What have you seen

A wonderful day spent at Frampton Marsh RSPB site.

After the recent 2 days of full on rain and high winds the weather played ball today with hazy sun, light winds and warmth. We had a great days birdwatching.

In no particular order we saw Lesser Yellowlegs (a vagrant wader), Common Crane flying southwards down the Wash marsh, Little Stint, quite a few Curlew Sandpipers, Spoonbills and numerous other more common waders, ducks and birds of prey.

We also had an encounter with a Devils Coach Horse Beetle, a beetle that lifts its tail like a scorpion if threatened and emits a foul smell. We were spared the smell. Unfortunately it scuttled off before we could get a photo.

Heard lots of geese passing overhead early this morning, long before we got up. Yesterday there were still Swallows about, flying along the cliffs between Overstrand and Cromer.

Returned to Frampton today.

Even more people there, even allowing for it being a weekend. Several American rarities have arrived, probably on the back of Hurricane Lee. 

We managed to get a really close sighting of both Lesser Yellowlegs and White Rumped Sandpiper.

Also nice to see a Peregrine and some late Yellow Wagtails and a lone Whooper Swan who flew off probably in search of his mates, also saw most of the other birds we saw on Thursday.

Didn't see the Pectoral Sandpiper but have seen one here before or the Blue Winged Teal but quite happy with time spent here.

Over the last few evenings there have been a flock of around 150 Greylags feeding on the stubble near to the site. In among them were 5 Egypian Geese and a large, bigger than any Greylag, mainly white Goose, which had a white face, grey head and neck and small grey patches in its plumage. Could t possibly  be a cross between a farm goose and a Greylag?

Today during our walk by the R.Thurne at Repps OH spotted this young Banded Grass Snake on the path. This is the first that we have ever noticed. 

Travelling through the Vale of Pickering yesterday, saw Little Egret, Grey Heron and Great White Egret all within fifty meters of each other. Also buzzards and a solitary Red Kite. Then into the Howardian Hills, wasn’t there a rumour a couple of years ago about the purchase of a site by the CaMC  here? Some good examples of land stewardship to be seen with corrective work on the river and its tributaries with water courses and ancient meadows taking place. Rosedale Abbey CaMC site probably closest to the Eastern Edge of this quiet area.

Yesterday morning, and very high up, there was an enormous skein of geese (probably 3 - 400) flying above me due west to east. About 10 minutes later there was another skein but only about 50 or so in this one. What make  they were I don't know and even too high to see clearly with binoculars. Any suggestions where they might have been coming from and going to? It was their calls that alerted me to them in the first place.

My guess is pink-footed geese. Probably wrong. 🙂.

Took a walk to the beach this morning and spotted at least 25 Turnstones that have just returned from their summer vacation.  Some are still in their summer breading colours.  Need to go buy some mealy worms for them. Just love these busy little birds.

On the way back up the river a seal surfaced close to us, first we’ve seen on the river since early Spring

While having our lunch yesterday by Walberswick Common a Marsh Harrier flew overhead, and then walking along the river bank there were over 100 Barnacle Geese,and a few Curlew, feeding on the field between the river and the village. Today we saw a couple of Red Kites near our current CL at Woolpit, near Stowmarket.

I think  those Barnacle Geese are now resident as they are always there even in very early September/late August.

If you travel east more or less in a straight line you will come across them breeding on the Biesbosch reserve in the Netherlands. They have very cute goslings.

Always nice to see a Barney though.