Sunday, 22 July 2012

22nd July 2012 Day Tour. Birds, butterflies & orchids


A nice day tour today with a nice variety of wildlife. From raptors, to waders, to butterflies & orchids.


We started the day with excellent views of several Marsh Harrier, which are no at the height of activity. Adults are feeding young & many juveniles are now on the wing. We also had good scope views of 2 Red Kite, plus Hobby, Kestrel & Buzzard. 

We moved on to another watchpoint & from here we saw more Marsh harrier, plus 2 Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer & Whitethroat, the first autumn Golden Plover also passed overhead.

We then headed on to Holme where we had excellent views of a very close SPOONBILL, I was left ruing the fact the camcorder & camera were left at home! From one of the other hides, there was a few Avocets, plus I found a nice adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL amongst the Black-headed Gulls. Also here a nice roost of 30+ Sandwich Tern.

Wandering into the dunes we were able to take in 3 species of orchid, "coccinae" Marsh Orchid, lots of Marsh helleborine plus small numbers of Pyramidal orchid. Insects are still recovering from the wet summer, but small no's of Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Large White, Meadow Brown, plus single Comma & 2-3 Oak Eggar moths, & dragonflies; 2-3 Common Darter & 1 Ruddy Darter.

We then moved on to Titchwell, a single Yellow Wagtail was seen briefly, before we watched over 30+ Dunlin, 2 Knot, 3 Spotted Redshank, c10 Ruff, 2 Little Ringed Plover, plenty of roosting Avocet. Then a little later 3 more Golden Plover dropped in showing very well, partially still in summer plumage. Then a lovely fly over of c70 Black-tailed Godwit, just as 2-3 young Marsh Harrier took to the sky.Then another returning species of wader, again my first of the autumn a single Grey Plover. The only disappointment was the lack of any sign of the Roseate tern. The walk back produced another Hobby, plus very brief views of Bearded Tit.

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