Cley Marshes, Trimingham & Ouse Fen :: 24 June 2023

Kevin Heath (@kev07713) and I arrived at NWT Cley Marshes having stopped in Kings Lynn for breakfast. It was still before 8.00am and so the car park at the end of the Beach Road was occupied but relatively empty. We popped on our walking shoes and started out along the beach to the screen where an American golden plover had been showing for the last few days, and where it had been reported at sundown the night before. We came upon a returning birder who confirmed the bird was still there - a welcome change to the last couple of weeks when the birds have moved on overnight on Friday. We crunched our way along the pebble beach to the screen listening to an abundance of skylarks as we went, soon reaching an empty viewpoint.

The screen is well positioned for viewing the scrape but the grass and reeds in front obscure the view - you have to get a little higher to properly look over and photograph the birds. It took only a minute to find the bird - a life tick! A stunning little bird and as close as the site would likely afford.

The bird fed constantly, back and forth along the muddy margins. There were a few other birds on the scrape and around the pools including: shelduck, avocets, redshank, oystercatchers, black-headed gulls, and lapwings amongst others. Behind us a linnet called from a perch on some gorse.

The plover started to feed further and further from us and so we eventually made our way back to the car, planning our next stop. Skylarks took to the air and tried to lead us away, sandwich tern passed offshore, as did a small flock of curlews.

We reached the car, checked Birdguides, and made for Trimingham where three bee-eaters were reported to be showing. A viewpoint has been established to keep disturbance down and we soon passed through Cromer and arrived in the field where the RSPB and Norfolk Wildlife Trust were in attendance. We paid our parking fee and joined a couple of dozen birders already watching. The problem we encountered was that with only three birds, one of which was mostly on the nest, when they went off feeding there were none to be seen. This had been the case for the last hour. In about a further half an hour a bird returned briefly, did a few circuits of the quarry, landed on the wires for a minute or so and then flew off again. Kev and I followed it down to the valley below and watched it feed and perch on distant wires. The bird returned again this time with the second male, staying for an even shorter time, and left. We waited some more but decided to get on with our day as we'd had a few views and had some photos of this exotic species.

On the route home is RSPB Ouse Fen and the current residence of a little crake - there is little chance of seeing it but a better chance of hearing it call. We stopped for lunch and then headed there. We arrived and found ourselves to be the only people in the car park - we made for the Cuckoo Viewpoint where the little crake has been heard of late and settled in. We saw a pair of marsh harriers, bearded reedlings/sedge warbler/reed warbler/reed bunting working back and forth along the reeds, and heard water rails and cuckoos. I suppose it was appropriate that we eventually saw a cuckoo perched in a tree out in front.

We watched and waited for three hours but didn't get any confirmed calling from our target bird. We did see a bittern a couple of time and is a year tick for me - I just haven't come across one naturally this year and so was a welcome sight. I tried to take a photo, but it was distant, low, hugging the tops of the reeds, and visible through a heat haze. Just making excuses for the photo!

Time had beaten us again and we had to leave as I had an appointment again that evening. It had been a day where we almost spent as much time driving as birding, but I had two year ticks and a lifer. Can't be bad.

WWT Slimbridge :: 17 June 2023

Two birds were on the menu this Saturday morning: firstly, the long-staying/returning white-spotted bluethroat at WWT Slimbridge; secondly, a marsh warbler at Yeovil Riverside Park. As usual I was travelling with Kev Heath (@kev07713) - he'd already managed to connect with the bluethroat on his third attempt, but the bird had started to show really well in recent days and he was happy to stop there on the way. We also were to meet up with his sister Karen (@hobbylovinglife) and her partner Dean Reeves (@worlebirder).

We could set out a little later than usual as the Member's gate doesn't officially open until 8.15am - we arrived with time to spare and five minutes ahead of Karen and Dean. It was raining! - that wasn't in the plan or the forecast we'd looked at ... it was meant to be a cracking day. We suited up and all made our way to the Shepherd's hut, joining a group of about 10 there already. We waited outside and in front of the hut as it was already occupied - a further four occupants wouldn't be possible. And anyway, the rain was not that heavy.

We were joined by a stream of people now numbering at least forty, standing with scopes and bins searching the reeds ahead. The news was out that the bird was showing well. We watched as warblers and buntings flitted around, everyone raising their bins and scanning with scopes as they appeared. Seven cranes could be seen across the water. Time marched on and a birder/photographer walked through the bodies and down the path to where the bird might show - everyone stood in astonishment that this path was still open and that someone would have the confidence to make that walk - it is open and they were completely within their rights to do it, just a little inconsiderate to the people standing and waiting patiently.

After an hour the bird appeared at the top of a stick protruding into the sky. Excitement rippled through the assembled birders. Scopes and bins were trained, cameras clicked. A life tick for me! and on my first attempt! We talked with a chap to our side who had been ten times, spent 24 hours searching and this was his reward. The bird showed really well, and for a prolonged period.

The bird then moved around and while perched in the reeds the bird was facing away which gave an opportunity to view the colourful tail, often overlooked. You can understand why when you see the vivid blue and the flash of white on the front.

The bird showed multiple times along the front of the reeds, but always at a distance. It then flew almost 50m left and out onto fence posts far to our left. Although still distant it was a bit closer and I took the opportunity to take some photos - not quite as natural as on the tree or reeds, but in clear view.

We eventually decided that it was time to go and have breakfast in the Visitor's Centre cafe - rolls with sausage and coffees. While sitting there an update on BirdGuides alerted us to the sighting of the marsh warbler near Yeovil. We finished breakfast and set off there - it would be a lifer for Kev, Karen and I - Dean has seen them already on a couple of occasions - you can really go off some people!

We parked in the car park advised in BirdGuides and walked towards the river passing a young chap on a bench who was keen to ask is we were going down for the marsh warbler. He'd seen others over the last couple of days and they had come back up with "smiles on their faces". We followed the path and reached the boardwalk which was indicated and the best place to view from. As we got to the boardwalk another birder was just leaving and told us he had seen the bird just before the shower of rain had started just minutes before. We started working along the boardwalk to get our turn with the marsh warbler - it was about half an hour before we heard a brief call, and an hour after that when we heard another. We could see bird relocating, some blackcaps, some reed warblers (and some probable reed warblers) - just not able to get an ID for our bird - fleeting views of birds that could easily be reed warblers. I resorted to taking photos of dragonflies, demoiselles, and flies to pass the time.

A few other birders arrived but even with all these eyes we couldn’t pick it up. Another hour went by, and we heard the bird again but there was just no prolonged singing, and it couldn't be found perching. Another half an hour past and we heard another call, but again it died away. A jay caught my attention as it skirted along the edge of the reeds and trees.

It was getting late for me to get home in time for our visitors, so we said our goodbyes and left Karen and Dean to wait some more. Another bird not wanting to play ball. Dean and Karen would eventually get a brief view but not even long enough for a photo. People the next morning had good views and produced some lovely photos, including Steven Carey.

RSPB Titchwell & Summer Leys :: 10 & 11 June 2023

Kev Heath (@kev07713) and I arrived at Smithy Fen in Cambridgeshire earlyish. We’d set off at 4.45am and parked in a Business Park to access the footpath we needed from there. A white stork had been reported late on Friday evening and so we hoped to arrive in time to connect before it left. There had also been a Caspian tern close to here that had gone to roost - two for the price of one.

Our hopes were first raised when we saw two birders ahead scanning with scopes then dashed as we reached them and they told us that there was no sign of the stork. We waited with one of the birders while the other went on hoping to perhaps locate the bird further along the track.

Worse news yet came when the birder we were talking to told us he had already been for the Caspian tern - people had been on site since first light had reported that it must have departed under the veil of darkness. Both birds gone - not a great start and some harsh reality after our successes of late.

We scanned and walked up and down the footpath hoping that the stork might just be out of view, but it never appeared. We did have a little ringed plover and a sandpiper of unknown species - it flew before we got close (most likely common). What now?

We had thought about making RSPB Titchwell our base for the day and set off there, diverting when close after a red-backed shrike was reported at Cley. Kev has seen red-backed shrike this year already, but I had not. We parked and reached the reported area and investigated but had no sighting - just the usual warblers, avocets, redshanks, blackwits, buntings, and a marsh harrier. Time was getting on and so we decided to make our way back to Titchwell, only for the shrike to be reported a couple of hours later; just 500m from where we'd been, but on the other side of the road ... damn.

Having been unsuccessful in locating specific species all morning, we grabbed a roll from the Visitor's Centre and set out onto the reserve hoping to find something to add to the year lists - the first target were bearded reedlings - Kev had yet to see one this year. We stopped alongside groups watching from the main footpath leading to the beach, glad to hear that the reedlings had recently been showing well - it sounded like a family group. Then started a long vigil.

We waited for an hour or so, spotting a female marsh harrier fly into a storm of black-headed gulls and be driven off - just for fun it thought to repeat the exercise every ten minutes or so. A male marsh harrier though it would join in and it’s incursion concluded with the same result.

We had Mediterranean gull over, several redshank through, lots of reed bunting, reed warbler and sedge warblers through, but no sight or sound of bearded reedlings. After a while I decided to go on a wander as someone passing had mentioned little terns fishing beside the footpath - I'd already had great views of bearded reedlings at Stanwick Lakes earlier in the year.

I couldn't find any little terns in the area suggested - they must have moved on - but I did have a spoonbill drop in for a few minutes, feeding on the opposite side of the pool.

So many avocets fed in the pools that I had to take a photo - it looks like it is going to be a good year for avocet numbers as there are so many everywhere we are visiting. There were birds in all stages of development.

Knowing there had been little terns around I pushed on, eventually reaching the beach. I could immediately see a small flock of sanderling scurrying around. I went and stood in their path and waited for them to pass by, which they duly did.

There were very few birds on or over the water. I followed a couple of black-headed gulls and a common tern before I saw a distant little tern flying away from me. Not to worry - just like buses along came another, still distant but easy to follow through bins.

I had walked quite a way from where Kev was waiting and hoped he'd had some luck - on the return journey I had a couple of calling water rails but as usual couldn't spot them in the reeds. I reached Kev to find he had heard but not yet seen a bearded reedling and so I joined him. Behind us a kestrel hunted and kept us sane - well relatively.

It took another half an hour before we saw a couple of reedlings, first a female across the reeds and then Kev had a male in the channel below. The wind was a bit stronger now and perhaps they were going to stay low and out of sight. We decided to call it a day and make for home.

On the way we noticed that the white stork had been reported again at Smithey Fen but when we dropped by it was not showing – it was just not our day ...

On Sunday afternoon my wife was playing in a tennis match and so after lunch we both set off: her for the match; me to Wildlife BCN Summer Leys where a purple heron had been showing for a few days. Updates told me the bird was showing well - this was confirmed by other birders as I made my way from the car park to the Paul Britten Hide (aka the double-decker hide).

I arrived at the hide to find one person in attendance, and that he had arrived just a couple of minutes before me. He hadn't seen the bird and it was not in view. Damn. The people we'd talked to just minutes before had left the bird sunning itself in full view ...

People came and went, until a hard core of birders stayed to wait and see the heron once it emerged. We were eventually joined by Stuart Munday (@MundyStuart) and then Kev and Karen Heath (@kev07713 and @karenheath62). We all settled in and waited, constantly scanning, but without success. Karen produced Garibaldi biscuits and shared them round - I'd only popped out for two or three hours and I'd already used all that time up. It wasn't until I'd been there for almost three and a half hours that a black-headed gull dived a couple of times, in a manner that resembled attacks on grey herons. I scanned back and forth eventually spotting the purple heron barely visible down in a ditch. Everyone got onto the bird, and we had fleeting views on and off for an hour or so - then it was lost.

At one point a carrion crow dropped into the ditch and appeared with a sizeable fish - had it stolen it from the heron ... brave? ... unlikely?

I called home to make my apologies for not setting off home for dinner - I now wanted to stay for the bird to show itself. There were lightning strikes around and so I joked about being worried about the safety of leaving - the Bengal tiger in the car park made it even more perilous.

Now almost six hours after arriving the heron stepped out into the open and I managed to get some better photos - the light had gone, largely because of the dark skies overhead. The heron then sloped back into the reeds and out of view.

I was already going to be late home, so decided you could only be in so much trouble ... I decided to wait for the bird to fly to roost. Another hour past with Kev and Karen keeping me company until at last the bird emerged, fished a little, flew up onto the bank and then off to roost.

We left and made it to the car without getting wet - Kev and Karen heading off for dinner and me back home. The rain had been so heavy here that the water in the dips in the road near Croughton was up to a foot deep. Amazing. I'd been out for almost nine hours and seen a year tick - is this getting obsessive?!