Patching

Didn't see anything special today but it was a nice morning on the patch.
Curlews were moving at sea (x3) 3 Common Scoter and a Fulmar.
A Hobby turned up at COSW and had a great time watching it trying to catch the Sandmartins.
A Skylark showed well for a few pictures.

I found a new patch of Bee Orchids by the OSW.

Over at the NSW the Reed Warbler put on a great show and I had 3 Dragonflies which were this Emperor, a Norfolk Hawker and a Four Spot chaser.

Home for lunch.

Boooo

WOW Rare birds everywhere......except Suffolk and even less on the patch Grrrrrr.
Nothing all week felt like not even a sparra...Saturday I was out pretty much all day. I went on patch in the morning and the evening and up to Gunton woods and meadows through the day. bloody rubbish so I had to make do with some Orchids and insects. I couldn't find the Orchid I wanted which was the Green Winged, maybe its already over?

Common Spotted Orchid (white variant)

 Common Spotted

Common Twayblade 

Early Purple 

Bee Orchid 

Bee Orchid 

Sulphur Tubic 

Yellow Shell

Today it was just as bad. Started with a seawatch, nothing moving except 14 Common Scoter. The best bird all morning however were 2 Common Terns over the New Sewage works, an unusual sight. I took a pic of a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff.
60 Swifts over the house.

 

 

Dragonflies on site were my first ever Norfolk Hawker.

A couple of Azure Dragonflies.

 

I really hope the Autumns better.

Harrier

Once again its been a quiet time on the patch but Friday Danny turned up so joined him for a few hours at the Old Sewage Works, things were moving so we hoped for a Bee eater or something.
I was able to do a sea watch whilst danny watched for anything flying over. 4 Tufted duck south with a small movements of Kittiwakes and a stock dove was about it. It was good for many Painted lady Butterfly's (10+) and Harlequin Ladybirds however.

I then spotted a distant raptor over at Radar lodge, a Ring tailed harrier and at distant the small white rump looked great for Montagu's Harrier so put the news out. Danny and I drove around for better look just as other locals turned up to watch it. A Marsh Harrier turned up too dwarfing the bird. Then the discussions started.. Wings too broad and bird bulky and flight slow unlike Montagu's and more like a Hen Harrier. Hen Harrier in June...no... Unfortunately YES, godamit, messed up again arghhh.
Then looking through Dannys and my pictures we could see there were 4 primaries on one wing good for Monties, but 5 on the other this Hen Harrier was missing a feather. Well it was nice whilst it lasted but on a good note it was still a patch tick, just not the one I wanted.. Thanks to the others for not making me feel too bad :-)
After more reviewing of images its quiet clearly a Hen Harrier with its broader wings but I guess the excitement of it being a Monties took over. A Yellow Wagtail and a Wheatear were other birds of note.

click pics to view larger.

Yesterday I nipped out early for a quick mooch around the patch but all I could muster was a Reed Warbler singing from a garden opp the allotments, so it shows theres birds still coming in.
 Rach n I then had the day out with good friends Chris and lynn on the Southern Comfort a very fancy broad tours boat from Horning.

It was a lovely trip down the River Bure watching Grebes, Common Terns and lovely multi million pound floating houses.

The boats were fantastic too

The birds put on a bit of a show too with nice views of Marsh Harrier, Hobby and amazingly a flyby Bittern.  Dragons I managed to spot were Banded Damselfly and a Broad bodied chaser.

Back home 6 Painted lady in the neighbours garden.

Today its been a lazy day in the garden a flyby Hawkmoth probably hummingbird was nice so ill have to nip out onto the patch later.