I Used the first warm, dry spell of the year (from the 7th) to get out and about, now looking not just for birds but also for butterflies. A late evening visit on the 8th to Bakers and Adventurers Fens, starting from Upware (near Stretham in Cambridgeshire), provided lots of sightings of Cuckoos (at least four males were in the area) and my first sightings of the year of Hobby and Garden Warbler. Grasshopper Warblers were 'reeling' at dusk, but sightings proved elusive. Two Bitterns were booming. As I walked back to the car from near the entrance to the National Trust visitor centre a couple coming the other way accosted me and asked about the strange gurgling ('Donald Duck-like') sounds that they had heard, apparently coming from bushes on the west side of the track. I suggested Shoveler, without any conviction. As I headed further south I heard these sounds myself. Although I couldn't see what was making the noises I also heard some harsh, heron-like sounds coming from the same area. Was this a heronry? Doing some research on my return I am starting to think that the gurgling sounds might have been made by Little Egrets (there were several around, particularly on Bakers Fen), either at a roost site or nest sites. Very strange!
The following morning I made my annual visit to Bison Hill, near Whipsnade, looking for some of our rarer, small butterflies. All four of my targets (Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper and Duke of Burgundy) were seen, but only the 'Dukes' Were present in any number, probably reflecting the effects of the prolonged wet weather and recent cold spell, which has resulted in the late (or non-) emergence of some species. However, I reckon that I saw 30+ 'Dukes', a very positive count for what is a rare and, in many areas, declining species.
Green Hairstreak on Dandelion, Bison Hill, 9 May
Grizzled Skipper, Bison Hill, 9 May
Duke of Burgundy, Bison Hill, 9 May
On the 15th I made my first visit to the Gigrin Farm Red Kite feeding station (and, I think, my first visit to Wales) for five years. This is a 'full on' day, with a very early start and very late finish and a journey of 420 miles (440 on this occasion, due to a forced detour caused by major roadworks). As a consolation for all this I had a two hour session watching the kites at close quarters and was able to walk along the river in the town of Rhayader (Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts) and visit a local nature reserve, where I have in the past seen Wood Warblers (sadly not recorded on this occasion). The farm also sells very good, long-lasting albeit expensive polo shirts. I had hoped to pick up a couple from their shop, but unfortunately and annoyingly my size (XL) wasn't available. One of the kites was a leucistic bird, one of supposedly only ten worldwide, which I was lucky to get some decent photos of (below).
Leucistic Red Kite in Flight, Gigrin Farm, 15 May
Red Kite in Flight, Gigrin Farm, 15 May
Red Kite Diving for Food, Gigrin Farm, 15 May
After a 'recovery day' I was back in the car on the 17th to visit RSPB Lakenheath Fen. Birds seen included Hobby, Marsh Harrier and Cuckoo, but my main interest was in photographing invertebrates, which included several dragonfly and damselfly species (the uncommon Variable Damselfly was present in good numbers, although several had become caught up in spiders' webs and were being eaten). Most impressive, in terms of numbers, were mayflies, with hundreds being seen, either resting or in typical 'yo-yoing' flight by the river.
Drake Mackerel Mayfly, RSPB Lakenheath Fen, 17 May
Spider about to consume a trapped Damselfly, RSPB Lakenheath Fen, 17 May
On the 19th I joined a coach party of 40 RSPB Local Group members on a visit to RSPB Minsmere. I wasn't leading this one, so had a chance to just wander around and enjoy myself on what turned into a beautiful, sunny day. Unfortunately, I missed three of my target bird species (Bittern, Bearded Tit and Little Tern) but others did rather better and at the end of the day we had amassed an impressive total of 101 recorded species.
Cormorants, seen from the Island Mere Hide, RSPB Minsmere, 19 May
Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly, RSPB Minsmere, 19 May
Common Tern in Flight, RSPB Minsmere, 19 May
The following week produced some of the wettest weather of the year (and that's saying something), and I stayed local until tempted to visit Cambridgeshire on the 23rd to look for a Red-footed Falcon at Fen Drayton and a Great Reed Warbler at nearby RSPB Ouse Fen. I just missed out by hours on the falcon, which wasn't reliably reported again. The unmistakeable loud, croaking song of the Great Reed Warbler boomed out of the reedbed at Ouse Fen, but the bird wasn't to be seen. However, I returned to Ouse Fen early on the 25th and was rewarded with good sightings of this somewhat wayward individual as it sang from the tops of reeds. I wish it well in finding a mate, although I wouldn't hold out too much hope......
Great Reed Warbler, RSPB Ouse Fen, 25 May
In between my two visits to Ouse Fen I ventured down to Thursley Common in Surrey. I had seen both my target bird species (Woodlark and Tree Pipit) here within 40 minutes, but stayed on for another three hours looking to add to my dragonfly and bird lists. The key dragonfly to see at this time of year at Thursley is Downy Emerald, which occurs around the Moat Pond (near the main car park). Plenty of (mainly immature) males were seen here, although photographing this fast-moving dragonfly (which perches out of sight near the tops of the conifers that surround the pond) proved to be challenging. Strangely, I found another Downy Emerald a few hundred metres away in a much smaller pond, that wasn't tree-lined.
'Record Shot' of a Downy Emerald (immature Male) in flight, Thursley Common, 24 May
Common Whitethroat in Song, Thursley Common, 24 May
Woodlark, Thursley Common, 24 May
I was back at the North Norfolk coast on the 29th, looking for Turtle Doves at a usually reliable spot between Snettisham and Heacham. I had no joy there, but I did see a couple of Spoonbills in flight. Moving on to Titchwell, I caught up with a couple of bird species that I had missed at Minsmere, namely Bearded Tit (seen near Island Hide) and Little Tern (I counted eight individuals flying west over the beach or at sea, close to the shoreline).
Spoonbill in Flight near Heacham, 29 May
Little Tern in Flight, Titchwell Beach, 29 May
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