Recent Shots from Suffolk

Just a few recent photos I've taken from a visit to Suffolk, which had me seeing Nightjar, Dartford Warbler, Bearded Tit and many more.

Patient waiting in a hide at Lackford Lakes SWT allowed me very good views of a Kingfisher, which perched and fished right in front of us!

At Minsmere, a family of Avocets had taken up residence in one the few pools that hadn't dried up on the wader scrape...

Sedge and Reed Warblers sang deep in the reedbeds, and occasionally one would pop up...

A bit of an odd looking female Chaffinch caught my eye...

Onto Blaxhall Common, and I had been given a tip off that Nightjars were in residence on a certain area of the common. Whilst waiting, a Dartford Warbler sang and briefly flitted past. The Nightjars called non stop till gone 11pm and even flew over my head on several occasions.

I got a video of a bird churring but it won't seem to upload on here. Its on my blog though.

The wooded clearing where the birds displayed...

More on the blog at billsbirding.blogspot.com

Hope everyone has a great summer!

Cheers, Bill

Norfolk 4th and 5th July 2009

I had a great weekend in Norfolk, starting with a CASPIAN TERN, a lifer, at Welney WWT that I, along with many others, twitched. Also there were Avocets, male Ruffs, Turtle Doves, Yellow Wagtails and Whooper Swans amongst many others. I met James Grundy in real life for the first time and we had a nice chat.

The next day I had 2 Golden Orioles, a British tick, at Lakenheath Fen RSPB along with 2 or 3 Bitterns and several Bearded Tits. I narrowly missed Common Crane. After this site, we moved on to Weeting Heath NWT where there was a single Stone-curlew, a lifer. We didn't have time for the secret Montagu's Harrier site but are returning in a couple of weeks for another stab at the Cranes and to see the Montagu's Harrier.

New birds for year list competition:
CASPIAN TERN
Golden Oriole
Stone-curlew

New total: 202

David.