It Was All Yellow

 After a first autumnal look at Blatherwycke Lake yesterday I decided to ditch Priors Hall and have a peek at Wellingborough Embankment this morning. The X4 was unusually punctual and after a stroll from the town centre I soon found myself walking alongside the Nene. Occasional sunny spells were interspersed with longer cloudy periods though I did mercifully avoid the rain.

Trio of young Herring Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull with L B-b and Herring Gull

Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs were both in good voice though in truth it was pretty quiet otherwise. A look at Chester House Lake produced views of good numbers of the larger gulls loafing on the islands but I didn't see anything interesting among them. Beyond the viaduct things remained quiet but a Clouded Yellow butterfly was my only insect of note though sadly it didn't settle and I couldn't get a pic. On my return walk I checked the gulls once again and found a first year Yellow-legged Gull amongst them. With nothing else to detain me I made my way back into town and caught my bus home.

Cattle Prattle

 Mr A Shorrock and I decided to once again shun the dubious delights of the county and make the relatively short trip to Rutland Water. We began at the north arm before moving on to the dam and enjoyed the sunny conditions even if the wind was a tad nippy at times.

GWE's and Blackwits

At the Burley Fishponds a growing flock of Great White Egrets had assembled with over thirty fishing in what seemed like fairly shallow water. Waders were scarce but we did find three Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Green Sandpipers. On the main water a pair of drake Red crested Pochards were noted and at least half a dozen Pintails were also present. Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls showed in the same area and a Curlew was heard.

Pintail and Red-crested Pochards

The dam though busy with people was quiet for birds and we struggled to find much of note. Two more Y-l Gulls were found and Shozzer picked out a flock of eight Goosanders. I enjoyed watching these attractive ducks but eventually we had to concede that they were the only gig in town and so moved on. Next stop was the excellent Cross Keys in King's Cliffe where I enjoyed several pints of good beer.

Y-l Gulls and Goosanders

Blatherwycke Lake was the final point of call and it turned out to be a decent one at that. Two Mandarins were at the eastern end but had little else to support them. At the western end of the lake I picked out an adult Cattle Egret on the SW shore. As I watched this bird Alan found a juvenile feeding amongst cattle a little further away. Over the next hour two more were found and we ended up with a total of three juveniles and an adult. More than content with our haul we decided to pack things up and return home.

Rubbishy record shots of Cattle Egrets

Early Autumn Wander

 I found myself out and about in the county again after several incidences of treachery though I ventured no further than Priors Hall. A traditionally late X4 gave me the chance to listen to several Chiffchaffs singing in the pleasantly warm sunshine while the village House Martins are still feeding young in the nest. Once the bus had dropped me off in Weldon I took the short stroll to Priors where I began at the quarry lake. There was little to report from here and I soon moved on towards the ponds hoping for a little more of interest.

Common Blue, Small Copper and Small Heath

I wasn't the only thing enjoying the autumnal sunshine as a selection of insects were on the wing in those spots that were sheltered from what was a pretty stiff breeze. Common Blue butterflies were living up to their name and were joined in the grassland areas by a diminishing number of Small Heaths and a tatty looking Small Copper. Around the alders Speckled Woods became the dominant species with a couple of Red Admirals and a Small White for company. Commonest ode was the appropriately named  Common Darter, small numbers of Ruddies were also on show. A Brown and several Migrant Hawkers completed the dragon roster while the only damsels on view were Willow Emeralds.

Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Brown Hawker

Interesting birds were few and far between, a Cetti's Warbler singing at the large reed fringed pond the definite and indeed only highlight. It was only my second site record following on from another September singer several years ago. I don't see many Cetti's away from the Nene Valley though they are regular at Wicksteed park and occasionally encountered at Deene. With the spectre of shopping and the cooking of Sunday dinner looming in my thoughts I had to throw in the towel at about noon and returned to Weldon to catch my bus home.

Willow Emerald, Migrant Hawker and Common and Ruddy Darter portraits

Yellowlegs And Wobbly Legs!

 After four days of work it came as quite a relief to get out and do a spot of birding again. Today I joined up with Shozzer and in typically variable autumn weather we popped along to Rutland Water where a Lesser Yellowlegs had been reported. Those changeable weather conditions and also some sunny spells provided more than a few viewing challenges but our efforts were eventually to be rewarded even if it took a while.

Blackwit and Ruff

Having bought our permits we wasted no time in marching towards Smew Hide from where the star turn had been most recently noted. Distant views were obtained reasonably quickly as it fed with two Ruff, a Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper. Far better views followed on from Lapwing hide where Curlews and Blackwits were also noted. Eventually  the legs let me take a few rubbishy record shots and we also enjoyed decent views of Spotted Redshank. At least one Black Tern was noted before we decided to head back towards the car.

Spotted Redshank

Our day was completed by a visit to the Royal George in Cottingham where a good number of people were visiting the beer festival. We met up with Phil and Ken and enjoyed a few pints before going our separate ways. Birding and beering has to be the way forward1

L

Lesser Yellowlegs (and Greenshank!)

Better Late Than Never!

 Last weekend was my annual Norfolk one running from Friday the 11th to Monday the 14th. This year Alan Shorrock joined me for what turned out to an OK if not quite great few days spotting. Sadly the winds were predominantly westerly which made for poor sea watching conditions and also served as a blocker for any easterly migrants. Despite this we saw some good birds and enjoyed a bit of banter with other birders.

Spotted Crake

Friday was spent wandering around Titchwell in often sunny and pleasantly warm conditions. Best birds on site were two Spotted Crakes and we were lucky enough to see both. Views were often fleeting though occasionally one would leave the cover of the reeds and go wandering on to the mud. My record shots of these and indeed anything else were pretty poor but I was glad to have any at all. My camera lost all the photos on Monday and it was only Shozzer's knowledge of the dark and arcane arts of computering that enabled me to have anything to show at all. Whether the results justified his effort is another matter entirely! Water levels were high for the most part and wader numbers were a bit low, two Little Stints were the highlight though a fly through Whimbrel was heard too. Also heard but not seen were Bearded Tits while several skeins of Pink-footed Geese confirmed the arrival of Autumn. Sea watching was a bit rubbish apart from three Eiders and close views of an Arctic Skua which was bullying Sandwich Terns just offshore.

Ruff and Blackwit

Saturday was a bit of a duffer unfortunately as we made an attempt to see the long staying Black-winged Kite at Sea Palling. During our visit the bird did not show and it could be that the stiff breeze was a bit too uncomfortable for it to sit in the bare branches of its favourite dead Hawthorn. There was nothing in the way of compensation for our troubles and news that the bird reappeared a bit later did little to lift our mood. A stop at Salthouse on the way back to our accommodation in Hunstanton only confirmed to us that sea watching was far from productive, a few Gannets and a Red-throated Diver were the only reward.

Curlew and Avocet

On a showery and grey Sunday we returned to Titchwell and like gluttons for punishment we began with a spot of sea watching, another Red-throated Diver and several Razorbills were the result. Thirty plus Spoonbills were on the fresh marsh, we had seen four do a flypast on Friday. Once again both crakes showed on and off and I think most of the people that wanted to see them did so. Best wader today was a Curlew Sandpiper though there was a good range of other species present including Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit. Bearded Tits were again seen but not heard but passerine interest was limited. Potentially the best part of the day was several pints in the excellent Fox and Hounds in Heacham, an atmospheric and busy throwback to village pubs of the past.

Dodgy quality shots of Little Stints and Spoonbill

Watching on Monday was a bit limited, we popped into Eyebrook where our visit coincided with the arrival of some light but steady rain. From the inflow bunker it was a little like Noah's Ark as we saw twos of Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Dunlin as well as three Ruff and rather a lot of Ringed Plovers. Last bird of the birding weekend was a Greenshank at the island before the trip ended like so many others with a pint and lunch in the 'spoons.

Pink-footed Geese

Black Thursday

 It was my lieu day off work today and I decided to escape from the daily drudgery by taking a walk around some of our local sites. A bus journey took  me as far as Upper Benefield and from there I began my slow return home. I headed back towards Corby via Deene and Deenethorpe and also a small stretch of the A427.

Common Darter and Willow Emerald

The early part of my stroll was uneventful and apart from a Raven near Burnt Coppice I saw very little of note. Deene yielded a presumed migrant Reed Warbler but it wasn't long before I moved on. The main lake was pretty quiet and it was only the antics of the local Black Swans that kept me going. It looks as if two broods of cygnets are present, one with one and another with two. I could only detect three adults but there may have been another hid out of view. Generally I don't waste too much time looking at exotic wildfowl but I enjoyed watching the cob of one pair driving the other brood off. Black Swans do not raise their wings like the sails of a galleon as Mute Swans do but instead raise the feathers on their neck and intimidate others in that fashion - I took several photos. The inflow was quiet apart from a few Willow Emeralds and a Common Darter or two.

Black Swans

Deenethorpe Airfield was again rather quiet but in sheltered spots adjoining Weldon Park Wood I saw a selection of butterflies and odes. Aside from the Common Blues and Small Heaths that made up the bulk of records I also added Brown Argus, Speckled Wood and Green-veined White to my day list. Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters represented the dragons, earlier I'd already noted individuals of Common Blue and Banded Demoiselle. With nothing of additional interest to hold me I caught a bus back into town.

Speckled Wood and Banded Demoiselle.

Not So Yucky Ducky

 This morning I took a bus to Weldon from where I had a stroll along to Priors Hall. While it was a bit moist early on conditions gradually improved and by the time I left home it was warm and dry. Priors was quite busy with the usual selection of walkers, joggers and mutt marchers but I still managed to see a few bits and bobs of interest.

Shoveller

The quarry lake was a little on the quiet side, the passage of large gulls seems to have dropped off. Best bird was a Shoveller which was associating with some Mallards, I normally don't bother looking at eclipse ducks but I'm glad that I did on this occasion, Shovellers are pretty rare in the Corby area. A growing flock of Tufted Ducks are gathering and the number of Dabchicks suggests that two pairs may have bred.  A pair of low flying Ravens provided the only other bird interest. In the grassland nearby Small Heaths and Common Blues were the commonest butterflies though the most interesting was a Clouded Yellow which didn't hang around long enough for me to grab a pic. Brown Argus and Green-veined White were the other leps on view.

Small Heath and Common Blue

Around the woodland ponds Speckled Woods and Red Admirals were the commonest butterflies while there were large numbers of Common and lesser numbers of Ruddy Darters. Several Migrant and one Brown Hawker were hunting around the alders and I also noted several Willow Emeralds. The only other damsel that I managed to see was Common Blue, at least half a dozen were noted. With time pressing on and a list of stuff to do I left before noon and headed back towards Weldon and my return bus home.

Common Darter and Speckled Wood.