Fallow Stag, Knowle Park.

Fallow Stag, Knowle Park.

Monday 11 August 2014

** Two good bird species seen in Norfolk.**

Last week Pamela and I went away to stay with  good friends in North Norfolk. This wasn't a wildlife visit, but we did go on a 2 hour boat trip on Hickling Broad. Swallowtail butterfly would have been a wonderful sight but on the day they was not playing ball. Thankfully I have seen them before.
Below is a picture I took of a Swallowtail caterpillar a few years ago.


The best wildlife seen was on our way home, two bird species.We stopped off at Cley-Next-The-Sea for lunch, and while we was sitting by the window scanning the scrapes 11 large white birds was showing, they was SPOONBILL, but it didn't stop there, as I continued panning along I found one more. 12 Spoonbill  is something I never thought I would ever see.

Not wanting to catch the M25 traffic I wanted to stop off at Weeting Heath to check out the Stone Curlew situation. We arrived about 5.15. Whenever I have been there whatever time of day it has never been busy, anyway I walked up to the west hide where I met 1 photographer. I sat along from him and opened the flaps where I was left speechless for a moment, expecting to see about 3 or 4, that is about what I have always seen when I have visited, this time there was a lot more, in total there  14 STONE CURLEW, one pair had 2 young. I spent a good hour observing them. I did manage to get a few pictures of them but none very close.

                                                 The parents with 1 of the young
                                          
 
Modern art!

7 comments:

  1. A good trip, what a sight to see all those Stone Curlew, brilliant.

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  2. Ken ,
    I'm sorry , but I'm afraid 12 Spoonbill and 14 Stone Curlew is just plain greedy !
    And to get pictures too .
    Two magical stops , very well done .

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  3. Well done Ken. Spoonbills would be good enough but all those Stone Curlews......!

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  4. Thats two species up on me Ken.

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  5. Marc.
    A sight I will never see again, that's for sure.

    Greenie.
    Talk about right place at the right time.

    Phil.
    Thanks mate. I would have been happy to see 1 of these rare summer visitors.

    Mike.
    There is always a chance of seen them somewhere some time, isn't there? That's the enjoyment of nature watching. Hopefully Spoonbill will go the same way as the Little Egret has.

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  6. How wonderful to have seen Stone curlews!
    I was lucky only once!
    One of the most difficult birds to sight!

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