Norfolk - Days 5 & 6

On the morning of day five (12th) we were just planning to have a family day out at Hindringham Hall, but in the end I stayed around the Medieval Fish Ponds in the gardens because of the number of dragonflies there. The most numerous species was the Small Red-eyed Damselfly, with at least 40 on the ponds. Male Emperors patrolled the water's edge where there was a few females ovipositing. Common Blue Damselflies and Common Darters were also there.

Afterwards we went to RSPB Titchwell. The number of birds was impressive! We saw 21 different waders around the reserve and there was 17 Spoonbills altogether. Here's the highlights...

17 Spoonbill
6 Spotted Redshank - one in summer-plumage.
6+ Bearded Tit
1 Wood Sandpiper
150+ Ruff
50+ Black-tailed Godwit
125+ Bar-tailed Godwit
200+ Avocet
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Whimbrel
1 Greenshank
9 Grey Plover
3 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Mediterranean Gull
2 Little Egret


 A walk from Morston to Cley the next day resulted in a flock of 9 Greenshank, a Whimbrel and 8 Little Egret. A Hobby flew over Weybourne.

That night we had our final look at the Cley gull roost. Our fifth Caspian Gull of the week was a distinctive third-summer, and 15+ Yellow-legged Gulls were there along with a Little Gull. A summer-plumage Spotted Redshank was our first at that site as was a Wood Sandpiper and 2 Egyptian Geese.

Small Red-eyed Dasmelfly

Emperor with a Common Blue Damselfly

Caspian Gull

Ruff

Avocet

Wood Sandpiper

Norfolk - Days 3 & 4

On our third day (10th) we decided to spend some time at Cley. The number of waders was spectacular, especially as there appeared to have been an influx of Black-tailed Godwits that day...

350+ 'Icelandic' Black-tailed Godwit - only 3 juveniles!
1 'Continental' Black-tailed Godwit - a distinctive colour-ringed juvenile.
40+ Ruff
1 Curlew Sandpiper
3+ Common Sandpiper
1 Yellow-legged Gull - adult.
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Little Gull

1 Small Red-eyed Damselfly
1 Brown Hawker
1 Emperor
1 Holly Blue

Another look at the Cley roost on the 10th failed to produce any Caspians, but 7+ Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 Little Gulls were there. 2 Green Sandpipers were the first we saw that week, and a Barn Owl hunted in front of the hide later on. Several low passes from some RAF Tornadoes also kept me amused!

'Continental' Black-tailed Godwit

Curlew Sandpiper