A near Perfect Day!!!

MARSH WARBLER

Started the day at 6.30am watching a MARSH WARBLER at a private site. Unfortunately news of where this bird is can not be released, as besides being on private land, there is a possibility that Mrs Marsh Warbler may be interested! I also heard today that a second one has been found in Norfolk yesterday, which again for the same reasons, the location cannot be released. The repertoire of this bird was magical and mimicked the following: blackbird, common tern, bee-eater, goldfinch, swift, great tit, skylark, linnet, house sparrow, common whitethroat, oystercatcher, swallow, green woodpecker, heron, buzzard, magpie and willow warbler. Another birder and I compiled a list of 11, but just listening to my recordings on my iphone I have managed to add another 6! I found this bird absolutely amazing to listen to. It also was a bit like a Cettis Warbler - as in, it would be singing right next to you, but wouldn't show - only on the odd occasion. Other birds seen on sight were great crested grebes in courtship, cuckoo, kingfisher, common tern, reed and willow warblers, reed buntings. Also met the finder of the recent Black Stork who showed me a photograph he had taken of it!

Marsh Warbler.

Reed Warbler.


Reed Bunting with a beakful of food.

Great Crested Grebe.

Banded Demoiselle.


Red-eyed Damselfly.


Wren.

On return to my car I got a phone call from my insurance company to say they agreed to replace my Nikon P5000 which I dropped accidently last year and have agreed to replace it with the Nikon P7000 which is fantastic news! I had developed a sorethroat and cold today - goodness knows where I got that from - hmmm..... probably from a patient or visitor from hospital at the weekend I am guessing - was now feeling rubbish so decided to have a little snooze in the car before going to Strumpshaw Fen to photograph Swallowtails.


STRUMPSHAW FEN RSPB


Arrived here at a ridiculously late time of 2.45pm, but I did achieve what I came for.

After checking in at the reception centre I made my way to the Meadow Trail. Photographed a Four spotted chaser and was lucky enough to see a Swallowtail in the exact same spot as last year, but it flew off too quickly for photograph! I did see a Norfolk Hawker but was not able to get a good photograph. I walked all the way along the river bank where the path continues through the woods. Just before walking through the wood there is a dyke alongside the path where scarce chasers were in abundance around a week ago I was told, but didn't see any today. Carried on through the wood and bumped into Justin Lansdell (nice to see you) who was looking for spotted flycatchers. I left Justin to continue his search and continued through the wood back to the reception area. I then walked along the road to THE garden down the unmade up track to see if I was lucky with swallowtails. A young girl arrived at the garden at the same time as me and had her camera to the ready for a beautifully posing swallowtail. BUT it did not pose long enough for me to change my 300mm lens to the 100mm macro lens and promptly flew off! The girl left and was obviously pleased with her pictures. I sat and waited and waited. My patience paid off and got my best ever pictures of Swallowtails set against sweet williams! A couple of pied wagtails were on the sloped lawn and a great spotted woodpecker was feeding off the nuts on the bird table. I went back to my car and had tea.

Broad-bodied Chaser set against rays of sunlight.

Water Lily.

Norfolk Hawker.

Damselflies mating.

Four spotted Chaser.



Large Skipper.


Poppy.


Bee - Delphinium.





Swallowtail Butterfly in THE Garden.



THE Swallowtail Garden.


This plant shadowed completely in the water leading up the Fen Hide.
name of this plant anyone please?

Walked back to the reserve and to Fen Hide. It was a lovely evening walk, but the sun was pouring into the hide, so didn't stay long as couldn't really see anything! On the way back, Cettis Warblers burst into song and Norfolk Hawkers were zipping around the board walk at 8.30pm, but didn't land once! A couple of marsh harriers were also seen. Left Strumpshaw at 9.15pm and felt so ill I had to stop twice to shut my eyes. Arrived home around 10.30pm.

Sunset from Fen Hide, Strumpshaw Fen. (iphone)