Microbirdology

Another week in our caravan in North Norfolk. The weather was not brilliant but I did managed to catch a few birds. What was striking about this autumn was the comparative lack of Shrikes. The illustrious Black winged Kite was still near Sea Palling but, again, it stayed hundreds of metres away from any possible viewing spot. As a result the pictures barely even count as record shots! Sea birds from Cley beach, including several  Red throated Divers , Razerbills , Guillemots and Gannets . Marsh Harrier , Blackwit and Stonechat around Pat's Pool and a flight of Pinks overhead. We visited Pensthorpe for the first time. It is a great family venue with several hides, that are probably better suited to birders with scopes, than casual photobirders like myself. They have a wetland avairy including Avocet, Ruff, Beardies and Turtle Doves. I visited Holme Beach twice, going back the second time to get better pictures of three Shore Larks. Both times the weather, especially the wind, wa...

An unringed Osprey was first seen on the Axe on Sat 13th June and stayed until the afternoon of 16th. Judging by the lack of a strong brown 'necklace' it was probably a male, possible feeding up before heading off to the site of its upbringing. I managed to witness on successful dive on the morning of the 16th.  This fish was eventually dropped when the bird was harassed by a Marsh Harrier, but it did successfully catch and feed shortly afterwards. It was last reported leaving the river and heading north-east. These are shots from the dive.

At Yarner Wood, on the eastern edge of Dartmoor, Pied Fycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) are the quintessential stars of the spring. Arriving in mid-April after an incredible 3,000-mile migration from sub-Saharan Africa, these tiny, 13-gram summer visitors seek out the reserve's ancient, shady sessile oak woodlands. The breeding males are strikingly dapper with their crisp black-and-white ("pied") plumage, prominent white wing patches, and a telltale white spot above the bill. The females are a more subtle, camouflaged olive-brown but share the same elegant, compact shape.    Yarner Wood is a famous stronghold for the species due to a decades-long conservation project managed by Natural England, which features an extensive network of specialized nest boxes. Because mature trees with natural cavities have become scarce, the flycatchers have adapted beautifully to these ready-made boxes, making them exceptionally rewarding to spot.   You can usually find them perched on lower ...