The real orchid fun starts tomorrow as Belinda and I head down to Dorset/Somerset via Oxfordshire for a long weekend...
Mellis Common, 10 May 2018
After grocery shopping in Diss this morning I popped down the road to Mellis Common. This proved to be a new Green-winged Orchid site for me with the first ones seen before I'd even got out of the car! I went on to count 99 spikes including these 2 gorgeous pale specimens.
The real orchid fun starts tomorrow as Belinda and I head down to Dorset/Somerset via Oxfordshire for a long weekend...
The real orchid fun starts tomorrow as Belinda and I head down to Dorset/Somerset via Oxfordshire for a long weekend...
Outney Common/Earsham walk, 7 May 2018
Despite the Bank Holiday Monday temperatures that reached 26c Belinda and I did a favourite walk of ours from Earsham around the loop of the Waveney above Outney Common and back via Earsham GPs.
The only real birds of note were a very vocal Cuckoo, Garden Warbler, Swifts over Bungay town centre and 3 Common Terns on Earsham GPs. So, instead I concentrated on other things. Large Red Damselflies were my first odonata of the year and a Common Blue butterfly likewise. Plants were plentiful so I took some photos to id at leisure when I got home. I have managed to nail Star of Bethlehem, Springbeauty, Common Vetch, Common Water Crowfoot, Round-leaved Cranesbill, Alexanders and Green Alkanet as my botanical education continues! We also had close views of Slow Worm up along the escarpment as it disappeared into the leaf litter
Later that evening while BBQing at home we had an unexpected but very welcome visitor to the patio - a Yellow-necked Field Mouse.
On Tuesday a Hobby flew east over Pulham St Mary and the mixed-singing Willow Warbler was still present
The only real birds of note were a very vocal Cuckoo, Garden Warbler, Swifts over Bungay town centre and 3 Common Terns on Earsham GPs. So, instead I concentrated on other things. Large Red Damselflies were my first odonata of the year and a Common Blue butterfly likewise. Plants were plentiful so I took some photos to id at leisure when I got home. I have managed to nail Star of Bethlehem, Springbeauty, Common Vetch, Common Water Crowfoot, Round-leaved Cranesbill, Alexanders and Green Alkanet as my botanical education continues! We also had close views of Slow Worm up along the escarpment as it disappeared into the leaf litter
Later that evening while BBQing at home we had an unexpected but very welcome visitor to the patio - a Yellow-necked Field Mouse.
On Tuesday a Hobby flew east over Pulham St Mary and the mixed-singing Willow Warbler was still present
Yellow-necked Field Mouse
Star of Bethlehem
Springbeauty
Round-leaved Cranesbill
Common Water Crowfoot
Common Vetch
Green Alkanet
Purple Heron and other stuff, 6 May 2018
After a morning at Beccles Antique Street Market with Belinda I had the offer of a late afternoon/evening venture up to Cley with Jus. It would have been rude to say no!
On the way out of Norwich we called in to Mousehold for the Wood Warbler found earlier in the day near the Gurney Road carpark. I didn't prove to be a quick stop because the bird was a pain in the arse! Singing about once every 20 minutes and then for about 2 seconds each time not allowing for location. Eventually we saw it in flight as it became mobile but left soon after as we didn't want to delay any longer.
Before setting ourselves up on Cley West Bank we popped into Morston Quay carpark to check the toilets (don't ask!) for moths. And lo-and-behold our target species Northern Drab was found by me on the ceiling of the gents!
Cley beckoned and we spent the rest of the evening by the bench on West Bank. Luckily we got some lovely views of the adult Purple Heron within about a minute so the pressure was off. It only went on to show once more but we were entertained by Barn Owl, 3 Little Egrets, c12 Knot, Marsh Harrier, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler a fly-over Yellow Wagtail and a dodgy Cape Shelduck with 3 Shelduck near North Hide as we had a catch up with Dave Holman and James McCallum. Right at the death 2 Spoonbills also flew east onto the reserve over the car on Beach Road.
The Purple Heron turned out to be bird no.200 of the year which was rather fitting
Yearlist = 201
On the way out of Norwich we called in to Mousehold for the Wood Warbler found earlier in the day near the Gurney Road carpark. I didn't prove to be a quick stop because the bird was a pain in the arse! Singing about once every 20 minutes and then for about 2 seconds each time not allowing for location. Eventually we saw it in flight as it became mobile but left soon after as we didn't want to delay any longer.
Before setting ourselves up on Cley West Bank we popped into Morston Quay carpark to check the toilets (don't ask!) for moths. And lo-and-behold our target species Northern Drab was found by me on the ceiling of the gents!
Cley beckoned and we spent the rest of the evening by the bench on West Bank. Luckily we got some lovely views of the adult Purple Heron within about a minute so the pressure was off. It only went on to show once more but we were entertained by Barn Owl, 3 Little Egrets, c12 Knot, Marsh Harrier, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler a fly-over Yellow Wagtail and a dodgy Cape Shelduck with 3 Shelduck near North Hide as we had a catch up with Dave Holman and James McCallum. Right at the death 2 Spoonbills also flew east onto the reserve over the car on Beach Road.
The Purple Heron turned out to be bird no.200 of the year which was rather fitting
Yearlist = 201
Purple Heron
Northern Drab
The gentle purring of Turtle Dove, 5 May 2018
I took myself off to New Buckenham Common yesterday morning in search of Green-winged Orchids. I'd not seen them at this site for years so it was mainly for a change of scenery. Luckily I found plenty although there are loads more still to come. Interestingly this population contains very little variation in colouration with just the odd slightly paler plant.
What I'd not bargained for however were 2 Turtle Doves singing and displaying and giving some lovely views. Every year these beauties grace our commons is a bonus these days. Also around the common were Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting plus Red Deer, several Orange Tips, Peacocks and Green-veined Whites.
Later in the afternoon Belinda and I headed east to the coast for a very pleasant sunny walk around North Warren. Here I was delighted to add Cuckoo, Hobby and Nightingale to my yearlist plus a booming Bittern, singing Cetti's Warbler and Woodlark, Stock Doves and Mistle Thrush.
Yearlist = 198
What I'd not bargained for however were 2 Turtle Doves singing and displaying and giving some lovely views. Every year these beauties grace our commons is a bonus these days. Also around the common were Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting plus Red Deer, several Orange Tips, Peacocks and Green-veined Whites.
Later in the afternoon Belinda and I headed east to the coast for a very pleasant sunny walk around North Warren. Here I was delighted to add Cuckoo, Hobby and Nightingale to my yearlist plus a booming Bittern, singing Cetti's Warbler and Woodlark, Stock Doves and Mistle Thrush.
Yearlist = 198
Green-winged Orchids
A mixed-singing Phyllosc, Pulham St Mary, 3 May 2018
I'm working in Pulham St Mary at the moment and yesterday I heard what I took to be a Willow Warbler singing from an area of trees between the Maltings and the Sewage Works. It sang frequently but always seemed to be 'accompanied' by a Chiffhaff singing too. On closer inspection during my lunch break I was able to confirm the songs were coming from the same bird!
I returned later in the evening to find it again very quickly and get some poor shots of it as it was very mobile and flighty, never coming very close.
The song began as Willow Warbler (about 75% of the total song length) and finished with a 'chiff-chaff'. Very occassionally it would start with a chiff-chaff. The bird appears to be a Willow Warbler, albeit a rather dull one and into the bargain it is rung!
A Garden Warbler there was a welcome yeartick although I managed to miss a reported Turtle Dove in Semere Lane which Glen told me about.
Yearlist = 193
I returned later in the evening to find it again very quickly and get some poor shots of it as it was very mobile and flighty, never coming very close.
The song began as Willow Warbler (about 75% of the total song length) and finished with a 'chiff-chaff'. Very occassionally it would start with a chiff-chaff. The bird appears to be a Willow Warbler, albeit a rather dull one and into the bargain it is rung!
A Garden Warbler there was a welcome yeartick although I managed to miss a reported Turtle Dove in Semere Lane which Glen told me about.
Yearlist = 193
'Mixed-singing' Willow Warbler
Whitlingham CP, a flying visit, 28 April 2018
A very quick 20 minutes at Whitlingham early this afternoon before meeting Jus for the footy.
What I hoped for was a Swift for my yearlist and sure enough I scored. I don't like April to go by without seeing one! The surface of Great Broad was alive with hirundines - there must have been at least 350 birds with 85% of them being Swallows with lesser numbers of House Martins and even less of Sand Martins. All grounded by the bad weather. Then, as I walked back a female Wheatear flew past me and settled on the grass between Little Broad and Great Broad. An unexpected a welcome yeartick and quite an unusual one for the site as Jus later confirmed that he's never seen one there. Other than a couple of singing Blackcaps and c8 Common Terns that was all I had time for.
Yearlist = 192
What I hoped for was a Swift for my yearlist and sure enough I scored. I don't like April to go by without seeing one! The surface of Great Broad was alive with hirundines - there must have been at least 350 birds with 85% of them being Swallows with lesser numbers of House Martins and even less of Sand Martins. All grounded by the bad weather. Then, as I walked back a female Wheatear flew past me and settled on the grass between Little Broad and Great Broad. An unexpected a welcome yeartick and quite an unusual one for the site as Jus later confirmed that he's never seen one there. Other than a couple of singing Blackcaps and c8 Common Terns that was all I had time for.
Yearlist = 192
Local bits, 26 April 2018
Not a huge amount to report due to work commitments but today in Pulham St Mary while working a Grey Wagtail flew over and having heard it singing in the distance I tracked down a Willow Warbler singing at the sewage works (a local rarity). There were also a pair of Stock Doves there and a Common Buzzard.
A quick stroll alongside Ocean Pit at Weybread this evening gave me my first Reed Warbler of the year in the usual spot plus 2 Common Terns, c50 House Martins, c6 Sand Martins, a couple of Swallows but still no Swifts. 3 Brown Hares were amongst the geese on the fields and a Roe Deer was at Starston on the way home.
Yearlist = 190
A quick stroll alongside Ocean Pit at Weybread this evening gave me my first Reed Warbler of the year in the usual spot plus 2 Common Terns, c50 House Martins, c6 Sand Martins, a couple of Swallows but still no Swifts. 3 Brown Hares were amongst the geese on the fields and a Roe Deer was at Starston on the way home.
Yearlist = 190
Martins' Meadows, Suffolk, 24 April 2018
One of the things I really enjoy in the spring/summer months is a poke around some of the small and little known nature reserves in hidden corners of East Anglia.
Martins' Meadows is a SWT reserve near Framlingham and I spent a very pleasant couple of hours wandering around the 3 main meadows and orchards that form the reserve. One of the main attractions here is Snakeshead Fritillary and I found c50 plants in the largest meadow amongst large numbers of Early Purple Orchids in the sea of Cowslips. Around the edge there was also the odd clump of Goldilocks Buttercups.
The main species I wanted to see was eluding me though but during my search I did find a few Green-winged Orchids but with only a singleton in flower. A Common Twayblade was also still a rosette. Eventually my quarry was spotted - a gorgeous Wild Tulip growing beneath a tree. I'd spent ages looking so then spent ages photographing it!
Martins' Meadows is a SWT reserve near Framlingham and I spent a very pleasant couple of hours wandering around the 3 main meadows and orchards that form the reserve. One of the main attractions here is Snakeshead Fritillary and I found c50 plants in the largest meadow amongst large numbers of Early Purple Orchids in the sea of Cowslips. Around the edge there was also the odd clump of Goldilocks Buttercups.
The main species I wanted to see was eluding me though but during my search I did find a few Green-winged Orchids but with only a singleton in flower. A Common Twayblade was also still a rosette. Eventually my quarry was spotted - a gorgeous Wild Tulip growing beneath a tree. I'd spent ages looking so then spent ages photographing it!
Wild Tulip
Green-winged Orchid
Snakeshead Fritillary
Goldilocks Buttercup
Early Purple Orchids
Early Purple Orchids and Cowslips
Spring flowers and insects, 22 April 2018
Feeling a little jaded this morning we loafed around the garden as I emptied the moth trap after it's first outing of the year. Around the garden were 3 Holly Blues (the first of the year), Large White, Speckled Wood and Orange Tip while the trap yielded Yellow-barred Brindle, Streamer, Early Thorn, Early Grey, Powdered Quaker, Small Quaker, Clouded Drab and Hebrew Character.
This afternoon we had a leisurely stroll around Ashwellthorpe Wood where there were plenty of Early Purple Orchids in flower plus I noted Barren Strawberry among the huge numbers of Wood Anenome, Lesser Celandine, Dogs Mercury, Bluebells and Wild Garlic. Belinda drew my attention to several snails on tree trunks that turned out to be White-lipped Banded Snails. Butterflies included Comma, Peacock, Orange Tip, Green-veined White and Brimstone.
A garden rarity in the form of 2 Mistle Thrushes rounded off a lazy day.
This afternoon we had a leisurely stroll around Ashwellthorpe Wood where there were plenty of Early Purple Orchids in flower plus I noted Barren Strawberry among the huge numbers of Wood Anenome, Lesser Celandine, Dogs Mercury, Bluebells and Wild Garlic. Belinda drew my attention to several snails on tree trunks that turned out to be White-lipped Banded Snails. Butterflies included Comma, Peacock, Orange Tip, Green-veined White and Brimstone.
A garden rarity in the form of 2 Mistle Thrushes rounded off a lazy day.
Early Thorn
Speckled Wood
White-lipped Banded Snail
Barren Strawberry
Early Purple Orchids
Orange Tip, female
The orchid season begins...21 April 2018
A quick wander around Tyrrel's Wood this afternoon after having to work on a Saturday morning!
We made our way to the only spot in the wood where Early Purple Orchid occurs to find just 2 plants in flower, a few more were in bud but most were still just rosettes. It was nice to kick the orchid season off as I anticipate a trip to Scotland in June for a few new ones.
Also around the wood were plenty of Common Dog Violets, a few Early Dog Violets and a couple of patches of Wood Sorrel. Birdwise there was a Chiffchaff with an odd song (chiff chaff chaff), Nuthatch and Blackcap plus my first Large White of the year.
A quick look at the roadside nature reserve just outside the wood was a bit too early for Sulphur Clover but there was an impressive clump of 'False Oxlip' (hybrid Cowslip x Primrose)
In the garden at home we have 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff plus today the first Orange Tips, Green-veined White, Bee-flys, Tree Bumblebee, and Tawny Mining Bees.
We made our way to the only spot in the wood where Early Purple Orchid occurs to find just 2 plants in flower, a few more were in bud but most were still just rosettes. It was nice to kick the orchid season off as I anticipate a trip to Scotland in June for a few new ones.
Also around the wood were plenty of Common Dog Violets, a few Early Dog Violets and a couple of patches of Wood Sorrel. Birdwise there was a Chiffchaff with an odd song (chiff chaff chaff), Nuthatch and Blackcap plus my first Large White of the year.
A quick look at the roadside nature reserve just outside the wood was a bit too early for Sulphur Clover but there was an impressive clump of 'False Oxlip' (hybrid Cowslip x Primrose)
In the garden at home we have 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff plus today the first Orange Tips, Green-veined White, Bee-flys, Tree Bumblebee, and Tawny Mining Bees.
Early Purple Orchid
Early Purple Orchid rosette
Early Dog Violet
Wood Sorrel
And she says she's not into orchids!
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