Red-veined Darter

At Woodhorn Flashes on 3rd of August...

Norfolk - Days 1 & 2

Last week we had a family break in Norfolk and managed to fit in some decent trips birding!

On day one we had our first look at the Cley gull roost. An adult Caspian Gull was present and a stunning first-summer appeared later on. The number of Yellow-legged Gulls was impressive (compared to what we get in the north-east!), with at least 12 present.

A good forecast for the next day persuaded us to go to Kelling Water Meadows to look for the Red-veined Darters which had been seen there recently. Sure enough they were present along with a host of other dragonflies some of which we don't often get to see in Northumberland...

7+ Red-veined Darter

10+ Emperor

10+ Black-tailed Skimmer

1 Banded Demoiselle

1 Migrant Hawker

2 Southern Hawker

Common Darter
Common Blue Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly

1 Holly Blue
5+ Gatekeeper
10+ Common Blue

A Red Kite flew over Holkham Pines in the afternoon, before we had another luck at the Cley gull roost. Today there was 3 Caspian Gulls (yesterday's first-summer and 2 adults, looking at my photos I think they were both different to yesterday's bird). Slightly fewer Yellow-legged Gulls this evening with 7+, and a single adult Mediterranean Gull.

Back at our cabin in the forest I saw my first Perseid meteor of the year.

First-summer Caspian Gull on the first evening.

One of day two's adult Caspians.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

Red-veined Darters - the last photo's pretty poor but it shows the 'classic' Red-veined Darter pose quite well.

Migrant Hawker

Southern Hawker

Emperor