Chris Lansdell's Birding & Nature Diary

A Fantastic Day out in East Sussex/Kent, 18 May 2019

If Carlsberg did nature days out...

I met Jeremy Gaskell and Matt Shore at Thickthorn services and we we soon on our way south to East Sussex. Arriving at Abbots Wood near Hailsham and 10.45 we made our way to the grid reference I'd managed to glean from the internet just as the sun began to come out. We quickly found a wide ride and walking down it a fritillary flew past us not stopping. Around the corner the ride opened out into a clearing and within just a few minutes we'd nailed and confirmed Pearl-bordered Fritillary. We went on to see 8-10 individuals in the next hour in the clearing that has obviously been managed to help this rapidly declining species. Most of them were flighty but eventually one individual played ball nicely and allowed some photographic opportunties. This was a very welcome butterfly for me, one I've been wanting to see for years and missed several times. My penultimate UK species!

Also in the clearing we had 1 Green Hairstreak, 1 Common Blue, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser plus singing Cuckoo, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler. A Red Kite was also clocked up en-route. We left the site in good spirits and headed east to into Kent.

Pearl-bordered Fritillaries

Green Hairstreak

First stop in Kent was Denge Wood and a walk through the woods to Bonsai Bank. Here loads of Lady Orchids of good variety were accompanied by Early Puple Orchids, Common Twayblades, budding Common Spotted Orchids and more importantly 3 Duke of Burgundy butterflies.

Duke of Burgundys

Lady Orchids

Common Twayblades

Next up was nearby Yockletts Bank where, with very gratefully recieved directions I managed to find the stunning 'chlorantha' Fly Orchid with no trouble at all. This was a real 'eureka' moment for me as I'd delayed last year and missed my chance. There were also several Lady Orchids, regular Fly Orchids and loads of Common Twayblades there plus a singing Firecrest.

'chlorantha' Fly Orchid

Fly Orchid

Our final destination was Park Gate Down where, in double quick time I'd located Monkey Orchids. One of my all time fave orchids. Most were in bud but we found c40 including several that were more advanced plus Early Purple Orchids, 3 Greater Butterfly Orchids very nearly out and singing Yellowhammers.

Monkey Orchids

Early Purple Orchid

Greater Butterfly Orchid

Little Bittern and a bunch of pansies, 14 May 2019

An after work evening out with Jus and Andy down in the Brecks.

With news of the male Little Bittern having been showing on and off for most of the day at Nunnery Lakes, Thetford we all wanted to see it. After a short walk across Barnham Cross Common we were delighted to find it on view immediately. We'd expected to need more patience than that! It was watched at length clambering around in lakeside vegetation, stood motionless at the waters edge and preening high in a willow. Views through the scope were excellent but it was too distant for anything other than poor record shots (as you'll see below!). Also there was a Cuckoo, 2 Garden Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat, Yellowhammer and Reed Warbler.

We then wandered across the common to a spot we'd been told about and quickly found a healthy number of Breckland Pansies in pristine condition. A ssp of Wild Pansy (aka Sand Pansy) these Breckland ones are very scarce.

Another look at the Little Bittern followed plus a hunting Barn Owl and then Greater Celandine and Wild Mignonette were id'd beside the carpark and the light faded.

Little Bittern

Breckland Pansies

More Breckland Pansies!

Greater Celandine

Wild Mignonette

Market Weston Fen, 10 May 2019

A pleasant hour at Market Weston Fen despite a complete absence of any orchids!

The birding was better however with Turtle Dove purring, 2 Cuckoos, nice views of both Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling away in the middle of the marsh but was less co-operative. Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were all singing too, despite the drizzly conditions.

Baikal Teal twitch, 5 May 2019

A Sunday out with the boys and with the Baikal Teal being by far the best bird in the country it was a no-brainer.
So, after some nice early positive news we set out for March Farmers on the Nene Washes. After a short walk the bird was in view on arrival albeit a bit distant. We waited an age for it to finally wake up from it's slumbers but that did give us time to see 13 Common Cranes (10 + 3), Hobby, several Avocets, loads of Swifts (my first of the year) and Yellow Wagtails. Eventually the Baikal Teal woke up and gave some nice swimming, flight and preening views. A very smart duck indeed and my 3rd in the UK.

We then moved on to Deeping Lakes where the summer plumaged Cattle Egret was eventually located on the riverbank and gave some nice views after I snuck up on it. A distant Red Kite was also seen before we turned our attentions to the scrape where we found 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 3 Common Sandpipers. The main pit was also rewarding with 2 lovely graceful Arctic Terns amongst good numbers of Common Terns and a male Marsh Harrier flew through. My first odonata of the year were a few teneral Large Red Damselflies and we also scored with singing Garden Warbler.

With the final score from Villa Park of a 2-1 for the mighty Canaries securing the Championship we moved on to Baston Langtoft Pits where a pair of Red-crested Pochards were showing distantly and Barn Owl perched on a telegraph pole.

Finally a visit to the nearby Etton-Maxey Pits gave us the 2 Wood Sandpipers after a longish search plus 12 Black-tailed Godwits.

Baikal Teal

Cattle Egret

Arctic Tern

Red-foot and Green-wings, 2 May 2019

After moving house for what seems like weeks I finally managed to sneak out on Thursday afternoon for some birding therapy!

I headed straight down to Rendlesham near Woodbridge and after a quick word with Murray Smith and Stu Buck wandered down the road to the edge of Woodbridge old airfield. Before I even reached the spot I got onto the male Red-footed Falcon hawking high over the eastern end of the airfield. During the next hour it gave some lovely views hawking backwards and forwards and occasionally pausing on the airfield light posts. 2 Hobbies put in an appearance, a Sparrowhawk flew through and single of both Woodlark and Wheatear were also seen, the former on one of the aforementioned lights. Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat completed the scoring.

On the way home I popped into a couple of sites very close to each other for my fix of Green-winged Orchids. Both sites had hundreds out in flower and in remarkable variety. One site had 7 pure 'alba' specimens.