Alpine Swift and Red-footed Falcon

Nothing new all week on the patch until Saturday.  What happened is an Alpine Swift had spent Friday night at Sherringham and then was seen early Saturday morning passing Winterton so i thought there may have been a very very small chance of it coming through the patch. So as usual i was on the patch early. I gave the OSW a good looking over and then decided to wait it out on the coast. Camera Set up and eyes to the skies about 0945 low and behold the Alpine Swift only came shooting low over Corton Cliffs BINGO BOOOOOOM. As i was ready with the camera i managed to reel of half a dozen shots as it passed through.

Only other thing of note after slogging the rest of the patch was a Male Ring Ouzel at CNSW and a Fulmar over the sea.

Sunday i did the same again but found nothing so headed to Rendlesham Forest for a nice male Red Footed Falcon.

Finished at Gunton Meadows for the Green Winged Orchids. They seem to get smaller every year.

Easter Weekend

Stayed on patch for most of the weekend, 16th on patch had 2 Firecrest.

19th Yellow Wagtail, 40 Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Firecrest still. Willow Warbler was a surprise.

Lots of butterflies around Corton on the 19th.. Holy Blue, Brimstone, Speckled Wood. Comma, Small Tortoise, Peacock and Large White.

Back to sit in the garden where a Red Kite Flew over with 3 Local Buzzards. Swallows, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest too.

20th on patch held bugger all so headed to North Denes in Gt Yarmouth just for a walk. 6 Wheatear was our lot really.

21st and early start so it was nice to finally get Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat singing at the NSW. A very big surprise was then a male Osprey carrying a fish flying low over the NSW heading towards the coast.

It was becoming a much better day than yesterday as a Tree Pipit flew over then a Yellow wagtail. 

Over at the OSW a Stonechat had appeared overnight and a Woodlark had a few circuits of the area then flew off North.

2 Wheatear were on the cliffs, and a Chiffchaff flew into the OSW after coming in off.

Back to the garden where it was nice to see Brimstone, Peacock, Orange Tip, Holy Blue and Speckled Wood butterflies.

Took a few pics of the locals.

Finally i got the Emperor Moth Lure out AGAIN, had it out a few times last year with no luck.......However this year it was out no less than 30 min when this awesome male turned up. Showed up twice but didn't stop long enough for decent pictures. A lifer too.

Today Nothing of real note but a Diver Species, 4 Adult Med Gulls and a new in Lesser Whitethroat. 

Back to the garden a strange garden tick with Fulmar as it headed towards the sea.

Lastly nipped over to Lowestoft North Denes for brief views and nice song of the Iberian Chiffchaff. 

Not a bad weekend saying i stayed very local.

Patch and Norfolk Again

April 6th Slog around patch twice. 4 Blackcap singing, many Chiffchaff, Bullfinch. Lots Gannets and Red Throated divers North. Fulmar, 8 Common Scoter. 1 Porpoise. 5 Sandmartin


April 7th 7 Sand Martin and 2 Swallow Corton cliffs


April 13th Cosw, Shag flew south 2 Sand Martin. Cnsw 2 Sand Martin and a Swallow.

Then had the afternoon in Norfolk, Stopped off at horsey where i could just pick out a Tundra Bean Goose. Then at Cromer we had great views of a Peregrine on the Church roof.


Today a nice wander around Potter Heigham Marsh. A Lesser White fronted Goose was a surprise although most likely an escape.



























An Egyptian goose was posing for a photo.












On the marsh at least 6 Garganey, 4 Drakes and 2 Females.





















Lastly here 2 Common Crane flew over distantly.




Again visited the Horsey Bean Goose where light was better although bird was miles away.
















Whilst watching the Goose a ring tailed Hen Harrier flew over and a Great White Egret appeared, again very distant.


















Weekend went far to quick as usual.