Patch just keeps giving.....

  The Patch last night was yet another classic patch visit ;-
      As i walked around towards the Broad entrance I had a single Swallow over. I scanned the water and counted a total of 24x tufted,2x Gadwall,1x Grey Heron of note. Then as I left the Broad  to walk round towards the hide I saw a Hobby fly west over broad. At this point I had be joined by Mark and then Jeremy .Great to meet yeh !
 We spoke about the Hobby passing over and about the Patch sightings of late. Jeremy had to go and we continued on towards the kissing gate and I finally picked up my first first Reed warbler of the year!
 Then as we went further along we had a Grasshopper warbler - reeling! Then the night got even better as the Nightingale was back (or should I say it never went) .Me and Mark stood there soaking it up . Glorious stuff!
  So today I couldn't help but get myself back down there again. I'm glad I did because as soon I arrived, not only was I enjoying the song of 1 but 2  Nightingales!

Nightingale

 I watched and waited patiently until i had one in view. A quick bit of footage was taken:-
https://youtu.be/S2TcGFL2nRM

https://youtu.be/PzBBvqQO3Rg



Nightingale in song

  After this I then noticed the second bird getting ever closer to the bird I was on. I was surprised how close he was allowed to get ,before they both ended up chasing one another around the shrub.
 Superb, absolutely  Pukka!
   That's all for now........

Happy birding
Shaky

Work sightings,patch visits and family outting

 Last 2 weeks I've been working near Snetterton race track . The area is among a industrial estate that backs onto woods and farmland,with some wasteland full of sand & concrete. This proved to be a good spot to sit and have my lunch break.
Over the 2 weeks I had;-
LRPsx3, Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk x2, Kestrel x2, common buzzard x4,Red legged Partridge x2,2x Pheasents, Swallows & House martins

view of the area

Little Ringed Plover

  This weekend gone I meet up with my patents at Icksworth house. A beautiful place to walk & eat. The main highlights ,birding wise were seen while walking down  to the larger of the 2 lakes , where we saw plenty of Swallows & House martins enjoying the sunshine & array of flying bugs on offer. But bird of the day was found On the way home as I passed Bury golf club in the verge opposite was  this :-




Reeves s Pheasent

A female Reeves's Pheasent. I never seen this species before and although not one to put on the life list a nice surprise.
 Back at work this week and by first holly blue and Orange Tip butterflies , along with this micro moth :- mint moth( thanks to David,James,Chris  & Jim for there help with ID)



Mint Moth

Now to the patch.
   I headed down the other day in hope of the Nightingale still being around but  no sign of it. Highlights being 1x Common\green sandpiper, 1x Oystercatcher, a decent number of Sedge warblers with 12 in total along with 3x Cettis and a few Swallows of note.
 Another evening visit brought much of the same but a surprise came in the shape of a Stoat, seen running across the shingle spit. A patch lifer for me!

Green and Common Sandpiper

Today, finally  while at work, south of the A47 I watched the resident pair of Common Buzzards displaying ,which soon got interrupted by a Red Kite, -superb bird and great watching as it continued to share the thermals

Common Buzzard and Red Kite

 

Anyway that's enough of  a round up for this month

Happy birding 

Shaky