ROLLER Number 4 – Icklingham, Suffolk!

ROLLER

South of Icklingham, Suffolk

 

I felt very lucky today, very lucky indeed. Leaving the Roller until the third day was a bit risky, but it was still there this morning, so luck was on my side! As reported by others who had been already been, the road just south of Icklingham was a race track, a narrow and winding road. Luckily I got the last space available in the large lay-by, just south of where the Roller was. It was around 6.30am when I arrived. With scope, tripod and camera in hand, I walked along the road (very carefully) and joined a few others standing on a wide grassy verge. It was raining steadily and the skies were grey. The Roller was perched on a fence wire a very long way away across the field. I took some video, but very poor quality because of the rain and distance. The Roller was looking wet and bedraggled and didn't look impressed with the weather! Every now and again the Roller would fly up onto the telegraph wires, but rarely came close enough for my 300mm lens. It was so fabulous to see this vibrant and flamboyant bird, sorry to say, but it did overshadow the Bee-eaters – well not by much, being as there was nine in one bush! There were birders and photographers standing further along the road on a high embankment, closer to where the Roller was, but I was advised that the walk along the road was extremely dangerous, so I stayed put. I met and chatted with some lovely people whilst here. Also saw a Hobby fly over, a Cuckoo was calling and a Green Woodpecker bounded across the sheep field. I stayed here until just before 12pm. I couldn't stay any longer, as was beyond desperate for the loo and breakfast!

My first very distant view of the Roller in the rain

 

Poor video, as it was dull and raining steadily

 

Returned to my car and had a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich. I then left and headed to Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve, which was only a few miles south of here. First stop, toilet! The weather had changed dramatically and it was now boiling hot, so much so that I had to get my sunhat on. I was very impressed with the first class reception from a young lady who greeted visitors at the front of the reception centre (inside closed) – she was extremely smiley to everyone she greeted and was very helpful indeed. She kindly told me there was a Glossy Ibis here. I meandered along the paths around this fabulous reserve, which is only the second time I have ever been here. I saw the Glossy Ibis feeding on the left hand edge of a little island, but as I lifted my camera up to take a picture, it had sneaked off further left and out of site behind a reedbed in the foreground! It was now so hot, that I couldn't face having to put on a facemask to go in any hides, so gave them a miss. Saw several Dragonflies and damselflies, but didn't spend anywhere near the amount of time here that I would have liked to because of the intense heat, so returned to the visitor centre. I found the shadiest picnic table and sat here for a long time.

ROLLER in better light this evening

 

I returned to the lay-by just south of Icklingham. I sat in my deckchair next to my car, in the bushes next to a fence overlooking a sheep field and had a long snooze. I was waiting for the heat haze to go and the evening light for photography. I left the scope and tripod in the car this time and headed along the road, this time I took a risk and walked to one of the furthest viewing points along the road and climbed up the embankment to join two other birders. To my left was the furthest viewing point where there was some humongous 600/800mm lenses! Cleverly I had brought my new campchair (in bag) with me and the two birders here remarked 'that's the way to do it' – it was indeed. What a fabulous Saturday night out! Chilling in a comfy chair watching a glorious turquoise Roller in the evening sunshine. The Roller looked a million times better in the sunshine and looked much happier than this morning. It was catching bees and insects fairly regularly and had incredible eyesight we noticed – at one point it flew up and over our heads and the road behind to catch one bee!!! It then returned with the bee and perched on the telegraph wire to consume it. A Roller, never fails to disappoint, this must be the most vibrant and flamboyant of all the birds we see here in the UK! I took 627 pictures of the Roller! The last time I was saw one was in Norfolk in 2013. I left at about 7.15pm. I felt so tired driving home, but arrived back safely.

ROLLER