Hyde Park

It barely stopped raining throughout the morning, so we only had a short walk. We did, however, have our best ever views of House Martin and saw our first Swifts of the year.

Highlights: House Martin, Swift, Swallow, Blackcap.

Great Tit

Update from home

Possible Cuckoo heard this morning
Male and female Great-Spotted Woodpeckers regularly visiting the garden feeders.
Both were seen close to last years nest site. One was drumming.
Three Mallards are becoming regular visitors to a patch of grass outside our garden, we put down seed for them.
The male Bullfinch is still being seen most days, the female is presumably siting on eggs.
The Blue Tits have shown no interest in our camera nest box in the last few weeks.
Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Jay have been seen and heard occasionally.

Photo taken with my phone, they let us get very close!

Patience is the key

After numerous attempts to attract a Robin to feed from the seed in my hand, my uncle got this photograph of one landing on my hand at Titchwell

NWT Cley Marshes

After lunch at Titchwell, we went on to Cley in the hope of seeing the five Spoonbill that had been seen earlier in the day. It seems that they had moved on to their breeding grounds in Holkham by the time we arrived, but we did see some great close views of Wheatear (my favourite bird) and Black-Tailed Godwit.

Highlights: Little Gull, Wheatear, Black-Tailed Godwit, Pintail, Ruff, Golden Plover, Common Tern, Wigeon.

Black-Tailed Godwit

Black-Tailed Godwit

Black-Tailed Godwit

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear & Oystercatcher

Ruff

Lapwing

Pintail

Little Gull

RSPB Titchwell Marsh

Another early start with alarms set for 5:45 but yet another successful day on the East coast.

Highlights: Whimbrel, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Bearded Tit, House Martin, Sanderling, Red-Crested Pochard, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler (heard only), Brent Geese, Marsh Harrier, Cetti's Warbler (heard only), Swallow, Sand Martin.

I also hand fed two Robins which was great.

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank & Avocet

Avocet

Black-headed Gull

Greylag Goose

Sandwich Tern

Whimbrel

Brent Geese

Pegston Hills

Highlights: Ring Ouzel (at least 4 males and one female), Green Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Linnet (c50), Red Kite, Buzzard and a possible Raven flew over.

Ring Ouzel

3 Ring Ouzel

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Jay

Jay

RSPB Minsmere

We set our alarms for 4:30 expecting a great day, and a great day is what we got...

Highlights: Glossy Ibis, Wheatear, Bearded Tit, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Common Tern, Swallow, Sand Martin, Marsh Tit, Barnacle Goose, Cetti's Warbler, Marsh Harrier, Pintail, Redshank, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Jay, Yellowhammer.

Best Mammals: Water Vole, Stoat, Red Deer.

Total Bird Species: 57

Water Vole: I had seen only my second ever Water Vole earlier in the day, but we had far better views of two Water Vole from the Bittern Hide. We also saw a Stoat running in front of us whilst photographing the Water Voles. It had been a long time since the last Water Vole encounter...

http://robertchapmanswildlifephotography.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/water-vole-at-minsmere.html

Water Vole

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wren

Barn Owl

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier

Red Deer

Red Deer

Avocet

Cetti's Warbler

Barnacle Geese & Black-Headed Gull

Barnacle Geese & Black-Headed Gulls

Glossy Ibis: a life record

Dunwich Heath

Highlights: Cuckoo, Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Coal Tit, Grey Heron, Red-Legged Partridge

Dartford Warbler

Dartford Warbler

Stonechat

Stonechat

Cuckoo: it was not until I had a look through my photos at home that I realised the bird was not a Sparrowhawk, but a Cuckoo! It was a nice surprise.

Cuckoo

Coal Tit

Red Deer: who's watching who?

The view of the Minsmere reserve we had at the end of the day from Dunwich Heath. A superb end to the day!