28/6/09 west Norfolk

A quiet walk around a favourite local spot produced 4 singing Tree Pipits, as well as 2 Marsh Harriers and a single Common Buzzard. However, the real purpose of my visit was dragonflies and danmselflies and they sure put on a good display in the sunny conditions. My totals (from one pool) were: 15 Azure Damselflies, 1 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 2 Black-tailed Skimmers, 3 Broad-bodied Chasers, 5 Common Blue Damselflies, 2 Four-spotted Chasers, 10 Large Red Damselflies and 1 Emporer Dragonfly. Also, 2 Purple Hairstreaks and 4 Large Skipper were noted.

Large Red Damselfly

Tree Pipit on it's singing perch, preparing to parachute again

27/6/09 Snettisham RSPB

A quick blast around the pits to try and pull out a decent wader (or something decent at least, I'm not fussy) produced 2 Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper amongst more standard fare. Some juvenile Black-headed Gulls and an obliging Little Egret provided some good photo oppurtunities.

23/6/09 west Norfolk

A walk on a boggy heathland area in west Norfolk produced 80+ flowering spikes of Heath-spotted Orchid and 35+ flowering spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid, while a singing Woodlark and a single Stonechat were also noted.

20/6/09 Cambridgeshire and Lakenheath Fen RSPB

Having finished my exams at last I took a trip into Cambridgeshire to photograph Lizard Orchid. I was not dissapointed, as after a lengthy walk I managed to locate 70 spikes of Lizard Orchid. Although slightly past their best they were still in very good condition.

The whole area was packed with a wide array of wildlife, with Emporer dragonfly, 100 spikes of Pyramidal Orchid, a single spike of Common-spotted Orchid, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Willow Warbler and several species of Butterfly including a single Large Skipper noted.

Next it was onto Lakenheath Fen RSPB, where 4 Golden Orioles were noted in the end plantation, with the male and female feeding two fluffy young in the nest. The male in particular performed very well, sitting around the nest for large periods having supplied food, whereas the female was generally in and gone. The young were ugly in a sort of cute way, but were generally only visible when the parents came in with food. One particularly memorable moment from the afternoon was seeing one of the chicks stretch it's wings and then perform a period of intense flapping, clearly trying to praticse flying!

As usual this site produced a wealth of other good sightings, with 3+ Bitterns, 2 Hobbies, 3 Cuckoos and 10+ Bearded Tits noted around the reserve.

7/6/09 Burnham Overy Dunes

A walk and bike-ride in the rain with the howling north-easterly winds, more in hope than expectation, which was just as well really. A Hobby low west along the beach and a single male Cuckoo were the only birds of note until, on reaching the car as the rain cleared, the evening was somewhat rescued by a nice male Montagu's Harrier that powered west.

6/6/09 north coast

A walk around a couple of my favourite sites on the north coast produced a single Bittern, with Cuckoo and Cetti's Warbler also seen. The Orchids were also putting on a good display, with plenty of Southern Marsh Orchids and Early Marsh Orchids already in flower. Meanwhile dad enjoyed more excellent views of the BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE in and over the field by the reservoir SW of Thornham village and a little while later (1:11-1:20pm) he relocated it hawking over the original fields S of Holme village/NE of Ringstead village by the peddars way before it flew back towards the reservoir (where it was later present).

4/6/09 south of Holme

Finally, after all the stress and failed attempts to try and see an elusive and mobile Pratincole during the exam period (more on that soon, promise!) I thankfully suceeded this evening. With a break in exams for a few days I took my chance and left to go out almost as soon as I got home from school. On arrival, to my immense joy and relief, the stunning BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE was on view showingly reasonably well on the deck. Throughout our stay (over a couple of hours) it was practically constantly on show on the deck, sometimes hunched up low against the ground, barely moving and other times walking around and showing quite well. Dad managed to get a few record shots.

The real highlight was two bouts of flying. The first was when it was chased by a territorial Lapwing, it zipped up, did a couple of flips, showing all the key features well, before dropping back down. The next time, at 7:15pm, it was put up by a hare. It put on a superb flying display for about 30 seconds, zipping all over the place, trying to catch a couple of insects that were on the wing despite the cold conditions and calling constantly. A wonderful bird and thank goodness it stayed long enough for me to eventually catch up with it.

This is the 34th British record (it looks to be the same bird as the Kent one) and the 4th Norfolk record (the first for a decade.) All Norfolk records are listed below:

1999 Cley, adult, 17th to 18th July, 3rd intermittently to 30th August, photo.; same, Titchwell, 19th to 27th July, photo.; same, Terrington Marsh, 31st July. Birding World 12 (7): 261, 265, photos; Birding World 12 (8): 303, photo; British Birds 92: plates 184 & 222; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 529, pate 222

1974 Salthouse Heath and Cley, 25th to 28th August. F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 68: 320

1966 Cley, adult, 3rd to 5th July. F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 320

31/5/09 and 1/6/09 south of Holme

An absoulutely horrific three-part dip spread over two days, snatched in between crucial revision sessions, continues the less than amusing recent spate of poor luck for yours truly. However, much to my delight, dad managed excellent views of the BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE just south of Holme village, east of the Ringstead road.

Dip 1 -it was Sunday 31st May and I was heavily embroiled in a morning of revision. A report of a Collard Pratincole south of Holme flickered enthusiasm as if inside the patch boundary it would have been a patch tick. The news that it was reported outside my patch boundary reduced this interest, as I really needed to do some revision and this was furthered by a friend ringing me to say they had looked without success, especially as I have already had a couple of Collards. That should have been the end of the story... Eventually dad decided to go and help with the search. Driving down the Ringstead road he pulled up by several cars and the pratincole dashed past his window! He got out to see it hawking insects at close range. He then rang me and I, admittedly a little enviously thought good for him. It was at this point things started to get interesting. Someone came up to dad and said they were of the opinion it was a Black-winged. On further observations dad and others agreed it was undoubtedly. Dad watched it for a further few minutes before ringing me again. I was completely shocked to say the least. Unfortunately by the time he had picked me uo and we had got back it had flown east! I was not impressed, especially when a further two hours searching failed to locate it.

Dip 2 - back in the evening. I spent practically all evening walking the peddars way with Penny and scanning over the freshmarsh at Titchwell to no avail... A Bittern and 3 Little Gulls were noted at Titchwell, while a Little Owl and a Tawny Owl were seen on the way back home. A Drinker moth caterpillar was also noted.

Dip 3 - perhaps the worst of all! The evening of Monday 1st June. I had started by the favoured hawking fields at Ringstead. While talking to Dave and Paul (who had been looking for some time) by the cars the pager announced the bird had been on the deck near the reservoir before 'flying off' (rather vague). We then all decided to walk along the footpath to the reservoir. We scanned the ploughed field and headed back with no luck. I then stood with Penny overlooking the fields near Ringstead, before leaving at 8:24pm. My phone had ran out of battery. So had dad's. At 8:26pm Dave relocated the bird by the reservoir on his way home, where he and a couple of observers had good views! Drat! It later transpired that when it had 'flown off' earlier it looked like it simply went down in the next field. If I had known that I would have stayed put at the reservoir! I was not amused on getting home to charge up my phone and hear the 5 voicemails, although some people on site actually managed to miss the bird (by seconds!)

30/5/09 Breydon Water

Over 9 hours spent at Breydon water in the hope that the Knot sp. would reappear having been seen early-morning. Unfortunately it never did, with the few birds of note including a Curlew Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper.

29/5/09 Dersingham and Breydon water

A superb spectacle in my very own back-garden today, with an exceptional 1983 Painted Ladies south in 1 hour from 3:20pm-4:20pm.

Later I rushed around to Breydon water with dad where, in the failing light, distant views of the putative Great Knot were obtained at 9:00pm. Thanks to those who waited with their scopes set-up on the bird. It was certainly a stressful ride. The bird was unfortunately distant and controversy has since reigned about whether the bird was an adult winter-plumaged Great Knot (which would be only the 4th British record) or a 1st-summer Red Knot. It certainly doesn't seem clear cut, with all the photos having been taken at distance, although at the present time many are losing confidence and it appears concerns were raised by some at the time.

EDIT: It appears that the finders have since withdrawn the record.