling round and dropping down into reedbed beyond. A nice start.

Common Crane – flew in

There were lots of hirundines and Swifts hawking low over the pools, including several Sand Martins. It was a good opportunity to compare them with the House Martins. A Common Buzzard and a Marsh Harrier circled high over the trees behind us now. A small group of Black-tailed Godwits were roosting on the short grass by the water. Several Lapwings were flying round calling, and there were a few Avocets out here too.

Most of the ducks were asleep, mainly Gadwall and a few Mallard, plus a single Wigeon and a couple of Teal out on the water beyond. Scanning carefully, we finally found the Garganey, two exclipse drakes in their drabber, female-like plumage, also asleep. For no apparent reason, one of the Avocet decided to run at them, and they woke up briefly, then moving further towards the bank where we couldn’t really get a clear view of them any more. Very helpful of the Avocet!

One of the group was looking at four distant Greylags flying over the back of the reedbed and noticed a large brown bird below. It was a Bittern flying across. Unfortunately it quickly dropped back down into the reeds before all the rest of the group could get on it.

We continued on to where track goes up onto the bank. We were a bit closer to the dead trees and had better views of the Hobbys from here, although it was starting to brighten up and the Hobbys were becoming more active, flying up hawking for insects.

We could see a pair of Ringed Plovers on one of the islands on the pool in front of us, one of which looked to be incubating. They were noticeably paler above than the tundrae Ringed Plovers we had seen at Titchwell yesterday. There were also a couple of Redshank on here and a couple of Common Terns flew over. A Bittern appeared again, from behind the dead trees over the reeds at the back, but again it was distant and hard to pick up against the trees.

We decided to walk back and up the track towards Bittern Hide, hoping for a better view of its namesake. There were several dragonflies flying around now – Four-spotted Chasers – and more damselflies in the vegetation by the path, including Large Red, Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies.

Blue-tailed Damselfly – warming up

We walked up Whiteslea Track now, and a Treecreeper was singing in the trees as we passed. We took the path up onto the bank and scanned the pool, picking up an Egyptian Goose from round on this side. Then we continued on towards the hide. A Bittern flew up again, but again was only up for couple of seconds and some of the group still hadn’t seen one, so we stood for a while on the corner before Bittern Hide. We scanned the reeds, but it didn’t reappear. Four more Cranes circled up slowly in the distance. Behind us, we could see the edge of the front which had brought all the cloud and the skies slowly cleared from the west to sunshine.

We heard Bearded Tits pinging and turned to see a couple fly across the ditch in front of us. A female perched in the edge for a few seconds. Some more Bearded Tits were calling further along, in the reeds by the path, and the male climbed up briefly into the tops, before flying and dropping back in. It seemed like they might have young in here. A couple of times the male flew out across the track and then back in with food.

Bearded Tit – the female in the reeds

It was time to head back for lunch now. We had seen an adult Black-headed Gull walking around on the top of the bank earlier, which seemed odd, and now we realised why. A fluffy Black-headed Gull chick had walked out of the long grass on the edge of the path. We waited for it to go back in before we walked on. A female Common Blue butterfly was nectaring on a buttercup.

Common Blue butterfly – a female

We cut across on the path through the wood, back to the Visitor Centre. There were several Four-spotted Chasers warming themselves on the brambles here in the sunshine. A male Reed Bunting was gathering food and flew across into a dead tree. A Common Whitethroat flitted in and out of the trees ahead of us.

Four-spotted Chaser – basking in the sunshine

We had our lunch in the picnic area in the sunshine. A Garden Warbler was singing in the trees nearby briefly. Our initial plan was to go somewhere different after lunch, but we had to be back early and didn’t have much time now, and figured we could look for Swallowtails here and maybe have another chance for the members of the group who had not caught any of the Bittern flights earlier.

It was warm now, as we set off again. We walked the other way round the reserve this time, out past the hides, towards the Broad, following the Covid one-way system. A couple of Reed Warblers showed well in the young reeds next to path. When we stopped to look at a male Reed Bunting singing in the top of a dead tree, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew out of the trees behind and overhead.

We stopped to scan one of the overgrown ditches. There were several more dragonflies here, including a Hairy Dragonfly as well as more Four-spotted Chasers. A small shoal of Common Rudd was in the open water amongst the marestail.

Common Rudd – in one of the ditches

We stopped again at the first viewpoint overlooking the Broad. There were lots of Mute Swans out on the water, but not much else – often the way with the actual Broads themselves. A Marsh Harrier circled over in the sunshine. Continuing along the path, several Willow Warblers were calling in the sallows, collecting food, and one perched right in the top of an alder, singing.

Willow Warbler – in the sallows

We were struggling at first to find any Swallowtails or any flowers out for them to nectar on. Everything is very late this year after the cold spring. Finally, along the path towards the Observation Hide a Swallowtail flew in. But it carried on straight past us, flying very quickly ahead of us along the path. We tried to follow to see if it might land, but then it turned behind some sallows out of view and by the time we got there we had lost track of it.

We had yet another brief glimpse of a Bittern flying over the reeds, over by Bittern Hide, so we decided to head straight round that way. We popped into the hide. The reeds which had been cut in front of the hide are now growing up fast and making it harder to see anything on there. We were running out of time slightly, as we had to be back early today ahead of our evening foray later, but we decided to have a quick rest in the hide, before heading back to car park.

Scanning the dead trees in the distance through binoculars, there were still one or two Hobbys around. When a falcon flew out head on towards us we assumed it was just another Hobby, but it looked to have a rather pale crown and head which appeared to catch the sun, unlike the dark hood of a Hobby or a male Red-footed Falcon (like yesterday’s). But there was a lot of heat haze now and it was a long way off, so we figured we were imagining it. It turned and landed back in the dead trees out of view behind a branch.

It flew out again, another short sally after insects, and it really did look to have a pale head. As it turned to head back to the trees, it looked to have pale orangey underparts too. It couldn’t be though could it? Yesterday’s Red-footed Falcon was a 1st summer male and this one looked like a female. It lLanded again, and this time we realised we needed to get it in the scope quickly. Now we could confirm what we thought we had seen – it was a female Red-footed Falcon!

Red-footed Falcon – we found a female

The Red-footed Falcon was distant and there was a lot of heat haze, but we could see it did have a pale head, orange on top, whiter on the cheeks, with a thin black mask and small moustache. The back and wings looked rather dark grey and the underparts pale orangey-buff. It kept doing little sallies from the trees, shorter flights than the Hobbys, with more gliding, and quick bursts of wingbeats when chasing prey. It even did a brief hover. At one point it landed in the same tree as one of the Hobbys, and was noticeably a little smaller, more compact.

We had come to see someone else’s Red-footed Falcon, been disappointed to find it gone, but then found our own. Hickling is a good site for them and hosted multiple birds just last year, presumably the gathering of Hobbys helping to pull in passing birds. We put the news out – but when we went outside and onto the bank we could see everyone else had long since given up and gone. We were thinking it might be a bit closer from bank, but there was still lots of heat haze. Still what a great bird!

Unfortunately it was really time to go now, or we would be late for our early evening meal. As we set off to walk back, another Swallowtail flew past. This time it turned in front of us and looked like it might land on the flowers growing on the bank. It meant we had a better view, but it changed it’s mind and flew off rather than land. Then it was a quick walk back to the car park and a long drive back home, albeit with a spring in our steps!

Nightjar Evening

After a break and something to eat, we met again early evening. We went looking for Little Owls first. We checked out some barns by the road, but there was no sign. So we tried another site and immediately spotted one perched on the roof half way down one of the barns, enjoying the evening sunshine. We got it in the scope.

While we were watching it, another Little Owl flew across in front, disappearing into the trees nearby. After a few seconds it came back out and landed on the ground by the barns, running around looking for food on the concrete. It then flew up again, then across to the other side, perching on the near edge of the roof the other side. Great views.

Little Owl – hunting around the barns

We dropped down towards the coast to look for Barn Owls next. It was a lovely evening, and we heard several Yellowhammers singing through the open windows as we drove down the country lanes. We drove a quick circuit round via some meadows where they like to hunt, without any success, so we parked up nearby and walked up onto the seawall to scan the marshes. At first, we couldn’t find any owls – but we did see several Brown Hares and a pair of Grey Partridge down in the grass. A Song Thrush was singing from the trees on the far side.

Then a Barn Owl appeared out of the trees, the regular very white one, nicknamed ‘Casper’, which is well known here. It started hunting around a recently cut grass field, we watched it fly round, drop into the grass a couple of times, then come back up. It disappeared behind some trees and looked like it had gone off in the other direction, but then reappeared and flew back towards us. It came much closer, flying past us over the reeds and out along the bank across the marshes. It landed briefly, and we thought about going out for a closer look, but it quickly too off again as some people walked past and we watched it head out away from us.

Barn Owl – ‘Casper’, the white one

It was time to head up to the heath. The sun had already gone down and the temperature was dropping when we arrived and got out of the minibus. We set off out onto the middle of the heath, and we were not even already in position when we heard our first Nightjar churring. We got out of the edge of the trees just in time to hear it stop and take off wing-clapping. We could see it flying round over the gorse further up, and watched it drop down behind the vegetation ahead of us. We walked quickly on down the path but when we got to the area it had seemed to drop, it had disappeared.

Another Nightjar started churring now, right out in the middle. We stopped to listen to it, such an evocative sound, of summer evenings on the heaths. For some time we could only hear one. It flew round at one point – the churring stopped and we heard it wing-clapping as it took off. Then it flew back to the trees where it had been and resumed churring.

When another Nightjar started up behind us, it sounded closer. We walked on to see if we locate this one, but it was still too far from path to give us a chance to find it. A fourth male then started churring in the distance, and we stood and listened to the two of them for a couple of minutes. A Woodcock flew over roding – we could hear its squeaky call, and looked up to see it fly over with exaggerated slow wingbeats. A Tawny Owl called from the trees.

The first male Nightjar we had seen earlier started churring again, so we walked back. It was getting darker now, so we couldn’t see where it was perched on the edge of the trees. It took off and we watched two Nightjars chasing each other through the tops, silhouetted against the last of the light in the sky. One came back down into the gorse not far from us, and we had a quick view of it flying round lower as it broke the skyline. Then it went quiet again.

One of the other Nightjars was still churring out in the middle. We stood and listened to that for a couple more minutes, a lovely way to while away a summer’s evening. Then it was time to head back – it had been a long day, and we had another busy one ahead tomorrow. As we walked off the heath, we were serenaded by another of the Nightjars churring. It was in a tree above the path but too dark to see it perched now. As we walked underneath, we watched it fly out, dropping down out across the Heath.