Observations May 1st/2nd

May 1st - The promised rain arrived and was set in for the morning so nothing seen a.m., despite a nose being pressed against an up-stairs window! As soon as there was a sign of a break in the clouds me and pooch were yomping up the track, immediately seeing another female Marsh Harrier quartering the fields (different bird) a Common Buzzard and a Whitethroat. A scan from the garden picked out a Common Swift* moving west GYL 69

After tea I decided to take a walk along the clifftops near Sheringham, not much in the way of birdlife but the Thrift is starting to come into bloom amongst the Marram grass.

Thrift


Rainbow


May 2nd - Managed to get away from work an hour early this afternoon so I nipped down to the cliffs again, more birds about this time and thankfully a bit warmer too!

Wheatear - 12
Hobby - 1 east
White Wagtail - 5
Sandwich Tern - 300 west
Mediterranean Gull - 2nd c/y bird east
Dunlin - 8W
Ringed Plover - 1W
Marsh Harrier - female type flew in off sea then west over fields

The White Wagtails showed well, at least one was a 2nd c/y bird, the others looked like adults. The smart grey mantle contrasting with the sharply demarcated black head and white flanks makes the White Wagtail a distinctive bird in May

White Wagtail

Shot showing the white flanks, or, not another arse end shot!.....



...thats better!