ORIOLE BIRDING TOUR REPORT NORFOLK SUMMER WILDLIFE 17 TH 20 TH JUNE

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Asher Miles
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1 ORIOLE BIRDING TOUR REPORT NORFOLK SUMMER WILDLIFE 17 TH 20 TH JUNE 2015

2 THURSDAY 18 TH JUNE Sunny spells and up to 20C in moderate westerly winds A great day was spent in the Norfolk Broads today enjoying a general wildlife tour with a focus on two of Norfolk s rarest insects, the Swallowtail and Norfolk Hawker. The weather was far from kind for the most part with a cool stiff breeze keeping butterflies almost entirely out of sight until late in the day when things finally began to warm up. We started with a trip down to Strumpshaw Fen, and by targeting the sheltered spots out of the wind we picked up a good list of odonata. The meadow was full of Azure and Blue-tailed Damselfly [including the smart looking rufescens form of the latter] and almost straight away we found a NORFOLK HAWKER hanging out to dry on a nettle. We watched in close up as it gently buzzed its wings to aid warming before optimum temperature was reached and it shot off. Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and a Large Skipper were also noted in the same area but the Swallowtail garden was very quiet. While waiting here in hope, we listened to what turned out to be a male Blackcap singing from lush cover opposite the cottage for ten minutes it produced an outpouring of incredible mimicry, without so much of a snatch of its typical song. It was only when we eventually saw it that we could believe it wasn t a Marsh Warbler this individual went way beyond the usual capabilities of its species. Over the fen, Marsh Harriers performed a food pass and we saw Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and had fantastic views of a CETTI S WARBLER which was feeding fledged young, perching in the open to give a burst of song to commemorate each successful delivery of tasty morsels! Damselflies could be found in the vegetation along the channel and included a VARIABLE DAMSELFLY, very easy to overlook but subtly and distinctly different when examined closely. Large Red Damselfly and a brief Red-eyed Damselfly were also noted and another cracking view of a NORFOLK HAWKER was had in the meadow on the walk back. After a cuppa, we popped round to the Visitor Centre where a Eurasian Hobby was hawking over the pool, rounding off a pretty good morning. Next we visited NWT Upton Fen, a beautiful broadland reserve tucked away and seldom visited by birdwatchers. It is a great site for odonata though and our walk through the woodland produced Brimstone, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat and calling Common Cuckoo before we reached the best area of fen. Here Four-spotted Chaser and Black-tailed Skimmer were extremely numerous, and along the various channels we had decent views of Hairy Dragonfly and yet another superb encounter with NORFOLK HAWKER we went on to see three more during the walk. We spent quite a bit of time walking around the reserve enjoying the close up views of all these dragonflies, and had another good view of a Eurasian Hobby too. The day was already ticking on though and so we had a rather late lunch before deciding our final move.

Swallowtail, Hickling 18 th June We decided the head across to NWT Hickling Broad reserve as there was still a fair bit of sun around and things were definitely warming up!

3 Swallowtail, Hickling 18 th June We decided the head across to NWT Hickling Broad reserve as there was still a fair bit of sun around and things were definitely warming up! It felt good as we arrived, with the temptation almost arising to remove the fleece maybe now would be our chance for the Swallowtail! Large White and Painted Lady were added to the butterfly list as we set off towards the stands of flowering thistles along the track to Cadbury Hide. Our quarry appeared instantly two stunning SWALLOWTAILS still in really nice condition. Clearly a male and female, they tussled around right under our noses with the female eventually crawling down into the vegetation and closing her wings, leaving the male to carry on nectaring on the thistle flowers right under our noses. We went on to see nine different individuals on the walk, as well as another four Painted Lady. NORFOLK HAWKER was also seen again a few times and an Emperor Dragonfly was added to the list. With such fantastic views of the Swallowtails, we decided to try taking a walk along the new track to Stubbs Mill to look for the COMMON CRANES. We found two adults stalking around among the tall vegetation, mainly keeping hidden but occasionally popping into full view a top bird to end the day! From here, and after a well-deserved ice cream, we headed back to base for around FRIDAY 19 TH JUNE Variable temperatures [12 18C] in a light North-west wind with cloud We planned a mainly birding based itinerary today with the forecast suggesting there would not be any opportunity for watching bugs, but we did in fact get to squeeze a bit in! Most of our birding success was around the heathlands of North Norfolk and we started well locating a family group of three WOODLARKS which we were able to watch foraging among long grass and young gorse sprigs, the fledgling keeping hidden among the vegetation. We went on to see three more different birds around other parts of the heath, with one even giving us a bit of that fantastic song. TURTLE DOVE had been a target for the morning, and after hearing a brief snatch of purring from the Silver Birches, one flew out past us, banking nicely against a black cloud which perfectly illuminated its tortoiseshell mantle and white tail fringe. Another was in display flight nearby, and continued purring out of sight among the trees a great summer sound and one which has become all too scarce in recent times. A male DARTFORD WARBLER was singing his heart out again today, just like last week, and keeping largely hidden other than a few short flights. We had great views of Yellowhammers, Common Linnet and Common Stonechat while we waited quietly for his infrequent

4 appearances between the bushes. Sadly, not a single butterfly or dragonfly was seen around the heath, but with news that the White-rumped Sandpiper was outside Dauke s Hide, Cley would be our next stop. By the time we had got our permits and walked out to the central hides, the sandpiper had moved on towards North Scrape and in fact we didn t see any small waders at all other than plovers four Little-ringed and one Common Ringed, with some nice side by side comparisons on Pat s Pool. Four Common Greenshanks were our first returning birds of the southbound passage [ill refrain from using the word autumn on the day before the solstice!] and a resting group of eight EURASIAN SPOONBILLS included three new fledglings, easily picked out even when sleeping due to their smaller size, whiter plumage and black-tipped primary feathers. Their super-cute half-grown bills are the real giveaway though! Three LITTLE GULLS were also present, paddling around the muddy margins in their almost phalarope-like fashion and making occasional dip-feeding flights. Heading around to North Hide along the shingle beach, we picked up Sandwich and Little Terns along the surf and an unseasonal Razorbill close inshore. The scrape was devoid of small waders though, despite the White-rumped Sandpiper being reported about thirty seconds after we left we could only surmise that the wader flock spent the whole time we were there in the south-east corner out of view. We couldn t find this flock despite going on to check Pope s Pool and The Serpentine as well, where we did at least enjoy watching squabbling breeding plumaged Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits, Common Redshanks with chicks and of course Marsh Harriers. On Arnold s Marsh, many Sandwich Terns were resting noisily, another LITTLE GULL was present before flying off over the path and a flock of about twenty Red Knot and three Bar-tailed Godwit added variety. The sun was doing its best to break through now and with it the temperatures began to edge up. With this we fancied our chances of finding another target odonata and so headed back to the heaths to see if we could find it. A distraction in the woods en route was created by not one but two singing male FIRECRESTS, one of which popped out and gave a burst from a pine snag and we all clapped onto its bright plumage and tell-tale supercilium before it zipped off into an oak and began singing some more. They are always such crowd pleasers when they show well! Initially the heath itself was devoid of any dragonflies at all but thankfully the sun peeked out for about a minute as we reached the best area for KEELED SKIMMER and a female appeared, perching on a bare twig right under our noses. She was then joined by an immature male, a stunning creature with its powder blue pruminesence starting to develop on the abdomen. The cloudy conditions meant they were happy to sit still and be studied, allowing the tell-tale narrow stripes on the thorax and honey coloured pterostigma to be seen through close-focus binoculars. Two top encounters and the afternoon had picked up after dipping the sandpiper! Our final call was to visit a coastal mixed colony where we were able to watch Common and Little Terns at close range, and at least eight stunning adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLS which were showing extremely well today, and extra noisy too! Their calls are really a part of a Norfolk summer nowadays and lets hope they are here to stay. Likewise EURASIAN SPOONBILL, as we saw another two individuals with one feeding on the tidal creek and another flying east over the marsh. Pick of the sightings would have been the ARCTIC TERN which we watched fishing very distantly over the saltmarsh creeks it had briefly been very close and allowed identification but seemed to be preferring to stay away from the melee of gulls and terns in the main channel in favour of a more solitary hunting route. A good bird to catch up with nonetheless and a nice one to round off the day. SATURDAY 20 TH JUNE Light winds and overcast, 18C with rain moving in later It certainly wasn t going to be a day for butterflies or dragonflies again today so we set off for the Brecks on our usual birding route with the idea of seeing how the weather panned out. After a Little Owl roosting in Great Ryburgh to start the day, we started along the Nar Valley Way in Narborough, central Norfolk to look for the resident singing male MARSH WARBLER which has now been present for a fortnight. The bird was in good voice again today, and even more showy than it had been last week sadly its sterling efforts to attract a mate appear likely to remain in vain. From here it was

only a short hop down into the North part of Breckland and our second target bird of the morning was equally easy to find, with two STONE CURLEWS sitting motionless in a roadside field, relying on

5 only a short hop down into the North part of Breckland and our second target bird of the morning was equally easy to find, with two STONE CURLEWS sitting motionless in a roadside field, relying on their camouflage amongst the weeds and not moving a muscle as we watched from the vehicle. Marsh Warbler, Narborough 20 th June Lynford Arboretum was our next stop and having had good views of FIRECREST already, we didn t spend long looking for them today although we heard two different birds signing, and saw a fledged juvenile feeding on its own among the pines at one point chased off by a Goldcrest! Spotted Flycatcher was a bird we were keen to catch up with, and after struggling to pin down two calling in the canopy of the arboretum, we found a very obliging individual down near the bridge which was sallying out over newly cut grass and perching at times within a couple of metres of us. European Nuthatch, two Eurasian Siskins, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler and Great-spotted Woodpecker were among the other species noted as we ambled around. The forecast rain was showing no sign of materialising, and so we capitalised on this by walking one of our favourite forest tracks to view clearfell, heath and woodland fringe. Speckled Wood and many Meadow Browns were on the wing along the path and we added three new species in Small Heath, Common Blue and Small Skipper, plus Red Admiral and Brimstone some butterflies at last! Four WOODLARK flew up from the grass and perched in the pines with several family groups around at the moment it certainly looks like they are having a good season. We saw three more different birds a little further on, and watched them foraging on the track and frequently flying around doing a bit of singing and chasing. One even came and landed on a small pine next to us while we were enjoying fantastic scope views of a TREE PIPIT perched on the brash. A second was singing nicely in the distance and it was great to hear the songs of all these birds so well today as there was hardly any wind Skylark and Woodlark song together is a real treat. Another songster we were hoping to connect with again today soon burst onto the scene a fantastic male COMMON REDSTART. After establishing last week that a pair was present, we managed to go one better this time and confirm the presence of fledged young. There were now two different males present our singing bird is not the father of the young and appears unpaired. We didn t see the female, and perhaps she is already laying a second clutch. Throw in the Yellowhammers, Common Whitethroats and Common Stonechats, with Common Cuckoo constantly calling in the background, and we enjoyed a very bird-filled walk here today.

Woodlark, Thetford Forest 20 th June After a late lunch we began the journey back north for an earlier finish, but had time for one more piece of good luck on the way home.

6 Woodlark, Thetford Forest 20 th June After a late lunch we began the journey back north for an earlier finish, but had time for one more piece of good luck on the way home. A Red kite drifting over roadside fields caused us to pull over for a better look in fact there were two birds, tussling together in the air before circling and drifting off. A Grey Partridge standing proud then diverted our attention. In fact it seemed rude not to scan the weedy field we were parked next to, and there were two STONE CURLEW standing right in the middle in full view! An unexpected bonus, and better views than earlier as they were quite actively moving about and feeding. We soon saw why, as a half grown chick emerged from a clump of nettles and scurried up to mum to take a morsel before sidling back behind its chosen clump. A great day all round for seeing success among our breckland birds we quickly moved off and continued our journey home, feeling very lucky indeed to have been stopped by those kites in that spot! It just goes to show, you never know what you are going to see. SYSTEMATIC LIST 1. Little Grebe 2. Great Cormorant 3. Grey Heron 4. Little Egret 5. Eurasian Spoonbill 6. Mute Swan 7. Greylag Goose 8. Canada Goose 9. Egyptian Goose 10. Common Shelduck 11. Mallard 12. Common Teal 13. Gadwall 14. Northern Shoveler 15. Tufted Duck 16. Common Pochard 17. Red-legged Partridge 18. Grey Partridge 19. Common Pheasant 20. Common Kestrel 21. Marsh Harrier

7 22. Common Buzzard 23. Eurasian Hobby 24. Red Kite 25. Common Crane 26. Common Moorhen 27. Common Coot 28. Stone Curlew 29. Pied Avocet 30. European Oystercatcher 31. Common Ringed Plover 32. Little-ringed Plover 33. Northern Lapwing 34. Common Redshank 35. Common Greenshank 36. Eurasian Curlew 37. Black-tailed Godwit 38. Bar-tailed Godwit 39. Red Knot 40. Ruddy Turnstone 41. Black-headed Gull 42. Green Sandpiper 43. Common Gull 44. Herring Gull 45. Lesser Black-backed Gull 46. Great Black-backed Gull 47. Mediterranean Gull 48. Little Gull 49. Sandwich Tern 50. Common Tern 51. Little Tern 52. Arctic Tern 53. Woodpigeon 54. Collared Dove 55. Stock Dove 56. Turtle Dove 57. Common Swift 58. Common Cuckoo [H] 59. Common Kingfisher 60. Little Owl 61. Barn Owl 62. Skylark 63. Woodlark 64. Meadow Pipit 65. Tree Pipit 66. Pied Wagtail 67. Grey Wagtail 68. Barn Swallow 69. House Martin 70. Sand Martin 71. Winter Wren 72. European Robin 73. Common Stonechat 74. Common Redstart 75. Dunnock 76. Common Blackbird

8 77. Song Thrush 78. Mistle Thrush 79. Cetti s Warbler 80. Blackcap 81. Garden Warbler 82. Sedge Warbler 83. European Reed Warbler 84. Marsh Warbler 85. Common Chiffchaff 86. Willow Warbler 87. Common Whitethroat 88. Dartford Warbler 89. Spotted Flycatcher 90. Goldcrest 91. Firecrest 92. Blue Tit 93. Great Tit 94. Coal Tit 95. Long-tailed Tit 96. European Nuthatch 97. Rook 98. Carrion Crow 99. Western Jackdaw 100. Black-billed Magpie 101. Common Starling 102. House Sparrow 103. Chaffinch 104. Greenfinch 105. Goldfinch 106. Eurasian Siskin 107. Common Linnet 108. Bullfinch 109. Reed Bunting 110. Yellowhammer BUTTERFLIES 1. Large White 2. Brimstone 3. Red Admiral 4. Small Tortoiseshell 5. Painted Lady 6. Swallowtail 7. Meadow Brown 8. Common Blue 9. Small Heath 10. Small Skipper 11. Large Skipper 12. Speckled Wood ODONATA 1. Azure Damselfly 2. Variable Damselfly 3. Blue-tailed Damselfly

9 4. Large Red Damselfly 5. Red-eyed Damselfly 6. Emperor 7. Hairy Dragonfly 8. Norfolk Hawker 9. Four-spotted Chaser 10. Black-tailed Skimmer 11. Keeled Skimmer

TOM BEDFORD S OXFORDSHIRE LIST [IOC 2017] UPDATED

TOM BEDFORD S OXFORDSHIRE LIST [IOC 2017] UPDATED 1 Canada Goose 2 Barnacle Goose 3 Greylag Goose 4 Pink-footed Goose 5 Tundra Bean Goose 6 Greater White-fronted Goose 7 Mute Swan 8 Tundra Swan 9 Whooper Swan 10 Egyptian Goose 11 Common Shelduck 12 Gadwall