The Bank holiday gave me the opportunity for more catching up. I have been itching to get to the Norfolk coast for a while now as the only other visit this year was at there start of the year. The forecast northerlies all weekend were rather tempting as well with the promise of some decent seabirds. Unfortunately the news from Saturday was rather disappointing, with smaller numbers than hoped for, although there were some interesting sightings.
Colin and I left early again, and arrived at Titchwell around 8am as parking is currently a bit limited and the facilities likewise. The northerly winds were still present early on, though a lot less stronger than the Saturday. The intention was to head to the sea while the winds held out and then check the lagoons on the way back. The most unexpected sighting was meeting a returning Phil Ball well outside his usual Amwell comfort zone, who had been seawtaching with his bins and noted numbers of passing Skuas.
The sand blasted beach was rather uncomfortable, and as Phil had said, visibility was indifferent though improved as the morning progressed. Despite the direction of the winds, a lot of the seabirds were a fair way off and in many cases best left unidentified. Gannets were ever present, generally heading east, but most other birds were moving west, with singles and small parties of Arctic and Great Skuas, the occasional Fulmar and Kittiwake and best of all a Sooty Shearwater. There were still a few terns lingering offshore, some Sandwich were obvious but a couple of 'Commic' terns were feeding into the wind and couldn't be identified for sure, though the likelyhood is that they were Common rather than Arctic. There were also a few largish duck flocks heading west as well, mostly Common Scoter but Wigeon and teal were also seen.
Most of the waders were on the beach-the usual assemblage of Godwits, Redshank, Curlew, Sanderling, Turnstone, Knot Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher. The gulls on the shoreline were inspected on a regular basis but there wasn't anything unusual among them. The fresh marsh was a bit disappointing on the way back. There weren't many waders, with small numbers of Dunlin and Ruff on the exposed mud, plus a few Avocets of course. A couple of Curlew Sandpipers were found but we couldn't see the Little Stint.
After a welcome coffee we returned and went via the currently one way Fen Trail to Patsies Pool. We apparently missed a Great White Egret and there wasn't a great deal here. There were a a few Common and Ruddy Darters, Migrant Hawkers and a single Brown Hawker. Couldn't find any Willow Emeralds in the usual spot.
After a visit to the optical suppliers Cley Spy we had intended to go to Weeting Heath, but on arrival discovered that it has been shut since lockdown started. Should have thought of that earlier! Anyway Lakenheath Fen was just down the road so we called in there instead.
Being rather dull and cloudy, and with the breeze still present it wasn't at its best. There were very few butterflies and dragonflies, and birds were hard to get, with very little along the southern track to Joist Fen. We spent a bit of time at the view point, with lots of hirundines in the distance, but only a couple of Marsh harriers and Kestrels in the air. A very distant large white egret must have been the Great White that is resident, and Colin thought he had a brief sighting of one of the Cranes.
On the Monday I decided to do a circuit around Chells Manor and Aston End. Norton Green had a few Yellow Wagtails and Whinchats which would have been a safer bet, but I hoped that the sheep and horse fields would enable me to find my own. It wasn't a great success as the only migrants there were a few juvenile Swallows. Robins are starting to get a bit more vocal as it gets more autumnal, and there were around a dozen Chiffchaffs mostly heard, but the ones seen were juveniles. The usual warbler trap elder and spindle hedge was a bit of a let down with three juvenile Blackcaps-no Common or Lesser Whitethroats which were expected. A few more Swallows from the local nests were still in the Aston end area and the usual Nuthatches were heard as approached Gresley Way.
Over the summer, the work in the garden has been paying dividends with greater than usual numbers of butterflies. Obviously with more time at home that is to be expected, but a few days ago I was surprised to get a Small Copper on the verbena bonariensis. I've only ever seen a few in the garden, and they have been hard to get anywhere this year so it seems.
The pond has had a lot of work and has been completely replanted this year. Fortunately the rather wet August has meant that it is has plenty of water in it at the moment and this has been rather attractive to a variety of overflies, bees and flies. Apart from the expected spring Large red and Azure damselflies there haven't been any other dragonflies until last week when a male Common Darter has been present on the warmer days.
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