** A Few Random Pics From Norfolk. **

I thought it was about time I wrote something on my blog, so I decided to post a few random pictures from my recent trip to Norfolk. We stayed in a caravan in East Runton, just outside of Cromer, and as it happens it coincided with the time when the Pied Crow was there, unfortunately the only view I had of it is in flight. The first picture is of a PEACH BLOSSOM moth. The second is a FOUR SPOTTED CHASER, and the last obviously is a YELLOW WAGTAIL. The next 4 and from when I got up early on a few mornings to see the sun rise from outside of out caravan, and the bench on the cliff top is where I occasionally sea watched from. The last 2 pictures was taken along the coast road on our way back from Hickling Broad, it was a Hot day just the water was really rough as the short film shows.

I waited until the last few days of our holiday to go NIGHTJAR hunting. I always go to Salthouse Heath, it never gets much of a mention for them. It is quite eerie being along on the heath at this time of night, I have been here before when others have been here, but not this time.This time I had the best views I have ever had and I didn't need bins to see them, when I say them I mean 3, and to do this I did what I saw Bill Oddie do in a birding programme some years ago now, I waved a white hankie in the air, it wasn't planned I just happened to have on with me, so I thought what the heck, well no one was about. I waited until dusk and after a while I heard one churring which was a good start, and then another one started up from a different place. it wasn't long before I started to hear "Quick Quick Quick" call and that means there is one in the air. At this point the first one wasn't that close but visible, and then I did my bit, and, shortly after I did, it went from 1 to 2 to 3, my heart was racing and they was very close over head, I even had glimpses of the white patches on them. I don't think I will ever beat that......but there's always next year. Many of the usual species was seen along with these: RED KITE(2), SPOONBILL(2), GREAT WHITE EGRET, CURLEW SANDPIPER, KNOT, SANDWICH TERN, LITTLE TERN, LITTLE GULL(8), GREEN SANDPIPER, LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, MEDITERRANEAN GULL(26,Titchwell), SPOTTED REDSHANK(2,breeding plumage), COMMON SANDPIPER, RUFF(3, 2 with ruffs), PIED CROW, NIGHTJAR.
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My latest birding outing was to Oare marsh last week to see the 4 BLACK WINGED STILTS that are there, and deserve a second visit this week. i also had great views of a LITTLE OWL.