Norfolk - May 2022

 Jayne and I had a few days in Norfolk last week and managed to visit a few sites to add several birds and insects to this year's Year List.

The first addition was Garden Warbler (152), which was singing in the garden of our accommodation. The next were Great White Egret (153)  and Bearded Tit (154) that were found at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. The last species was Swift (155), which was added back home, before we went away.

Whilst at Strumpshaw, we also added a few new damsel and dragonfly species: Banded Demoiselle, Red-eyed Damselfly, Scarce Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly and Norfolk Hawker. Several Common Lizards were also seen here, as were a couple of Painted Lady butterflies.

Scarce Chaser

Hairy Dragonfly

Unfortunately, we didn't manage to see Swallowtail butterflies at Strumpshaw this year, as the rain began. We did, however, drive across to Horsey Windpump, and, as we got there, the sun came out and we got fantastic views of one in the garden, along with another 2 or 3 in the nearby fields and path. Norfolk Hawkers were also seen here.

Swallowtail

The last few species seen were added in the dunes at Heacham, where we saw a Common Blue Butterfly and a new moth, a Marbled Clover.

Marbled Clover

Year List Update and a new Dragonfly

This week is half term, which means I've had a bit of time to get out and about to do some birdwatching and increase my "year list". I've also added a new species of dragonfly to my "life list" with a Scarce Chaser seen.

The first new bird that I found was the Long-eared Owl. I saw this bird hunting over the moorland in the Peak District. I won't give the exact site, as it is a site where the bird has been known to breed.

The next birds, numbers 132- 138 (except House Martin, which I saw a few weeks ago, but forgot to add on), were all seen on a recent trip the RSPB Ouse Washes reserve in Cambridgeshire. I'm particularly pleased with the Short-eared Owl, Bittern (heard booming), and the Common Cranes, which are never easy to find. Whilst on site, we also saw and heard at least 2 Cuckoos, saw a Great-spotted Woodpecker feeding chicks, a fly-over Green Woodpecker, Swallows and caught up with my first dragon and damselflies of 2015, namely Blue-tailed Damselflies, Emerald Damselflies and this beautiful Scarce Chaser, which is a new species for me!!. I'm pretty sure its a young male, and, as its name suggests, its pretty scarce in the UK. See here for more details about this species.

Scarce Chaser

The final new bird is a Nightingale, which is now imposssible to see in Derbyshire. For this bird we, Jayne and I, travelled a little further south to Paxton Pits Nature Reserve. We were very lucky and managed to hear and actually see at least 2 male birds singing around the Kingfisher Hide. If you've never heard  the song of the Nightingale, listen to it here, as its an amazing sound. Whilst there, we also heard more Cuckoos, and saw a couple of males flying around the site. 

Year List update:
 131 – Long-eared Owl

132 – Common Tern

133- Common Crane

134 - Little Egret

135 – Short-eared Owl

136 – Bittern

137 – House Martin

138 – Reed Warbler

139 - Nightingale