Dersingham Bypass Fire

When I drove past this morning at 7.15am the traffic lights are still there, so traffic will be dreadful later. Fire engine still there and firemen still trying to dampen down smoulderings. The fire is on heathland almost immediately after roundabout on right hand side when first going onto bypass from Lynn direction.

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New Moth recorded for Norfolk

http://www.hawkandowl.org/About_us/newssections/SculthorpeNews/500thMoth

Holme Reserves and Titchwell

Mallard Chick, Titchwell RSPB.

Arrived at Holme 7.20am. Beautiful sunshine all day.

My route today: from the observatory I walked round the back of the pines, onto the NWT Forestry, cut across to the village carpark, walked along the tarmac road and at the Hun Bridge walked east along the river footpath to Redwell Hide and then onto the pay hut and then back along the path behind the bungalows, then back and to the NWT Forestry again and back to NOA carpark for lunch and then to observatory. Walked behind obs. back to NOA carpark. Left here and went to Holme Marsh Reserve and then onto Titchwell RSPB.

Firs Road - at the 5-bar gate a whitethroat and a Cettis' Warbler was calling. On the NOA carpark my first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was 'reeling' away. A Cuckoo also called. At the observatory a Whimbrel flew east. Sophie and Jed told me I had just missed seeing 2 Turtle Doves sitting in the tree opposite obs. and a Grasshopper Warbler in the hand! Three Eiders were sitting on the sea and 2 Sandwich Terns also flew east. Several blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were also singing. 2 Marsh Harriers flying around Holme marsh. From the NOA carpark Hide a Spoonbill stood preening itself amongst the black headed gulls at 8.45am. Other birds seen in the forestry area: 2 Kestrel, 5 red legged partridge, several meadow pipits, goldfinches, 5 magpies, hedgesparrows, 2 shelduck, 2 Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Woodpigeons, 1 house martin west and also 2 Swallows. Grasshopper Warbler at 9.55 and 6 Wheatears in the flat grassy area, 6 more whitethroat, 6 linnets, 3 reed buntings, a Little Tern going east at 10.20am. A Greenshank flew overhead calling. A man walking along with just binoculars and a little dog stopped to kindly tell me there was a Nightingale singing away just behind Sandyridge bungalow and 'it had been there a couple of days' - I discovered later that this man was in fact David Gray (popstar)!!!! I knew he had a house in Holme but had never met him. I heard the Nightingale at 10.35am - wonderful to hear this singing - can't remember the last time I heard one in Holme. Another Cuckoo called and I counted another 7 Whitethroats. There were two more Grasshopper Warblers reeling together at the end of the path alongside the back of the bungalows, just opposite were the path goes down to link up with the village carpark.

David Gray (pop star) after telling me where the nightingale was!

Spoonbill from the NOA carpark hide.

Wheatear, NWT Forestry, Holme.

Hedge Sparrow, Holme.

Common Whitethroat, Holme-next-Sea.

Wheatears, Forestry, Holme NWT.

Walked along the road to the Hun Bridge and turned left and followed the river path to Redwell Hide. Along here I had 3 more whitethroats, chiffchaffs and a long tailed tit. A stoat was running along the path, but stopped to pose for my camera for a few seconds before scurrying off. Redwell Marsh - 12.20pm - Amongst all the noisy black headed gulls were 2 herring gulls, 1 black tailed godwit, 5 shelduck, 2 little grebes, 7 av0cets. Continued following the river path and just before the caravan I saw two holly blue butterflies. Photographed a Moorhen on a nest with 4 young! Crossed the road just before the payhut and went back along the path behind the bungalows to photograph the Grasshopper Warbler. Walking back again I luckily had 2 Turtle Doves flying east at 1.28pm (presumably the same 2 that Sophie and Jed had seen this morning). Back in the Forestry there were now 9 Wheatears. Butterflies seen here were a Small Copper, Red Admiral, Peacock and a Speckled Wood.

Grasshopper Warbler, Holme-next-Sea.

Moorhen and young, Holme-next-Sea.

Stoat along the river path, east of Redwell Hide, Holme.

Late lunch at 2.30pm on the NOA carpark and a snooze in the sunshine whilst listening to a Grasshopper Warbler reeling! The NWT carpark was packed solid which holidaymakers. Had a Ronalda's stem-ginger ice-cream at the Firs House and then went back to the observatory. On the broadwater there were 4 Pochard and 2 Avocets. Walked back along the pines to NOA carpark hide (note this is locked and only for NOA members with a key) at 4.30pm to see if the spoonbill was still there - it was along with 5 avocets, 2 redshanks, 2 marsh harriers, 1 ruff, canada geese, shoveler x 4, 1 brent goose, 3 pochard, 1 moorhen, 2 coot, 1 cormorant, 11 lapwing and a cuckoo. Left here 5.05pm.

Spoonbill, NOA carpark hide.

The NWT Firs House - where I was lived for the first year of my life!

Holme Marsh Reserve - Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Orange Tip butterflies along the path to the hides. Several sedge warblers singing and chiffchaffs. More whitethroats. From the last hide there were pairs of: Gadwall (one pair) Oystercatchers, Egyptian Geese and a single pink footed goose grazing! A pair of marsh harriers were 'sky dancing' 1 sparrowhawk went east, a kestrel west and a single goldfinch sitting on the yellow gorse.

View from Hide One, Holme Marsh Reserve NWT.

Pink footed Goose, Holme Marsh Reserve NWT.

Peacock Butterfly.

Red Admiral.

Titchwell RSPB - realising the Black Tern had been there most of the day I expected to see this, but was unlucky by a minutes! Male Blackcap in the alexanders right by the path managed to escape my camera. A Cuckoo flew east over the main path just before Island Hide. 13 baby mallards were zipping about all over the place and dangerously too far from mother! A Wood Sandpiper was on the scrape nearest to the main path by Parrinder Hide along with at least 8 lovely Yellow Wagtails! Also a few pied wags and one White Wagtail. Bittern booming from 7.45pm until 8.30pm! Ended the day with a Chinese Water deer who looked in a sorry state with a ragged ear and fur missing from back on the west side of the main path!

Common Sandpiper, from Parrinder Hide, Titchwell RSPB.

Chinese Water Deer, Titchwell RSPB.

Sunset, Cley-next-Sea.

Went to my parents to help father solve a computer problem and then drove back to King's Lynn and came to a standstill at the Dersingham Bypass (see my previous post).

PICTURE GALLERY: A149 Norfolk coast road closed for more than four hours as firefighters tackle blaze at Dersingham - News - Eastern Daily Press

PICTURE GALLERY: A149 Norfolk coast road closed for more than four hours as firefighters tackle blaze at Dersingham - News - Eastern Daily Press

"Firefighters saved homes, Royal woodlands and a nature reserve today, as a blaze engulfed several acres of Norfolk heathland."

How absolutely horrendous - spring time, birds nesting, all the work thats been done there. Don't know if it has affected the bog area below the cliffs or if its the area the other side of the A149 or not!!!!!!!

There is an update now - looks like the nature reserve is saved:
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/picture_gallery_a149_norfolk_coast_road_closed_for_more_than_four_hours_as_firefighters_tackle_blaze_at_dersingham_1_873964

HOT NEWS!!!!

The NOA are recruiting a new

Part Time Assistant Warden

HOLME BIRD OBSERVATORY

See this link

Nightingale at Work!!!

Whilst snoozing in the car at lunchtime I realised that in the background of the wood adjacent to the hospital a Nightingale was singing. Definately the best bird I have heard singing at work!

More migrants trickling in!

Wryneck at Winterton
Black Tern at Ranworth, Breydon and Stiffkey
Whinchats at Cley, Thetford and Waxham
Great White Egret at Blakeney and Wells
Swift at Great Walsingham
Redstarts, Tree Pipits, Ring Ouzels, Nightingales etc etc. See Rare Bird Alert for details.


Even though it was a lovely evening and I wanted to go out, I didn't feel very well and still don't, same as before when I went to A&E, but not quite as bad - oh dear!

Ringstead Downs NWT and Brancaster Staithe

Ringstead Downs NWT.

Arrived at Ringstead Downs at 5.30pm to a beautiful sunny evening.

I was expecting Ring Ouzels at Ringstead Downs as this is more or less guaranteed when there are others around Norfolk, but this wasn't to be this evening. Birds seen here: red legged partridges, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff, jackdaw, chaffinch, robin, mistle thrush, great and blue tits. I walked as far as the farm where I saw linnets, sparrowhawk and 3 swallows. THE geese in the farmyard, greeted me as usual - this the point when you retrace your steps quickly! Only a brave person walks past them!!! On the way back a Tawny Owl called. Speckled Wood also seen. Found some wild gooseberries bushes - will keep where they are secret!!! Tons of rabbits looking pretty amongst the carpets and carpets of ground ivy. Found quite alot of Lady's Mantle starting to flower.

Ringstead Downs NWT.

The chalkface by the Farm buildings,
where I always imagined a Wallcreeper would be!

Periwinkle.

Lady's Mantle.

All the above photos taken with iphone.

I was quite shocked when I arrived at Brancaster Staithe to photograph the sunset and boats. I could not get down the road to the carpark as the massive high tide had not only covered the carpark it also covered part of the road up to the hut that sells produce! I was a bit too late for the sunset - when I first arrived, the sun had cast a wonderful pink glittery sheen over the water, but by the time I got the camera out of the car it was too late! I walked around the harbour area and photographed some boats. Had a lovely surprise here of my first Cuckoo at 8pm - not seen, only heard - it was calling from the other side of the water, which means it was either on the end of Brancaster Golf Course or Scolt Head Island! Nice end to my little jaunt out!

Brancaster Staithe Harbour - high tide over carpark.

HOT NEWS!!!

Just noticed on the NOA website that they have had a Hooded Crow there today:
"Hooded Crow was on the grazing marsh south of the car park hide"

BLACK STORK seen flying NW over Oulton Broad, Suffolk this afternoon at 3.15pm!!! Keep flying North West please!!!

My mother had her first Humming Bird Hawkmoth in her garden this evening at Holme!

BEARDED TITS SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY OUR LONG HARD WINTER
Paul Eele, Warden at Titchwell RSPB response to lack of sightings of them: See: BIRDFORUM for discussion or Paul's post here "Bearded tits are very quiet here at the moment - we only have one confirmed pair although it is currently feeding young fairly close to the main path. Talking to a few other site staff from along the coast and it sounds like the same story. The theory is they haven't made it through the period when all the seed heads and leaf litter were frozen solid in December/January."

Also note: Connor saw a Whinchat at Burnham Norton today - nice find!

Some stunning photography on this blog especially the Great Crested Grebe pics.

Warham Greens, Friary Hills and Cley!

Field west of the track at Warham Greens.

Warham Greens

It was torture being at work this morning. The second my shift finished I was off! Got home and got myself out of the house as soon as possible. Looking at RBA's website, I hadn't missed anything really - apart from ring ouzels. I wanted to do something different, so decided to go to Gun Hill. When I arrived at the parking spot just outside Burnham Overy Staithe I scanned with bins to see too many people and dogs for my liking so changed my mind! Besides, it looked like too long a walk after I had been racing round on the ward all morning! No, what I needed was some good birds and a short walk! Plan B: Warham Greens - don't know which track I went down, all I can tell you is that its the track that feels like a rollercoaster when driving along in my car in first gear! - its opposite the house thats stands on its own and its the track where the 'East Hills' lads set out from. In fact when I got to the concrete pad or should I say up, there were two cars here. Shortly after starting my walk along the track I spied Mr James McCallum and friend! James had been to East Hills and 'hadn't had much really' - not the day they had expected (or words to that effect). The track looked particularly pretty with apple blossom, white thorn and buds emerging. I only saw linnets, two blackbirds that should have been ring ouzels and heard a couple of blackcaps singing, but still a lovely walk.

Track along Warham Greens.

Friary Hills

It was beautiful here early evening. Bees were buzzing amongst the ground ivy flowers and birds were whizzing about all over the place. Several Cettis's Warblers singing here. Blackbirds and a song thrush collecting food, great tits, blue tits, greenfinches, goldfinches, Chaffinches, Chiffchaffs etc. I was at the very far end and had just climbed the wooden steps when I heard an exciting 'Chack chack' - looked in the tall trees to see two Ring Ouzels 5.50pm who then flew to the large Sycamore by the gate. (left message at RBA) They were not hanging about and certainly didn't wish to be hounded by the paparazzi! My picture of one of them has got to be the worse ring ouzel picture ever, mind you, you can just about see the white of the neck collar! A marsh harrier cruised round the marsh, scattering a few birds.

Bluetit, Friary Hills NT.

Chaffinch, Friary Hills NT.

Cley Coastguards

I had to get my 'sea fix' as didn't get one yesterday. So glad I came here, I counted at least 11 Wheatears on the Eye Field, 3 Golden Plovers, 16 Linnets balancing on the fence wires and several meadow pipits and skylarks. Lots of Sandwich Terns going overhead to Blakeney Point. The most spectacular sunset this evening. The sun was an amazing pink colour, the only way to describe it accurately is that it was a 'neon' night clubby pink!!! As it was setting, dark blue streaky lines emerged across it - amazing. For some reason it was incredibly difficult to capture on the camera, I did manage to obtain one shot of how the colour truly was.

Little Ringed Plover, near North Scrape Hide.

Golden Plover, Eye Field, Cley.



Sunset from Coastguards, Cley-next-Sea.

Same sunset, but dramatised in photoshop.

NEWS SNIPPETS

• News from Holme this evening: from NOA website "Highlights today were an Osprey which flew through west at 9am"

• Nightingales have been heard singing at Pott Row near King's Lynn and an Arctic Tern seen at Pentney Gravel Pits.

• Pied Flycatcher has been seen at Hellesdon, Norfolk today.

I have been asked this evening by a work colleague to do her early 'handover' shift tomorrow which is brilliant news for me, as this means I will be finishing work an hour and a half earlier than normal!

Weather looks good for tomorrow afternoon!!!: http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/2479?&search=hunstanton&itemsPerPage=10&region=world&area=Hunstanton "Another generally dry day with sunny spells after early mist patches, just isolated afternoon showers possible. Warm in the sunshine inland but an onshore breeze keeping coasts somewhat cooler."