tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35257018559286477902024-03-05T09:12:12.813+00:00Greg Bond North Norfolk Nature RamblingsWanderings round my local patch, elsewhere in Norfolk and the odd holidayGreg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-41860855716889785062011-02-24T16:15:00.000+00:002011-02-24T16:15:48.767+00:00Patch ticksWhen we were in Trinidad I received a kind text from Andrew C about a Smew at Gimingham. Much to my surprise it seems it was still there as an update message came through on 18th. I managed to miss it that night but found it the next day along with a splendid drake Goosander, the first I'd seen on the deck locally. Smew was a great claw back though, particularly as I thought my best chance was one flying past at sea, difficult to connect with.<br />
The 20th saw us chasing a pigeon in Oxfordshire but the following day I connected with the 3 Whooper Swans between Roughton and Hanworth, well outside my usual birding area but inside the 10K square by quite a margin. Desperate stuff but I haven't yet been able to catch up with either wild swan species flying through - memo to self: get out more! And take a camera - you've got enough of them!!Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-2861444516541734082011-02-09T14:44:00.004+00:002011-02-15T15:31:19.466+00:00Trinidad and TobagoJust back at the weekend from 2 weeks in T & T, birding mostly. It was hot, sometimes very wet (even though the dry season has started) and hard work on the days with no guide - those guys earn every penny making sense of the chips, whistles etc coming from the wall of vegetation and then getting the target bird into view (most of the time - not with the Little Tinamou!).<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE6ifk9_VeC8v0-B_c-0mQZBTVo3FlgHQaXNczCugI8ZWW15P9cF1PY01CmZ-pkBPjsaHIB6vhH79GEnCfdeorKtdt1hcBRuH0pGx5hHPtnYyYnKv_1uLdslfhzBqqRvotZNYujCZNjs/s1600/_MG_0275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE6ifk9_VeC8v0-B_c-0mQZBTVo3FlgHQaXNczCugI8ZWW15P9cF1PY01CmZ-pkBPjsaHIB6vhH79GEnCfdeorKtdt1hcBRuH0pGx5hHPtnYyYnKv_1uLdslfhzBqqRvotZNYujCZNjs/s320/_MG_0275.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlet Ibises, Caroni Swamp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>20th Jan<br />
<br />
Arrived on BA via St Lucia from Gatwick and managed Carib Grackle and Kiskadee while waiting for the cab to Pax<br />
<br />
21st<br />
<br />
With a limping Kenny for our guide we walked the road near Pax, notching up inter alia 4 sp of Hummer and 4 Tanagers, plus the locally rare Chestnut collared Swift in a passing mixed swift flock<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ovd1NG6Jg6yCEoFtF7djjckmlZswUrxDMnVkz3Edq64hXFfupgcwOO6lSGZk226NMZjWfCa2PvSd-DLxFNuPLqRAfGB_OfNv53q0pyA9Qd0V20Sal2YDlk9tnY3OJ6COPOnt2hWyXa8/s1600/Gtr+Kiskadee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ovd1NG6Jg6yCEoFtF7djjckmlZswUrxDMnVkz3Edq64hXFfupgcwOO6lSGZk226NMZjWfCa2PvSd-DLxFNuPLqRAfGB_OfNv53q0pyA9Qd0V20Sal2YDlk9tnY3OJ6COPOnt2hWyXa8/s320/Gtr+Kiskadee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater Kiskadee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>22nd<br />
<br />
Showery and warm most of the day, the first part of which was spent at a cattle station, good for birds including several Yank waders and brilliant for butterflies and dragonflies. Then, after lunch on the east coast we birded the Nariva swamp area, scoring Azure Gallinule, Pinnated Bittern, Pygmy Kingfisher and at last knockings, Red bellied Macaws, two birds being all that's left of a huge roost which moved on 4 or 5 years ago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKl-POAjdyihUol-0Yokxv5d7r1khpi45gJGgT4Fo_hgnD_NOiwAkbcsySH4pNOByBAenNHfpdJddS7oHimlvrJDtKcxiF9EZ2WB6Fkch92ntqSeGqJRQQm-DYnHBl_4mSpaGo1-WO0Io/s1600/Least+sand-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKl-POAjdyihUol-0Yokxv5d7r1khpi45gJGgT4Fo_hgnD_NOiwAkbcsySH4pNOByBAenNHfpdJddS7oHimlvrJDtKcxiF9EZ2WB6Fkch92ntqSeGqJRQQm-DYnHBl_4mSpaGo1-WO0Io/s320/Least+sand-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Least Sandpiper, Agricultural station</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QJFD1tO896UH2BnZYmzIxSVnk9wbFXSUxbFsVowuVJEiTKPr4COM2d5ZlT2lYCy5me7e9lShlsbULEvxDgITdM_nic1Z3-cqAOSUJtcmQ_daEHCrfKNXXxC6sSDgt0JqHiIXZrqgFpk/s1600/Day+2+090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QJFD1tO896UH2BnZYmzIxSVnk9wbFXSUxbFsVowuVJEiTKPr4COM2d5ZlT2lYCy5me7e9lShlsbULEvxDgITdM_nic1Z3-cqAOSUJtcmQ_daEHCrfKNXXxC6sSDgt0JqHiIXZrqgFpk/s320/Day+2+090.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flame tailed Dragon, Nariva Swamp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>23rd<br />
<br />
Showery and warm again and a little closer to home going past Asa Wright into the montane forest along the tba Road for a good selection of birds, notable among which were Black, Grey and White Hawks, Chestnut Woodpecker, Collared Trogon and Grey throated Leaf Tosser. In some ways best of all however was the Blue Morpho butterfly elegantly gliding along the road. Traffic was however a nightmare and nearly cost us Speckled Tanager, which when we saw it well was much nicer than the book. Back home to an excellent dinner and a Spectacled Owl calling from outside the guest-house.<br />
<br />
24th<br />
<br />
After heavy rain overnight our morning visit was to the Arena lowland forest. Stacks of dragons to photograph and some good bids including Squirrel and Little Cuckoo and Crimson crested Woodpecker. Long-billed Starthroat as well while Violaceous Trogon completed the Trinidad set.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C5yAfM_2o89btVuL0jTT2LO3BT9WWkm9EdsMgbv55fYO4GgNXxZSZuLV-R8zct3H_DkVcEZ4wNmizJ_RMSVlpyMWPMR8u8ax6CED_Ehun7cIayU_GcZCmNTeCwZ9FABRb6rQE2vlqb0/s1600/Violaceous+Trogon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C5yAfM_2o89btVuL0jTT2LO3BT9WWkm9EdsMgbv55fYO4GgNXxZSZuLV-R8zct3H_DkVcEZ4wNmizJ_RMSVlpyMWPMR8u8ax6CED_Ehun7cIayU_GcZCmNTeCwZ9FABRb6rQE2vlqb0/s200/Violaceous+Trogon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Violaceous Trogon</td></tr>
</tbody></table> After lunch at Pax and a photo session from the veranda we left at 4.00pm to go nightjarring but without a working flash! Nonetheless we did succeed in seeing bothe White-tailed Nightjar and Pauraque pretty well in the headlights as well as a stray Agouti<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp0pr2NZdxgmZns2opQZId7oH8vM4-HG2xIFyEnjyPevK4onU9IX0MsDEhhOiES-iPSmiiolCe3IT0_VUVrMby6uQXuqIySnrjYUuLpMk76TMrr9vW3GcWn0UgZS0y3z_3YFRfB7xKHY/s1600/Ppl+Honeycreeper+vertical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp0pr2NZdxgmZns2opQZId7oH8vM4-HG2xIFyEnjyPevK4onU9IX0MsDEhhOiES-iPSmiiolCe3IT0_VUVrMby6uQXuqIySnrjYUuLpMk76TMrr9vW3GcWn0UgZS0y3z_3YFRfB7xKHY/s200/Ppl+Honeycreeper+vertical.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Honeycreeper</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCN8eKWW0CKP7cbsr9TLKJ3uUh1DJfLd2Vuzx88f489jaJ8Pi_whFwmO78jbi6BYX-OlCLNG8F2hurLG4QYHw22dIVUuRjDfy3v0cn5k1GxdIEgSLKWhhBVfwT6yPrcxRuqvThzh1AT8/s1600/Palm+Tanager-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCN8eKWW0CKP7cbsr9TLKJ3uUh1DJfLd2Vuzx88f489jaJ8Pi_whFwmO78jbi6BYX-OlCLNG8F2hurLG4QYHw22dIVUuRjDfy3v0cn5k1GxdIEgSLKWhhBVfwT6yPrcxRuqvThzh1AT8/s200/Palm+Tanager-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm Tanager</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 25th <br />
<br />
<br />
First stop Pont-de Pierre Wildfowl Trust inside the refinery for plastic ducks, Great Cowbird and Streaked-headed Woodcreeper, after which we toured theWellington area for waders, Saffron Finch etc. Our last stop was the excellent Caroni Swamp where the main highlight was the roosting herons and Scarlet Ibis, a pretty impressive sight, even if the greatest spectacle was when they were flushed by a local boat going up the main channel behind them. Less so the Common Pottoo but it was still gratifying to see provided the rumours it's stuffed are unfounded!<br />
26th<br />
<br />
A clear up day when we decided (rightly) that with Asa Wright looming the Arena area of lowland forest represented our best chance of new birds. So it proved with 10 ticks plus Little Tinamou. heard, other highlights being 2 antbirds, Ruby Topaz, a pair of Bat Falcons and Crowned Ant-tanager After lunch in a bus shelter by the cattle fields (seats and a cool breeze) the fields themselves were quiet in the heat but the Striped Cuckoo of two nights back showed beautifully to remove one frustration.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaf7U1OnKR3vBJC4aem4Qt1-SXsq6JxRBubJhn3Tu8zWilx0srOCiQw7uBxZ9uUQMwK91KfQU5QWnbSZOiNmsPuLkZC7rqJiDVF90ryoIGyMXyrutW6JfdUjsxcwU0jaA69kkhkx6cw4/s1600/Smooth+billed+Ani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaf7U1OnKR3vBJC4aem4Qt1-SXsq6JxRBubJhn3Tu8zWilx0srOCiQw7uBxZ9uUQMwK91KfQU5QWnbSZOiNmsPuLkZC7rqJiDVF90ryoIGyMXyrutW6JfdUjsxcwU0jaA69kkhkx6cw4/s200/Smooth+billed+Ani.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooth-billed Ani, Ag Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5UVIUHZ5m7x-48MXcenx6hQ_h6mP1TFIv3KAwuS2mbxNuIymYFPF0QZ7y6yXEuRAyFZjp48SbCLd-Phn9UknpraybWnZTw3cKdfj6l3cAOfQXiYD4oVBlaW8tFRiWCagj-1ENPlrNvo/s1600/Yell+Hooded+Bbird-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5UVIUHZ5m7x-48MXcenx6hQ_h6mP1TFIv3KAwuS2mbxNuIymYFPF0QZ7y6yXEuRAyFZjp48SbCLd-Phn9UknpraybWnZTw3cKdfj6l3cAOfQXiYD4oVBlaW8tFRiWCagj-1ENPlrNvo/s200/Yell+Hooded+Bbird-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-hooded Blackbird, Ag Stn</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 27th<br />
<br />
With no guide hired we pottered round near the guest-house with another couple (Steve and Jane) dodging heavy showers, not seeing much new but getting good views of Violaceous Trogon and Grey Hawk and a few photos both of pink and green dragons and also Blue-grey Tanager and stuff round the veranda feeders. Black Hawk over the valley was new from the veranda, while a sting from a single (fortunately) angry africanised honey bee was momenterily painful and sore. An early finish meant we scored tea and cake!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllxHnhI1Kpxs2uY5s8rEMO-1LnwKo3Bow6lJMTBKa99kHEpa18G03R0BuGYCbsn-67ej5YWT1meKs6Fmg6Jz9yQv3wew2rKXfuM5JIySxdbg2q1JoaLleC6YFeC4-S3KIqIXBLcKsDxA/s1600/Day+7+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllxHnhI1Kpxs2uY5s8rEMO-1LnwKo3Bow6lJMTBKa99kHEpa18G03R0BuGYCbsn-67ej5YWT1meKs6Fmg6Jz9yQv3wew2rKXfuM5JIySxdbg2q1JoaLleC6YFeC4-S3KIqIXBLcKsDxA/s200/Day+7+031.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pondhawk</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DzUbGELXO_VzkGrWo9ASwgwXAT5pt4kcTU_6gYsdOWwCzRBV0PTa9YoAZ2csubY4et9N4X1OjemE8JofV6TMJYVVPScRGWowMs6KRqgAsqk_x_VcKhhTy8hies7g2-wRJUqoMKBqw70/s1600/Day+7+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DzUbGELXO_VzkGrWo9ASwgwXAT5pt4kcTU_6gYsdOWwCzRBV0PTa9YoAZ2csubY4et9N4X1OjemE8JofV6TMJYVVPScRGWowMs6KRqgAsqk_x_VcKhhTy8hies7g2-wRJUqoMKBqw70/s200/Day+7+016.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carmine Skimmer</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 28th<br />
<br />
Transfer day to Asa Wright but before we went a Greater Black Hawk near Pax was a bonus. We managed a short walk along the discovery trail before the rain started which overnight became torrential, no fun in tin roofed accommodation. Sitting on the veranda was productive with a few new species and some excellent photo opportunities.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEDcFPiWtcobA0UZIRBmqUjjbjG0ACFfsxqRcdyelejK75ibQj6Aq6V9hyphenhyphenlNaoeR1OHT5Aa-sBanUQhetcBrS6Nb1xazXwHICBK4L0EeUhFZne9QrmPOvPzIJUUGaqpzWYiJWzo8gHTc/s1600/White+lined+Tanager+in+rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEDcFPiWtcobA0UZIRBmqUjjbjG0ACFfsxqRcdyelejK75ibQj6Aq6V9hyphenhyphenlNaoeR1OHT5Aa-sBanUQhetcBrS6Nb1xazXwHICBK4L0EeUhFZne9QrmPOvPzIJUUGaqpzWYiJWzo8gHTc/s200/White+lined+Tanager+in+rain.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-lined tanager in rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8ya05MgceSuhVGqcU-9r_CEkRKFPpyGLsTpGyELF8tnewrES6qpSEdZC-XKtvif_R_8-LXSDFeKfWA9a8IDxgsaAHfJPWrLcDMCfCQZcq5-lLod0QcvslJWpWpW8TQ9M8pWPcpr7Crw/s1600/White+necked+Jacobin-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8ya05MgceSuhVGqcU-9r_CEkRKFPpyGLsTpGyELF8tnewrES6qpSEdZC-XKtvif_R_8-LXSDFeKfWA9a8IDxgsaAHfJPWrLcDMCfCQZcq5-lLod0QcvslJWpWpW8TQ9M8pWPcpr7Crw/s200/White+necked+Jacobin-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-necked Jacobin</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 29th <br />
No let up in the torrential rain meant the oilbird cave visit as a bit tricky. We persevered though and had decent views of three birds – more were on view deeper in but the stream was swollen and neither of us fancied soaking feet crossing. The sun did eventually appear long enough to see Wattled Bellbirds after lunch, the excellent displaying White bearded Manikins and get caked in clay along one of the rather unkept trails. A real bonus was a Short-tailed Nighthawk flying up the valley last thing, as was the clearing weather which meant a better night's sleep.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEu4Av-kk_my84x2uJe1kWvVf815VNZs5X0vA_oji7YgAaQw4BjvTr6bS3AIHg8DcDcLQw_vcYMIjaTGjmB1eZCfVUsnXWawUD2o33tlpPySCkjsHnjJPH7zB-qOp_qmdgoubeRPVNPFg/s1600/Wattled+Bellbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEu4Av-kk_my84x2uJe1kWvVf815VNZs5X0vA_oji7YgAaQw4BjvTr6bS3AIHg8DcDcLQw_vcYMIjaTGjmB1eZCfVUsnXWawUD2o33tlpPySCkjsHnjJPH7zB-qOp_qmdgoubeRPVNPFg/s200/Wattled+Bellbird.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wattled Bellbird</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK62gaY6pjkuXMiRi-RIogJkUT21UeTut2rryd8LAyw7zNwhzy1M9Te4WSxePKTV0U-TqZ3aGNR4l488P4NGOmLhlLfxWuQuaI-WaMgn3CG9XIlJGp9n83StfMLUtKjEpc6Wouw7vqI0/s1600/White+bearded+Manikin-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK62gaY6pjkuXMiRi-RIogJkUT21UeTut2rryd8LAyw7zNwhzy1M9Te4WSxePKTV0U-TqZ3aGNR4l488P4NGOmLhlLfxWuQuaI-WaMgn3CG9XIlJGp9n83StfMLUtKjEpc6Wouw7vqI0/s200/White+bearded+Manikin-3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White bearded Manikin</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 30th<br />
<br />
With nothing planned we strolled around, seeing both local woodcreepers again but not much else, while the night walk was also quiet, just a couple of tarantula species and a few creepies but no owls.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskICFPcVP8TwnysEShcJKIR1yldt7qWIAaP17pz_S3MomVfdAX8ZfwoDp_HXSLzZG_b-ZfNwQGo9DeerB-oAg7iiNabH235V7_7dwPNkXdyugDaiFqvKSI_PIlsExxFvLq4HqYJgr60k/s1600/Asa+wright+days+2+%2526+3+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskICFPcVP8TwnysEShcJKIR1yldt7qWIAaP17pz_S3MomVfdAX8ZfwoDp_HXSLzZG_b-ZfNwQGo9DeerB-oAg7iiNabH235V7_7dwPNkXdyugDaiFqvKSI_PIlsExxFvLq4HqYJgr60k/s200/Asa+wright+days+2+%2526+3+023.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical flowers, Asa Wright</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XwJhmOdktVvnDsfctRvwhHqQ-hVF_S1ubUStO0Sw93nPMppGaD36-1vm7yuDY0oTyvmRlQyUOjn2NorP9Dyz1bQmyV8207uEkeccPxrjU1fIhZFtMpvlWOa1Bl31YGXonzfptYVZa_w/s1600/Asa+wright+days+2+%2526+3+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XwJhmOdktVvnDsfctRvwhHqQ-hVF_S1ubUStO0Sw93nPMppGaD36-1vm7yuDY0oTyvmRlQyUOjn2NorP9Dyz1bQmyV8207uEkeccPxrjU1fIhZFtMpvlWOa1Bl31YGXonzfptYVZa_w/s200/Asa+wright+days+2+%2526+3+038.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damselfly, Asa Wright</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>31st<br />
<br />
Transfer day to Tobago meant sitting around the airport for 2 hours waiting for a 20 minute flight, then a long transfer along windy roads to Blue Waters, which was well worth it. Set in an idyllic bay with tropic birds and brown boobies flying past and green turtles swimming off the beach, the resort is pretty nice though the food was disappointing and expensive. Rufous-vented Chacalacas are fun if a little noisy. We met the famous Newton George in the evening to arrange our next day's birding.<br />
<br />
1st February<br />
<br />
Up and away at 6.00am for a good mornings birding along the Gilpin Trace, personal highlightys being Blue-backed Manakin and the endangered White-tailed Sabrewing. The best bird was however a pigeon found on the way back, Scaley-naped, still regarded as a vagrant on the islands though NG has seen them before. One odd thing, few butterflies and no dragonflies seen at all, so maybe the neatly strimmed verges are treated with insecticide to keep the reported mossie problem at bay.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmGfB9ilsBBfDRVzF9ZhzEYavV5NhIWj4Q2GkTlFsiNlEsSoNmyYsMbU33FJjLk3y__AJRrJTEoo8LZZvcj9z55gpSjxuGe8fElUuj5UztIIwOx_-WCB-ZiKzugvG_R2KNq7vAWrl1SA/s1600/Tobago+days+1+%2526+2+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmGfB9ilsBBfDRVzF9ZhzEYavV5NhIWj4Q2GkTlFsiNlEsSoNmyYsMbU33FJjLk3y__AJRrJTEoo8LZZvcj9z55gpSjxuGe8fElUuj5UztIIwOx_-WCB-ZiKzugvG_R2KNq7vAWrl1SA/s200/Tobago+days+1+%2526+2+011.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainforest, Gilpin Trace</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6CAxjcZrqlFb5s_5Ea_DCb7St48fr3bVCcXh5koIn4YVuxbKR86Vbg1iDfHr42fjipr7wQzPW6KkKI41gNcOEeDT4oiLxQ81cO-rYfRf7UmpMu4aiIo9oeQhpaLNaaEiE2qi6cfNcjs/s1600/Blue+backed+Manikin-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6CAxjcZrqlFb5s_5Ea_DCb7St48fr3bVCcXh5koIn4YVuxbKR86Vbg1iDfHr42fjipr7wQzPW6KkKI41gNcOEeDT4oiLxQ81cO-rYfRf7UmpMu4aiIo9oeQhpaLNaaEiE2qi6cfNcjs/s200/Blue+backed+Manikin-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-backed Manikin</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 2nd <br />
The day started well with a breakfast tick, Red-footed Booby in the bay. After breakfast a walk through the nearest village, Speyside produced several Caribbean Martins, a couple of Yellow-crowned Night Herons and our first Tobago dragonflies, while a walk up the track above the resort after lunch produced several butterflies, a Ruby Topaz, Brown-crested Flycatcher and two of yesterday's ticks, White-streaked Antwren and Scrub Greenlet.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_K4dFwuVzSNRk3Axe5hHIcPJBwDTF3MZahLi5Gdu8cUyRJo6k1Wrr3M3OyEcN4Tm5LvmXSBU3P8N1JLHDXi7QX6iaN3gOf_FuBSkI3nZDA9vCTX3lN8ASQm1cZcU7S26zb2IenmKYTos/s1600/Tobago+days+1+%2526+2+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_K4dFwuVzSNRk3Axe5hHIcPJBwDTF3MZahLi5Gdu8cUyRJo6k1Wrr3M3OyEcN4Tm5LvmXSBU3P8N1JLHDXi7QX6iaN3gOf_FuBSkI3nZDA9vCTX3lN8ASQm1cZcU7S26zb2IenmKYTos/s200/Tobago+days+1+%2526+2+038.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue dragons, Speyside</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg6-EwPGd_1BidrxC1ez2R1S3UuttYad0zW8TVVut93lohXls_F6QeN_oigiNV1Li7k-HqrkLYF9bcMTMDXRst2NWQRRAqE1jG_rFcJ6dBgJO2KVbrpq_1k-SvkWLw9XhJc1PvZg1Mqk/s1600/Y+C+Night+Heron-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg6-EwPGd_1BidrxC1ez2R1S3UuttYad0zW8TVVut93lohXls_F6QeN_oigiNV1Li7k-HqrkLYF9bcMTMDXRst2NWQRRAqE1jG_rFcJ6dBgJO2KVbrpq_1k-SvkWLw9XhJc1PvZg1Mqk/s200/Y+C+Night+Heron-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow crowned Night Heron, Speyside</td></tr>
</tbody></table> 3rd<br />
<br />
We took the bus into Scarborough, which was interesting but not birdy. We did manage Eared Dove in the botanical gardens as well as Red crowned Woodpecker while a flock of 50 or so Royal Terns on the harbour entrance was a bonus but little other reward for 1 ½ hours each way on a bus.<br />
<br />
4th<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE5N_xESyWepBCVuV8ToogCnY-b5Q2XiVOU0wQHbUaqMfc-1c3pcRJWCVGLl5XYziXMSHkl1Z8-WGaAE5giWQCXECwhjVIrlWWYpsPJwEdMdPPQk_6OjtY2HN4tvJQPrNnjQ1xuas0LU/s1600/tob+day+4+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE5N_xESyWepBCVuV8ToogCnY-b5Q2XiVOU0wQHbUaqMfc-1c3pcRJWCVGLl5XYziXMSHkl1Z8-WGaAE5giWQCXECwhjVIrlWWYpsPJwEdMdPPQk_6OjtY2HN4tvJQPrNnjQ1xuas0LU/s320/tob+day+4+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning, Bluewaters </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Home day prefaced by a walk up behind the resort in windy conditions, as a result there were few birds and fewer butterflies. After that a long taxi ride and a BA flight which left early but waited the extra time on Antigua before the transatlantic flight home to a windy but dry and mild Gatwick.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-56346099082051626322011-01-14T09:46:00.000+00:002011-01-14T09:46:49.449+00:00Jan 13 2011Cley<br />
Perhaps the best record was early on as I left the house when an almost certain Marsh Tit was calling up the road, my second probable recent record of this now major local rarity. It would be good to pin one down.<br />
<br />
In clearing weather first stop was Salthouse but no sign of the Snow Bunts, just a Marsh Harrier and a Red breasted Merganser in the drain, plus the inevitable Turnstones on the shingle to photograph. Then East Bank where 10 Bewicks flew high east before I saw the American Wigeon again, plus a Whooper Swan on Popes which took affront at the hunting Marsh Harrier overhead.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsMXtCKoxL_xElWzCwInKOVin81KsH7X62E9tNAkuUNeCsoh-37RrbObcW8_0D5HW2BPgu6kWkkko5Bmc-nERjxly_1gN_UwT0TOo1I4kZCX1UeGjXgNuV1Q5IF8Tzovc_ezcr3kD5LI/s1600/_MG_0172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsMXtCKoxL_xElWzCwInKOVin81KsH7X62E9tNAkuUNeCsoh-37RrbObcW8_0D5HW2BPgu6kWkkko5Bmc-nERjxly_1gN_UwT0TOo1I4kZCX1UeGjXgNuV1Q5IF8Tzovc_ezcr3kD5LI/s320/_MG_0172.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turnstone Salthouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Then Cley where I was leading a Birds for Beginners walk. Happily there was plenty to see with several thousand Pinkfeet in the area plus hundreds of Golden Plover, 40 or so Ruff and a decent variety of dabbling ducks making a pleasant change from recent walks with frozen lagoons. There was also the novel experience of having a reporter from <em>Anglia Afloat</em> along! <br />
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After a fruitless visit to the coast a final visit to West Runton found the regular Med Gull alive and well if looking a little stir-crazy on its post, then back home for a spot of pond cleaning.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55eElQZU9opRQ8don_7dWk5RSygkS8DX34np1PsQvR9yUvnRRIwOQ7nGa2vRNIJAAr72AVaJ9xtOKff62XCfUA9a1vdDiNNOC0lVUx734wEm__1VoSIEfcCJRf7xzViFNOpwwuJLT1Xo/s1600/_MG_0185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55eElQZU9opRQ8don_7dWk5RSygkS8DX34np1PsQvR9yUvnRRIwOQ7nGa2vRNIJAAr72AVaJ9xtOKff62XCfUA9a1vdDiNNOC0lVUx734wEm__1VoSIEfcCJRf7xzViFNOpwwuJLT1Xo/s320/_MG_0185.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adult Med Gull, West Runton</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-56845536840911418622011-01-11T15:14:00.000+00:002011-01-11T15:14:36.004+00:0010th Jan 2011Spent a couple of hours in the company of the U3A digital photography club at Wells East Quay doing some non-nature photography, which makes a change. The lunchtime sunshine helped to brighten otherwise flat light and mopst of us got shots which were worth it, just!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vCiYbSFi4aK39UJL8YmBwEcR05M2ZwchTelVIcJ6xfrWBw_nGUrd-Gf7Fr3jRCqGbmsASh9CyJ3u5Fgmus9f_w1wIHtyI_3t5ESFc3PVWDAQCUSV1KL40c6F2JqrQJgEb2x0Xs_XbJ0/s1600/IMG_0702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vCiYbSFi4aK39UJL8YmBwEcR05M2ZwchTelVIcJ6xfrWBw_nGUrd-Gf7Fr3jRCqGbmsASh9CyJ3u5Fgmus9f_w1wIHtyI_3t5ESFc3PVWDAQCUSV1KL40c6F2JqrQJgEb2x0Xs_XbJ0/s400/IMG_0702.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curlew, Wells Quay</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I couldn't resist taking an opportune snap of this Curlew though, even it does prove the point that bird photography requires more patience than I've got. Bring on the orchids, butterflies and other insects of summer.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-9482709255700958462011-01-11T15:05:00.000+00:002011-01-11T15:05:57.566+00:009th Jan 2011<div style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"></div><br />
A beautiful, sunny if b****y cold day saw me setting off west for a full day birding the coast. First stop Wells where a redhead Smew had been joined by a redhead Goosander, while a flock of blobs on the football pitch along the entrance road turned into Grey Partridge, an unexpected bonus!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXe82MkDOAh46vKYBEn-c7uBPSX-4Pwa58pKGn1PAciAOf6Pb_wQKrv0D2BxkZHLStbPc4N8LoFM1j9c5Ldt7lg9M5gnFsrhdM7YHGpafn2T2keVGekaYgKTe3UALZjkwM0PSab_FNF8/s1600/20110109-_MG_0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXe82MkDOAh46vKYBEn-c7uBPSX-4Pwa58pKGn1PAciAOf6Pb_wQKrv0D2BxkZHLStbPc4N8LoFM1j9c5Ldt7lg9M5gnFsrhdM7YHGpafn2T2keVGekaYgKTe3UALZjkwM0PSab_FNF8/s200/20110109-_MG_0016.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curlew, Wells</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1xWQQBKkH8Qd94mjcHwgRCeBtkZGNk5jf89im9Om-ThuHA8Qbm_FLzvRQXPMgJYVEKSRRbPYQmZddHxYfdcbvHgZNW52KUz0d2FISTMUsf6nxx8EM1tCUIlvNab2DOI8tQB18MQOy54/s1600/20110109-_MG_0025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1xWQQBKkH8Qd94mjcHwgRCeBtkZGNk5jf89im9Om-ThuHA8Qbm_FLzvRQXPMgJYVEKSRRbPYQmZddHxYfdcbvHgZNW52KUz0d2FISTMUsf6nxx8EM1tCUIlvNab2DOI8tQB18MQOy54/s200/20110109-_MG_0025.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smew in sunshine</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Stopping at various sites along the main road produced Buzzard and Brambling but no Rough legs. Burnham Overy Staithe was quiet but Brancaster Staithe was much livelier with a few year tick waders such as Barwit and Ringed Plover as well a a bevy of photographers with lon lenses. Having decided not to get a 500mm lens last year I am happy with my Sigma 150-500, accepting that the results won't really compare, but then I only photograph birds when there's nothing better about so that's OK.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv66eizsOZ7y9esMXoYKOOSYV7MActAVsLTEO1GUlMUj1E8A9Va35JKXU7L2-d5pH45lXhN0JBhY-n6vxDxVmuVfICZhtgYQFNSGiBMkucH-xsVxB19Wic4oiVTD9bgAr2AKjOoPaUtUc/s1600/20110109-_MG_0046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv66eizsOZ7y9esMXoYKOOSYV7MActAVsLTEO1GUlMUj1E8A9Va35JKXU7L2-d5pH45lXhN0JBhY-n6vxDxVmuVfICZhtgYQFNSGiBMkucH-xsVxB19Wic4oiVTD9bgAr2AKjOoPaUtUc/s200/20110109-_MG_0046.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young Ringed Plover</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="145" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CEbOPxIIPckSi00ktNGmCclksGCzn8KKc8rx1i6Ui_5jcD-LDSfulwbtphm65Ir9AxKXyaEsq0Hw4Oseh4kFkZw27jx4qvqU4vzrZiDTFkuyn07SNCiXmfSGXd3NdygrIGs2A4rs_JY/s200/20110109-_MG_0071.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar-tailed Godwit</td></tr>
</tbody></table> An Iceland Gull at Thornham proved irresistable but ultimately elusive but the Northern Harrier flew through as did a flock of Twite while Blackwit and Spot Red showed well in the creek.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn35hoWoQhoIxX_cN3IsIfxUI3e0eGcKrrJHwyzW4BUGPd-WO8rLrf4XTo3tJv-BZj9ZnIf11ErfBNSGnI_BYAPEtWPa3yv8s01CdfXxMM6mTWoW5sDi0Yf47OZ-YAamLmzCXqd_a24C8/s1600/20110109-_MG_0118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn35hoWoQhoIxX_cN3IsIfxUI3e0eGcKrrJHwyzW4BUGPd-WO8rLrf4XTo3tJv-BZj9ZnIf11ErfBNSGnI_BYAPEtWPa3yv8s01CdfXxMM6mTWoW5sDi0Yf47OZ-YAamLmzCXqd_a24C8/s200/20110109-_MG_0118.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-tailed Godwit</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeBaCsCw316004NbYMbxqXcBQkKZ3G75YvqjDtxhHX35YW9AjlujAqK79Bcy8T8JXb_KAT5c7UGGqghX8-IyiVnUd5FhXanKZuWrn3SQW3D4enr6VSEEGse51JwV4R4_EHSjzPBm2704/s1600/20110109-_MG_0140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeBaCsCw316004NbYMbxqXcBQkKZ3G75YvqjDtxhHX35YW9AjlujAqK79Bcy8T8JXb_KAT5c7UGGqghX8-IyiVnUd5FhXanKZuWrn3SQW3D4enr6VSEEGse51JwV4R4_EHSjzPBm2704/s200/20110109-_MG_0140.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Redshank</td></tr>
</tbody></table> After a couple of hours the prospect of hot soup at Titchwell got the better of me, so stopping only to admire the adult Whooper Swan near the entrance track I managed to find both a parking space and a seat for long enough to finsih before news of the Iceland came through again, this time at Brancaster. Still no sign though but a distant Rough-leg over Scolt Head was a bonus, even if views were brief through bins, as was a fly-through ringtail Hen Harrier for sub specific comparison. After that, back home in the fading light with stacks of Pinkfeet over the road at Holkkham. Not a bad day especially with 71/2 species of raptor under the belt!Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-80393855727138307642011-01-07T17:36:00.000+00:002011-01-07T17:36:09.740+00:007th Jan 2011<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Good day to head west! Having started in reasonable conditions, by the time I reached Wells Harbour (3 R B Mergs, 4 Lt Grebes and not much else) it was bucketing down. Happily I could dive out the car at the boating pool (Abrahams bosom!?) straight under a tree to see the 2 smew</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_VT2Ka1ntOdsMN6lVQR8iUvxrmSgFEmN-UrLy7WXOeauoqRBo4Qr17wpfHHuhIlQYhp-_lOTYHfxaG9cyNULNNDiq5Te5gNHODVgosQZzSQaNdOtpcT42hNB0pMfUMtcPlAxhFViGXI/s1600/Smew+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_VT2Ka1ntOdsMN6lVQR8iUvxrmSgFEmN-UrLy7WXOeauoqRBo4Qr17wpfHHuhIlQYhp-_lOTYHfxaG9cyNULNNDiq5Te5gNHODVgosQZzSQaNdOtpcT42hNB0pMfUMtcPlAxhFViGXI/s320/Smew+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redhead in the rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table> An hour at Holkham failed to produce any Rough-legs, so I came home, just in time for the rain to stop.<br />
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Maybe tomorrow!Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-20372963345419676222011-01-06T15:10:00.000+00:002011-01-06T15:10:38.644+00:00Of Bugs birds and the New YearJust my luck. Having not had any real illness since we retired here 4 years ago, 2 come along at once!<br />
A walk round Cley on 30th Dec to shake off a virus from over Xmas was interesting with Water Rail, Purple Sand and Lap Bunt (west over Arnolds) while Arnolds itself had healthy numbers of waders - would have been superb in the autumn like that!<br />
New Year came with a potter up the coast to Cley followed by fireworks at Cromer and a gathering of friends at home. The next day started well with 8 waxwings dropping in at Sidestrand but went downhill rapidly with the sudden onset of winter vomiting virus, followed by several days confined to in front of the TV when not asleep. I did manage to get to see the American Wigeon courtesy of my wife today so now I've got one on my county list I don't have to fret too much again.<br />
Hopefully more fully out and about tomorrow and I may even find the camera to take with meGreg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-18626979495491063442010-12-19T09:17:00.000+00:002010-12-19T09:17:33.530+00:00More snow!! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQd6YapjLXm39ru43jv_k08KzDayJLLswD6ZUTwQihOFP2Qk8qDmY6C_PRt-crybhyHCTT9I4AztODm2rispncbDSNvuu5T16vuVgW_0BZsUk7aVF1nfJtyA6hOegvabEPnsCPt4RPMM/s1600/20101218-_MG_4432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQd6YapjLXm39ru43jv_k08KzDayJLLswD6ZUTwQihOFP2Qk8qDmY6C_PRt-crybhyHCTT9I4AztODm2rispncbDSNvuu5T16vuVgW_0BZsUk7aVF1nfJtyA6hOegvabEPnsCPt4RPMM/s320/20101218-_MG_4432.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy footpath</td></tr>
</tbody></table>18th December 2010<br />
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A walk towards Northrepps in the morning after the previous evenings snow produced few birds with the highlights a flock of Skylarks. However, it did give me a chance to add some snow shots to the photo catalogue, puzzle over what were probably stoat footprints alongside the rabbits and walk off breakfast!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3yYnd1WpBeHU9E2IWUsmLKqWSfzDYCX24zq58cpifZgEogvU-v8ka1LzmqF5DIz1HIZGPvx7W1Rj_V11P7as_Ye7vmdcQqW9tGgPoOdQ_qYluDarFweVYUfbPnYEiv34O2jxiOGf2VY/s1600/20101218-_MG_4423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3yYnd1WpBeHU9E2IWUsmLKqWSfzDYCX24zq58cpifZgEogvU-v8ka1LzmqF5DIz1HIZGPvx7W1Rj_V11P7as_Ye7vmdcQqW9tGgPoOdQ_qYluDarFweVYUfbPnYEiv34O2jxiOGf2VY/s320/20101218-_MG_4423.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sycamore bank behind us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-28659556857466753012010-12-17T14:37:00.026+00:002010-12-17T15:15:57.989+00:00New Zealand<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImeDY0qMJPneXB-YeqkBC6Hil7jnf-ppDrXZofviLt2bMWhzJKtA8P7DNWsUwTdWiszSjVn8W1QMQYDORhcjo2znDER79QIpTCsyM7AVQOlUUKiq84_tL74Du_IUNPMWmywgMfEzcsGY/s1600/Fox-Wanaka+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA86lYeXLc24wUxzgS8JncnDRhgNmcpUfh0ILmb3Q9VtIZ9q6LnssrMeuihlQdW_lttqNij6nqu2_qWdkkW03d7KCYfsQI8SxeirGRLU7slNu791-Og6hw2Qb5hWj0GRfrI_jNL9xets/s1600/_MG_3576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA86lYeXLc24wUxzgS8JncnDRhgNmcpUfh0ILmb3Q9VtIZ9q6LnssrMeuihlQdW_lttqNij6nqu2_qWdkkW03d7KCYfsQI8SxeirGRLU7slNu791-Og6hw2Qb5hWj0GRfrI_jNL9xets/s320/_MG_3576.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aukland by night</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFWK78fT9CY7MP6tNO8xXRWxNcIX50V-uqZnQo1N8JGziQXB3sN-_6vIenQ1c8TmpRu6WferNscJ5eK4hKS-ZwnbyxxYSfasu3KhoLNT8RrAFlR8lxVc59Vj34KcdjGtBZNkNEUTVlTQ/s1600/Fox-Wanaka+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; height: 173px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 201px;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImeDY0qMJPneXB-YeqkBC6Hil7jnf-ppDrXZofviLt2bMWhzJKtA8P7DNWsUwTdWiszSjVn8W1QMQYDORhcjo2znDER79QIpTCsyM7AVQOlUUKiq84_tL74Du_IUNPMWmywgMfEzcsGY/s200/Fox-Wanaka+003.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fox Glacier</td></tr>
</tbody></table> So, New Zealand. This was more a family holiday but we navigated our way round using birding sites/areas as destinations – Tiri Island, Miranda, Cook Strait, Kaikoura, Arthurs Pass, Fox Glacier, Stewart Island and Dunedin for example, plus a bit of culture and wine - Rotorua and Hawkes Bay. November is the peak of the landbird breeding season but we managed most things except Yellowhead and anything which needed effort, like Kiwis.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Tiri was great. The conservation bodies have done a fantastic job but they are a bit overly cautious about reintroducing predators – asking people to check their hand bags for stoats seems a bit OTT. We day visited but still missed Brown Teal and the crake, the island having been taken over by several schools. We were however lucky to see Kokako, most of the local birds having been retrapped and shipped out to avoid in breeding. Greg the Takahe raised the question of what you tick or don’t, not a question I’m prepared to answer! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmiQ0ZsUk0b2fQf4HeAPHqgkZNY50O8sYO2JKq7mg5Tt8y6Z0z4BqhEF0uPa6M4zGwL5VsBvOyxcbBVgxMcm2Q3Vb5HYp9BZLdCJ32FovA3qP5N2nXAIvXRSZF9sg-1NUZMm8iWtj2Qs/s1600/Miranda+and+Rotorua+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmiQ0ZsUk0b2fQf4HeAPHqgkZNY50O8sYO2JKq7mg5Tt8y6Z0z4BqhEF0uPa6M4zGwL5VsBvOyxcbBVgxMcm2Q3Vb5HYp9BZLdCJ32FovA3qP5N2nXAIvXRSZF9sg-1NUZMm8iWtj2Qs/s320/Miranda+and+Rotorua+015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Black Shags, Rotorua</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
Lots of other landbirds proved tricky. For example we didn’t see either Tom-tit or Rifleman on the North island, the only Wekas we saw were on the road side in Fjordland (and not on Stewart Island – surprise) and even Brown Creeper proved tough. Tuis and Bellbirds were pretty common though, as were the hordes of European birds, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Redpolls, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Dunnocks, Yellowhammers, Starlings, House Sparrows being just about everywhere. Obviously the New Zealand farming regimes are more sympathetic than the methods our own “guardians of the countryside” employ!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TLGlSdyFuTHK-YmzQ8Viu7SmrF49Vu5-qf39FJdBfeA2fMTscgRa6ya-ln2Rk3Lv0aQVNtdGD3JwmCOUpe5duzmhEKxCGW3iHbEtADcHD0vVd9hKz5lmhIfSzz0oZgGNMbhYKlW_P_o/s1600/Kaikoura+and+Christchurch+%2528Travis+wetland%2529+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TLGlSdyFuTHK-YmzQ8Viu7SmrF49Vu5-qf39FJdBfeA2fMTscgRa6ya-ln2Rk3Lv0aQVNtdGD3JwmCOUpe5duzmhEKxCGW3iHbEtADcHD0vVd9hKz5lmhIfSzz0oZgGNMbhYKlW_P_o/s320/Kaikoura+and+Christchurch+%2528Travis+wetland%2529+011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaikoura</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxdAjF2IdaBvnHUNG-6_HVg8PTPHG0vV4FIeY9crQVH4b6HFDx3C3j3C946AmAgHSq-NzIqFGzpKjPE7g6zbkB-IxOzO1RzvTvaqvAYdMzvsLA_Y4Do26hQ7K-e8Za1p_5do2g595Izk/s1600/Fox-Wanaka+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxdAjF2IdaBvnHUNG-6_HVg8PTPHG0vV4FIeY9crQVH4b6HFDx3C3j3C946AmAgHSq-NzIqFGzpKjPE7g6zbkB-IxOzO1RzvTvaqvAYdMzvsLA_Y4Do26hQ7K-e8Za1p_5do2g595Izk/s320/Fox-Wanaka+020.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braided river system, South Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFWK78fT9CY7MP6tNO8xXRWxNcIX50V-uqZnQo1N8JGziQXB3sN-_6vIenQ1c8TmpRu6WferNscJ5eK4hKS-ZwnbyxxYSfasu3KhoLNT8RrAFlR8lxVc59Vj34KcdjGtBZNkNEUTVlTQ/s320/Fox-Wanaka+030.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Wanaka, South Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Seabirds are fantastic and you don’t really need to go offshore for some of them. Although we saw a lot from the Cook Strait ferry we also saw two races of Shy Albatross off Shag Pt and a “Gibsons” Wandering Albatross off Kaikoura headland as well as the Otago peninsular Northern Royals on the breeding colony. We’d recommend a visit to “Penguin Place” on Otago from mid afternoon to see Yellow-eyeds coming and going and its only a short hop from the albatrosses, which can usually be seen from the carpark. The ferry to Stewart Island goes a bit fast for real seabird watching but was still pretty good, particularly for diving petrels, though the crossing can be really rough.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElz7wZXZFtEtt8n0yR-l2IlnkSF9U4EhlhibzGg7lnEHiosht3PrnL0MnFBuQyfVVftKtDkQjd_pIaMNgEvK1iv-mrZjI5tJBX_cMVhliMp1dy00w5a6tpcuBGZ2UJ9uqEBJs_8HcU24/s1600/Keas+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElz7wZXZFtEtt8n0yR-l2IlnkSF9U4EhlhibzGg7lnEHiosht3PrnL0MnFBuQyfVVftKtDkQjd_pIaMNgEvK1iv-mrZjI5tJBX_cMVhliMp1dy00w5a6tpcuBGZ2UJ9uqEBJs_8HcU24/s320/Keas+013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kea, Arthurs Pass</td></tr>
</tbody></table> As to the country itself? Well the people are really friendly, prices are similar to UK except petrol which is half price and the scenery ranges from old-style English pastoral – cows, sheep, deer in grassy meadows, to worrying, with what looks like over-grazing and subsequent erosion, to truly fantastic, especially around Kaikora and Milford Sound on South Island. If you are going, take a camera!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0gJli6n_maIogH0hWeMiAI8HYOlYYIcyzTIXPCK8AgucO9arYT_VDDutftaO42apSs9Fn22d0Jk5RRAf1k67ePznR2OEjdUy_RwbnIZpL38NFyYhsmha2wLGcVwh0rE2V0wINDPerHI/s1600/Fox+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0gJli6n_maIogH0hWeMiAI8HYOlYYIcyzTIXPCK8AgucO9arYT_VDDutftaO42apSs9Fn22d0Jk5RRAf1k67ePznR2OEjdUy_RwbnIZpL38NFyYhsmha2wLGcVwh0rE2V0wINDPerHI/s320/Fox+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fern bank, South Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table> </div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="209" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJfG2bieWXq4JBuBtbYPef7cbvbM7DDhTdMpBZT9wgolMrlChJd4HhcSwLB0OihDIgznOGIhCOtjDGjc5VEKfd2nqMaUCbB3RCPbr-4Xt3ohj83A02Hy-tzFaFbMW1k7rG1Y82E_Qgb0/s320/Dunedin+%2526+Otago+028.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Royal Albatross and Red-billed Gull, Otago</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJfG2bieWXq4JBuBtbYPef7cbvbM7DDhTdMpBZT9wgolMrlChJd4HhcSwLB0OihDIgznOGIhCOtjDGjc5VEKfd2nqMaUCbB3RCPbr-4Xt3ohj83A02Hy-tzFaFbMW1k7rG1Y82E_Qgb0/s1600/Dunedin+%2526+Otago+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJfG2bieWXq4JBuBtbYPef7cbvbM7DDhTdMpBZT9wgolMrlChJd4HhcSwLB0OihDIgznOGIhCOtjDGjc5VEKfd2nqMaUCbB3RCPbr-4Xt3ohj83A02Hy-tzFaFbMW1k7rG1Y82E_Qgb0/s1600/Dunedin+%2526+Otago+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV0lFboSlzQRbJvdBp0SVRzZ1uhW9VRdsSFw8Abh7Mo5fERf2FmEWyhm8kzUymgbQvHJwepDEx1p8NXMmPnK9uJyEmSKHdnnC1RWGsKpxIppCuyXI6XsKKeDdDGkmFzNSK4KQP8FkNqc/s1600/Dunedin+%2526+Otago+085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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</div></a>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-43097173457457879992010-12-16T16:07:00.000+00:002010-12-16T16:07:25.382+00:00Cley 16th Dec 2010A pretty awful day almost waiting for the promised ice storm. Not much around the reserve of note excpt a Whooper swan flying round with Mutes, lots of Pinks early on and a presumed Ross's Goose with Greylags, no doubt from Kelling. the hunt goes on for the high Arctic gulls!Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-1679688337114382732010-12-16T16:01:00.000+00:002010-12-16T16:01:50.955+00:00Last few daysOn Sunday it seemed about time to catch up with the Northern Harrier, but I first stopped at the triangle at Burnham Overy Staithe looking for Rough-legs. No sign but a very pale Common Buzzard got the assembled birders going briefly, as did a weird harrier, rufous below, dark above with grey on outer upper wings and no obvious white rump which came out from Holkham and set off for Burnham Norton. No diea at all and no chance for photos so this could remain a mystery.<br />
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On to Titchwell just in time to miss the apparent Northern Harrier at midday. Lots odf stuff to see ther whilst waiting, including Water Pipit, Whoopers and a couple of Spot Reds. the Harrier eventually showed well but looked a bit odd - I've now been told its got a broken leg.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWsx7GIdwoXRV_np-JuI6U1xiW_rfWHV-r2xGD-Jl03RooPaAK9QvXD-r748hW2zJLucpT3bY327qzg9lipBCNJQNVNqC6DOsiwfun1CQXK4C0qubHfGF9iJZfqShGsqRi3QDksNGlMQ/s1600/20101212-_MG_4385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWsx7GIdwoXRV_np-JuI6U1xiW_rfWHV-r2xGD-Jl03RooPaAK9QvXD-r748hW2zJLucpT3bY327qzg9lipBCNJQNVNqC6DOsiwfun1CQXK4C0qubHfGF9iJZfqShGsqRi3QDksNGlMQ/s320/20101212-_MG_4385.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjet_1aQDjjQ1B8_Z4bNwIn5KKSqBnFWch8wW4WkOhQbjle3AMC4niuWJmfCsHYeoe1TECLYeDp5JHFt3p6dAUZ3_Tiw310Pqr2Hq9PZbf1PSmk-agDmkxRfXiI1Hzxq-sozQtNDMsUw/s1600/20101212-_MG_4402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjet_1aQDjjQ1B8_Z4bNwIn5KKSqBnFWch8wW4WkOhQbjle3AMC4niuWJmfCsHYeoe1TECLYeDp5JHFt3p6dAUZ3_Tiw310Pqr2Hq9PZbf1PSmk-agDmkxRfXiI1Hzxq-sozQtNDMsUw/s320/20101212-_MG_4402.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Again, no shots but I retrieved the camera from the car for robins in the car park and sunset at Burnham mill, both slightly tweaked.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-5325381106203499602010-12-14T15:31:00.001+00:002010-12-20T11:42:04.429+00:00Autumn 2010Back from nearly a month in New Zealand, returning to cold weather, waxwings and an apparent Northern Harrier at Thornham. The blog got kinda forgotten in the autumn with so much going on locally and across Norfolk generally. Patch-wise I only saw Yellow broweds, a wryneck, a Monties in-off, the Cromer Red backed Shrike and some nice seabirds including both storm petrel spp, a couple of long-tailed skuasand sooty shears, a grey phal or two and a smattering of poms. I didn't catch up with Andy B's probable Citrine and the Bluetail at Trimingham was suppressed from all of us locally by a well-known Norfolk birder who doubtless had his reasons.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUryaAyoLyJC_Z3tWr1AZuPWo1aVhs4PMmWp9ra9ICDVoo8z6EtGaCyDKZvyLiZD9jhYKbMrCT8B1_UUmryD7rBB6uQJijmMwkK__34hIGcK665_SURhKzUgFNPpa79gktpw_Prn34WGg/s1600/RFB+20101011-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUryaAyoLyJC_Z3tWr1AZuPWo1aVhs4PMmWp9ra9ICDVoo8z6EtGaCyDKZvyLiZD9jhYKbMrCT8B1_UUmryD7rBB6uQJijmMwkK__34hIGcK665_SURhKzUgFNPpa79gktpw_Prn34WGg/s320/RFB+20101011-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBc97Ra3sokryaqJeXDphfeKoy1N03UcW1EcatwIqM9fXXxYS9hHa9_CoPhYJx3UO0kjkCHGfPmzNl_72x6elYQFRuZwFAAhreuPY17H39I1BHmVTl7nvVuhfNHkar0ZCqE2OJ0VPJ6w/s1600/RFB+back20101011-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBc97Ra3sokryaqJeXDphfeKoy1N03UcW1EcatwIqM9fXXxYS9hHa9_CoPhYJx3UO0kjkCHGfPmzNl_72x6elYQFRuZwFAAhreuPY17H39I1BHmVTl7nvVuhfNHkar0ZCqE2OJ0VPJ6w/s320/RFB+back20101011-.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluetail, Weybourne</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I did venture out a bit seeing Arctic and Barred warblers at Holme, Bluetail at Weybourne, the BOS Pallas's (how did they find each other) a couple of Richards and GG Shrikes at Sheringham and of course the empid flycatcher - my boots took a week to dry out but I think (!) it was worth it. Cley was mostly subdued during my visits there but the American Golden Plover was good and a bit of encouragement to check the local fields. Not being a great bird photographer and finding their insistence in standing at the front tiresome I didn't get any shots of worth but I'll break out the old gear and give it a go again.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-31646848721631052982010-08-10T12:01:00.000+01:002010-08-10T12:01:56.012+01:00Happy wanderingsJust back from 3 weeks in France photographing orchids and butterflies in the Vercors and Alps. Amazing place but I now have 4,000 photos to sort through. Here' a couple of tasters though.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAF9gDQBFGW73TxSgVe2uxyNR-Y7cv8QPVTleYNOXzWi45Chx68Rqh9SgQ5KACTqjF-gd57J7YJiylDpNxEY54Kzh4x42t-Qfh9kFFX_P9ErZbsXoch1Lzx3Ok82rt8o-ybKntwbeXlg/s1600/Apollo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAF9gDQBFGW73TxSgVe2uxyNR-Y7cv8QPVTleYNOXzWi45Chx68Rqh9SgQ5KACTqjF-gd57J7YJiylDpNxEY54Kzh4x42t-Qfh9kFFX_P9ErZbsXoch1Lzx3Ok82rt8o-ybKntwbeXlg/s320/Apollo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apollo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcm03BxnbdWY9hqDwrz5xx0DrKWLz7ZzUb2EiQCmrn8Hkvg0hBVZoXY5bo-mBRJm5smsy3HPtmk8oiQ4RGMBQym01OXmgRFMQWQcsJDvFqnrE7BzQmoBCS6zITelY8kHe4704aaV6Dao0/s1600/Ghost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcm03BxnbdWY9hqDwrz5xx0DrKWLz7ZzUb2EiQCmrn8Hkvg0hBVZoXY5bo-mBRJm5smsy3HPtmk8oiQ4RGMBQym01OXmgRFMQWQcsJDvFqnrE7BzQmoBCS6zITelY8kHe4704aaV6Dao0/s320/Ghost.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghost Orchids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-26277429691248736362010-07-11T17:11:00.000+01:002010-07-11T17:11:27.780+01:00last month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Very little chance to do any posting recently as I've been preparing for an exhibit at Cley amongst other things. Mothing has been interesting with a couple of new species including Sand Dart and heavy catches in the muggy weather, both here and at Cley. Butterflies have been a bit thin but did include Swallowtails at How Hill and White-letter Hairstreaks locally<br />
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Sand Dart and Swallowtail<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjST1gIozBVVXuzMUKMuo7fffVi4CRNjJqp-OIsFj3FWMXcXl7eQ1RohfF3GEkQ0N5z7LqV-EoNNJyOnFwhPOhwYw0quu07HrMICtq-R-TfLlyVHuYZnUy-S4jMrnz0VUPgQbfn8HUvws/s1600/2093+Sand+Dart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjST1gIozBVVXuzMUKMuo7fffVi4CRNjJqp-OIsFj3FWMXcXl7eQ1RohfF3GEkQ0N5z7LqV-EoNNJyOnFwhPOhwYw0quu07HrMICtq-R-TfLlyVHuYZnUy-S4jMrnz0VUPgQbfn8HUvws/s320/2093+Sand+Dart.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvfXZo454QyoaNBoVmNoQv8aMx2NI5QtxMVFAgYu42iyAVa8SowbUh-ChKmuCpnXQgojDd4vpBopuTRhdo8mcAWk_lQ9RLNZA22-u-U7VxVeeXFuFm_jd7JPoM8DYz8JqJujuSu_aTPQ/s1600/20100625-IMG_1619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvfXZo454QyoaNBoVmNoQv8aMx2NI5QtxMVFAgYu42iyAVa8SowbUh-ChKmuCpnXQgojDd4vpBopuTRhdo8mcAWk_lQ9RLNZA22-u-U7VxVeeXFuFm_jd7JPoM8DYz8JqJujuSu_aTPQ/s320/20100625-IMG_1619.jpg" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-81488795160075501142010-06-15T16:25:00.001+01:002010-06-15T16:25:58.331+01:008th – 15th JuneGood numbers of moths still including an aberrant Heart and Dart and a selection of pesky pugs, Grey, Slender, Common and Green etc. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG-9WjVs6J-L7-bGyt-K8FZfcPokEtNjgMQ3boi6VMz6XynKldYMO2gmgD0_ftAlkja80fgczqjwcekD2Atkgq2r3hFTuBLlURMoRH3ZCE__jyA_ZoIP_ebD4_JewTuWVeAK84HdlquU/s1600/2089+Heart+and+Dart+aberrant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG-9WjVs6J-L7-bGyt-K8FZfcPokEtNjgMQ3boi6VMz6XynKldYMO2gmgD0_ftAlkja80fgczqjwcekD2Atkgq2r3hFTuBLlURMoRH3ZCE__jyA_ZoIP_ebD4_JewTuWVeAK84HdlquU/s200/2089+Heart+and+Dart+aberrant.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aberrant Heart and Dart</div><br />
Birds have been quiet though two Siskins through the garden is unusual for this time of year. I have however photographed two good plants, several of the 100+ Purple Broomrapes close to us and Fen Orchid in the Broads, the latter much wanted. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADn1trNvMCtKgabeLcYAVZih2-z7chjZXmIyRsJ-LrNskzZbZ-jlk03zONLVc2gSmmcysBun3Pwrf4L9YHBvOZnksptTr3CEleo79vhZ_LVIlbJ4uHsgDvexeHM32HFvWU5gRZwDbz6o/s1600/Fen+Orchid,+Upton+Fen+12+June+10-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADn1trNvMCtKgabeLcYAVZih2-z7chjZXmIyRsJ-LrNskzZbZ-jlk03zONLVc2gSmmcysBun3Pwrf4L9YHBvOZnksptTr3CEleo79vhZ_LVIlbJ4uHsgDvexeHM32HFvWU5gRZwDbz6o/s200/Fen+Orchid,+Upton+Fen+12+June+10-10.jpg" width="140" /></a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilI_plJ84auIVQdu30VNEtetVbx46h0nr-4qXl7ck46DmYfl1z_Ibyu2AzvyMd2hzgVOQSJ_aUZP1z9Wv4zPdwLDhzrJ6o3JbelIwE4Hq-8YzWpHTwYGa8iE3oxEl9y-N3TpHSllgKM0A/s1600/20100611-IMG_0181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilI_plJ84auIVQdu30VNEtetVbx46h0nr-4qXl7ck46DmYfl1z_Ibyu2AzvyMd2hzgVOQSJ_aUZP1z9Wv4zPdwLDhzrJ6o3JbelIwE4Hq-8YzWpHTwYGa8iE3oxEl9y-N3TpHSllgKM0A/s200/20100611-IMG_0181.jpg" width="133" /></a>Fen Orchid - left Purple Broomrape - right</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dragonflies have included Variable Damsel, Hairy and 4-spot Chaser while butterflies, though generally thin on the ground did include a Swallowtail,our first ever UK-photographed Brown Argus, plus a first Painted Lady of the year and a couple of second generation Brimstones.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F4xpe_M3W2XX9u6gvMLYbdv4RwP43i5CwaIGsipiv29YW0_pG9oGBs1RjPP3QpUQK4I-f-QpAl4OS3wjK3_fYg8QvElR6eIpRIwEOOmISaftFDqPBW2MuZi-8fyUjFE7UVAmKd6UoV0/s1600/Variable+damsel,+Upton+Fen+12+June+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F4xpe_M3W2XX9u6gvMLYbdv4RwP43i5CwaIGsipiv29YW0_pG9oGBs1RjPP3QpUQK4I-f-QpAl4OS3wjK3_fYg8QvElR6eIpRIwEOOmISaftFDqPBW2MuZi-8fyUjFE7UVAmKd6UoV0/s200/Variable+damsel,+Upton+Fen+12+June+2010.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Variable Damsel</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-52513850979448994732010-06-08T10:27:00.001+01:002010-06-10T15:25:28.214+01:001st - 8th June1st-8th June<br />
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A mixed bag of weather and lots of moths in the traps including record numbers of Heart and Dart, a few common migrants, our first ever White-pinion Spotted and Poplar Kitten and a couple of oddities which need a closer look. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57by57Q_A82FEW73E-b_rgqcs2YU6HwNwS1Q5TFVPKl0KotyI7pyOEFGyos8grGz-Kp-K8v8r-p7GrIpUSSukyaWfuKRC4XM4qlblwGAXhUoPpJap7H83nzsGlqbLGbQ8N3bcSTfKTCg/s1600/20100607-DSCN5991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57by57Q_A82FEW73E-b_rgqcs2YU6HwNwS1Q5TFVPKl0KotyI7pyOEFGyos8grGz-Kp-K8v8r-p7GrIpUSSukyaWfuKRC4XM4qlblwGAXhUoPpJap7H83nzsGlqbLGbQ8N3bcSTfKTCg/s320/20100607-DSCN5991.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White pinion spotted</div><br />
A trip to Hoveton Hall Gardens in warm sunshine on 4th got our first Norfolk Hawkers, 4-spot Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers and Emperors in UK as well as stacks of Azures and Large Reds, the latter also on our pond with a couple of BBCs. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LiLadnYY22xhzAdzLXtf5rnFXIuQppsfnjNfZYEZAAtZucETtuxL-4UydbgKGFYsM40WEEYyhYbgRqQBRCbc0HJMYG1pvkbL2B9aDYEWAavMMWKGVbq7GhQZx-4wCbpHDjcBb2SI5qY/s1600/20100604-IMG_1427-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LiLadnYY22xhzAdzLXtf5rnFXIuQppsfnjNfZYEZAAtZucETtuxL-4UydbgKGFYsM40WEEYyhYbgRqQBRCbc0HJMYG1pvkbL2B9aDYEWAavMMWKGVbq7GhQZx-4wCbpHDjcBb2SI5qY/s320/20100604-IMG_1427-2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Teneral Black tailed Skimmer</div><br />
Birds have been interesting – I finally twitched the Cley Trumpeter Finch on its last day, didn’t do the Black winged Stilts but did make an evening dash to Cley last night for a new for Norfolk Blue-winged Teal and a bonus Spoonbill.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-16526609217629415092010-06-08T10:23:00.000+01:002010-06-08T10:23:08.539+01:00Portugal 201015th May<br />
<br />
Arrived in Vilamoura in the western Algarve, knackered after up at 1.00 am and drive to Stansted. A painless flight with Easijet helped a bit though.<br />
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Walked round complex, saw little except Purple heron leaving the Villamoura park which now seems unkempt and almost derelict with the pond fenced off and developers signs up. No dragons, no phot'able butterflies<br />
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16th<br />
<br />
First visit to the Salgados lagoon which was full but had been recently drained (again) so no Purple gallinuless, just 300+ flamingos, 15 Spoonbills, some dunlin, sanderling etc. Dragons included the rare Dark spreadwing (Lestes.macrostigma) mating in the dense, damp sedges, Iberian Bluetails and the odd Emperoer and Scarlet darter.<br />
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Next to the Rib de Boina, along the Monchique road. Excellent. Stopped north of the motorway bridge where there were Golden Orioles, 2 RR swallows, Little Ringed Plover, Nightingale, kingfisher, grey wagtail. Insects included 6+ Copper demoiselles, Epaulet Skimmer, Western dappled white and the ubiquitous Lulworth skipper. Further north along the road a left turn by a garden centre also had Western dappled white etc and looks good to explore further.<br />
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We visited the Barragem de Algarde en route back where the overflow channel was dry as usual but the pond at the end had Orange featherlegs, Scarce bluetail and Common blue butterfly.<br />
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17th<br />
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Qinta do Lago<br />
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Not many birds, 1-2 pr Purple Gallinules, a showy pair of Lt Bitterns plus Kentish Plover, 30 +Dunlin, 1 Knot, 1 Whimbrel on the Ria Formosa tidal channel.<br />
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Dragons included Long Skimmer in the scrub, Black Percher plus Scarlet and Red Veined Darters and Iberian Bluetails along main lagoon plus three Small Reds and several Small Redeyes along channel back towards farm at west end.<br />
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The day was getting hotter so we retreated back stopping at the Vilamoura nature reserve for a quick visit to re-find the place amongst the new development. A short walk produced a few nightingales along the track and Small Redeyes and Common Blue damsels on water tank by the entrance.<br />
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18th<br />
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A mostly butterfly day spent at BWs sites (we think)<br />
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Bensafrim<br />
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After a couple of false starts with just Lulworth Skippers we found a road with pretty good undisturbed country and amazing displays of wild flowers. One hillside had good nos of Southern Gatekeepers, stacks of Meadow Browns, a few Blues which were probably all Silver studded, all overlooked by Little Owl, Stonechat, Dartford Warblers and Southern Grey Shrike while down the road there were Cleopatras in a stand of bushes and flowers near some beehives.<br />
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For lunch we stopped at Rib de Boina again where we found 2/3 Epaulet Skimmers, 2 Copper demoiselles, similar birds to two days previous (plus a gathering of White Storks) and a few whites.<br />
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Back toward the Motorway we explored the road/track west toward the new golf course. Two of the 3 species of Skipper, Sage and (on range) False Mallow were new along one track plus Lulworth Spanish Marbled White and Common Blues accompanied by rattling Subalpine Warblers<br />
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19th<br />
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Salgados<br />
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Apparently being ploughed now along the western shore by an earth mover and JCB! So much for the RSPB protection. One day this superb site will either get workable protection or be abandoned to yet another golf course!<br />
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The boardwalk was being sprayed with creosote so after a wander round the bushes, seeing Bee eaters, Hoopoes and 4 Iberian Hares we abandoned the place for lunch at Silves. Good choice as a Western Olivaceous was singing from tamarisks between the main car park and the river.<br />
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Spent the afternoon in Algarve Shopping.<br />
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20th<br />
<br />
Spent the day in the Monchique area. Foia itself had Rock bunting, Dartford and Melodioius warblers, Whitethroats, Blue Rock Thrush and Red rumped Swallows as well as lots of Stonechats. Butterflies were mostly Small whites but there were some freshly emerged Spanish Festoons, a couple of bright fritillary sp and a Scarce Swallowtail. The pond by the car park was amazing for dragons with 2 Emperors, 2+ Broad bodied Chasers, a male Epaulet Skimmer, a couple of species of Emerald damsels and 2/3 Dainty damsels plus a good stand of serapias orchids<br />
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Acting on info provided by <strong>Teresa Farino</strong> of Iberian Wildlife <strong><a href="http://www.iberianwildlife.com/">http://www.iberianwildlife.com/</a> </strong>we stopped twice on the 267 running west, south of Monchique, the first on the bend at N37.18.949, W08.35.554 where the small stream held Beautiful Demoiselle, Brown Argus, Melodious Warbler and our first Chaffinches of the trip. The second was a logging track picked at random at N37.17.956, W08.39341, between Casais and Marmalete, where we saw Long-tailed blue, Langs Short tailed Blue, Spanish Gatekeepers, Western Dappled White, Marsh Fritillary, a newly emerged Keeled skimmer, a couple of Alpine Swifts and several Serins.<br />
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21st<br />
<br />
With the girls at the beach I went to the two large reservoirs NW of Villamoura. The track below the dam of the Barragen de Funcho at N37.15.445, W08.22.968 was productive with several Rock Buntings, Crag Martins, what was probably a singing Orphean warbler and a Purple Heron as well as Long tailed Blue, Langs Short tailed Blues, Spanish Gatekeepers, Sage Skippers and a distant Violet Dropwing. Leaving the dam behind, a stop on the roadside at N37.15.545, W08.22.768 produced two Two-tailed Pashas round a Strawberry tree. No chance to photo them which is a pity because they are really stunning. Moving on, a hunters track at N37.15.754, W08.21.773 had several Keeled Skimmers round a small pool as well as Spanish Gatekeeper, Sage Skipper and Langs ST Blue again.<br />
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My final stop in the hills was in the dried run off channel of the Barragen de Arrade which was quiet apart from several Orange featherlegs and Common blues. Back in Villamoura I did solve the mystery of the track off the Laguna/Millenium Golf Course road near the winter roost site – it leads to a set of water purification lagoons which could be interesting in passage periods, though there were just coot, pochard, gadwall and a few gulls there as best I could see.<br />
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22nd<br />
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<br />
Today we paid our annual trip to Cap St Vincent, which if anything was windier and eventually more overcast than usual. Stacks of Pallid Swifts with the odd Common and Alpine, good numbers of Chough and the occasional Peregrine and Raven were most visible but a bit of scrapping around, especially along the main hedge produced Woodchat, Spectacled W, Thekla and Crested larks (we think) and the fort at Sagres had a Black redstart. There were some smaller bits amazingly, mostly in the sheltered areas with Red veined and Scarlet darters, False Mallow and Lulworth Skippers as well as the ubiquitous Southern Gatekeepers, Clouded Yellows and Meadow Browns.<br />
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Ever a glutton for punishment we dropped in to Salgados en route back. No further destruction and a change in weather had brought in stacks of waders like 200+ Dunlin, 30 + Sanderling, 30+ each Knot and Redshank, a few Greenshank and a lone Whimbrel. This is a very special place that needs preserving. <br />
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23rd<br />
<br />
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With overcast and cool conditions we spent R's last morning at Qinta do lago looking at Little Bitterns, Purple Gallinules ands a few Kentish broods. Few dragons but there was another Black Percher and a striking creature which turned out to be a teneral Black-tailed Skimmer and not the hoped for gomphus sp . Hardly any butterflies again though but a water vole was nice as was a small snake and the ever present frogs.<br />
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24th<br />
<br />
<br />
With broken cloud and cooler temperatures we did the walk to Paderne Castle, parking at the old wash station. A few Hoopoes and Woodchats and a calling Golden Oriole were the only birds of interest but there were several interesting insects including two hairstreaks, Blue spot and the new for us False Ilex, Spanish Gatekeepers, Western Willow emeralds in the trees by the river and another, teneral Epaulet Skimmer, while yet another Violet Dropwing disappeared before I could record its image for posterity. Val was stung by a bee which happily only caused her discomfort, but was fatal to the bee<br />
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25th<br />
<br />
<br />
Another grey morning and the delightful sight of a flat back tyre put paid to the early(ish) start. We eventually sorted the thing out and got a new car from Avis which was not as nice as the Peugeot. As we were that way we visited Qinta again in improving weather where there were now several male Black Perchers along the lagoon edge, chasing off Scarlet Darters and ignoring the Iberian Bluetails. Only one male Small Red was in their ditch but a few Small red-eyes showed nicely while back in the scrub by the lagoon there were at least one each of female Epaulet and Long Skimmers.<br />
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Just one pair of Purple gallinules showing today, feeding their young but the Great Reed warblers were especially visible and audible. Star bird however was the female Little Bittern motionless by the main hide allowing some great, if slightly reed-interrupted photo opportunities.<br />
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26th<br />
<br />
Setting off for Monchique we diverted to the road up towards Odelouca dam. After a couple of quiet stops a hunting track at (N 37.13.160, W 08.30.573) was fruitful with Southern Gatekeepers, False Ilex or Ilex Hairstreaks, Cleopatras and a (out of range)Southern Marbled Skipper. A dragon near the entrance proved to be a Blue eyed Hooktail, while on the other side of the road the river itself had Orange featherlegs and an odd darter, which was probably a teneral Red-veined. Birds were good with a cooperative Great Spotted Woodpecker hiding in the shade and a couple of male Golden Orioles giving good flight views.<br />
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We made our final visit to the Rib.de Boiba at N 37.12.254, W 08.32.151 where there were no more Copper demoiselles but a couple of male Epaulettes showed well with several Scarlet Darters, while on the track down a couple of newly emerged skippers were probably False Mallow.<br />
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27th<br />
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A day wandering round the harbour with only a couple of Red rumpeds with other hirundines over the park to show for our efforts.<br />
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28th<br />
<br />
Last full day, spent at the Rib de Algibre, doing the first part of the walk mentioned in the Sunflower Guide. Dragonflies were active along the shingle banks and tracks, mostly Green-eyed Hooktails ssp unguiculatus but also several Copper demoiselles, a couple of Epaulettes and an Emperor. Butterflies were showing well, mostly common stuff but one False Ilex Hairstreak was nice as was a hornet-sized hoverfly and a couple of small snakes. Birds were the usual mix along Algarve rivers but its still nice to hear Golden Oriole, Bee eater, Iberian Chiff and Nightingale, while Wood Pigeons were unexpected! Pity about the jeep safaris but they have to have their fun, I suppose.<br />
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29th<br />
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Dropped the car back into Avis and caught our flight back to Stansted from Faro, with just a small delay.<br />
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Conclusion and thanks<br />
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The weather was generally hot and sunny and the timeshare was its usual impeccable self. Knowing that birds were going to be mostly breeding this trip was always about butterflies and dragons. Thirty species of butterfly was good, with at least eight new for us, as were 24 dragons with six new. Bird highlights were the cooperative Rock Buntings and the singing Western Olivaceous warbler while general frustrations were the lack of the two Baton blue-type butterflies (we were probably in the wrong place) and the apparent ongoing destruction of the Salgados Lagoon.<br />
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Thanks go to Teresa Farino at Iberian Wildlife Travel <a href="http://www.iberianwildlife.com/">http://www.iberianwildlife.com/</a> for generously sharing site information with me and Bernard Watts in Norfolk for butterfly sites in the area. We are also always grateful to the authors of the Sunflower Guide to the walks in the Algarve which is a constant mine of information.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-18888809056492126682010-05-31T17:41:00.000+01:002010-05-31T17:41:28.606+01:00PortugalHave just got back from 2 weeks on the Algarve and a report/photos are in prep. Highlights were 24 species of dragons/damsels and about the same number of butterflies, with quite a few new ones. the weather was mostly hot and mostly sunny so birds were at a premium, especially raptors but there were plenty of waders in our second week at Laguna Salgados. This has to be one of the best sites in the area, if only they would leave it alone!! Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-46381768560638740612010-05-12T18:31:00.002+01:002010-05-31T17:43:24.789+01:0012th May 2010More cold northerly winds but the weather was mostly sunny so did a couple of trips out either side of lunch. After photographing small long horned moths (which I need to identify) at East Runton, a visit to Beeston Common produced my first dragon of the year, a Large Red Damsel as well as Green veined White. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3OChsLIJ9ib4UOZBrN7HohIKuPF9COFi3ZI407OVvjjrGdQGx__-UWoPKkQ4TSEHjtbBfKRTN8GrFIgwhoj2GXQkqaqs6doRHzydMUr8kQFE01jKazWSLx4YomXuQ51MAhB_RI1mDPc/s1600/20100512-P1050851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3OChsLIJ9ib4UOZBrN7HohIKuPF9COFi3ZI407OVvjjrGdQGx__-UWoPKkQ4TSEHjtbBfKRTN8GrFIgwhoj2GXQkqaqs6doRHzydMUr8kQFE01jKazWSLx4YomXuQ51MAhB_RI1mDPc/s320/20100512-P1050851.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div align="center">Large Red Damsel</div>Trimingham in the afternoon was cold but a sheltered patch inside the wood had a couple of very fresh Green Hairstreaks amongst a swarm of St Marks flies, so the lack of birds was slightly compensated for. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-VRsjGkPJydd_Hdl98YiVD64SHhHV1pKKOTh6gB-rZMzTptKzaLj7Fb0IgEioMnPU3_Sdioa8b-ctzugVRtdg37LF3dT2k5WL48kwqLVcRvPSdCXmKEYiA6O4CO2x99gJjfm8pXD5MQ/s1600/20100512-P1050903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-VRsjGkPJydd_Hdl98YiVD64SHhHV1pKKOTh6gB-rZMzTptKzaLj7Fb0IgEioMnPU3_Sdioa8b-ctzugVRtdg37LF3dT2k5WL48kwqLVcRvPSdCXmKEYiA6O4CO2x99gJjfm8pXD5MQ/s320/20100512-P1050903.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Green Hairstreak</div>The local Swallows look well fed though in the shelter of the hedgerow and there seem to be lots of Blackcaps and Whitethroats around generally, so the birds aren’t all staying put round the Med!Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-9217687061887628542010-05-09T12:54:00.000+01:002010-05-09T12:54:16.903+01:006th-9th May 2010More cold northerly winds and not much to see, though I did at least get half decent views of the three Temmincks Stints at Cley on 6th. Mothing is chronic with between nil and 6 moths in the trap and there are few butterflies about. The local Early Purple Orchids mostly look a little stunted this year, perhaps as a result of the cold winter (?) and I did manage to find a photographable Orange tip braving the cold, windy conditions. Roll on spring (again)!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT73addyX8282aZl0BeUpYZxfxcKb-ySFqO5RGM-bp9NQ3IhG6V2eEbJuFBdVI6_SeQ4N3KGO0Srzehdbl2MRa6G7woNuAidETlvPfE23dC1aBn6itCcrhcqIPN_Kx9qDazBSePjZ_fTk/s1600/20100505-IMG_0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT73addyX8282aZl0BeUpYZxfxcKb-ySFqO5RGM-bp9NQ3IhG6V2eEbJuFBdVI6_SeQ4N3KGO0Srzehdbl2MRa6G7woNuAidETlvPfE23dC1aBn6itCcrhcqIPN_Kx9qDazBSePjZ_fTk/s320/20100505-IMG_0027.jpg" tt="true" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVSq2V39RLZCnnFPK_Ji2WMoC9-UAEhfdqtgERlXn9DUFt9mqh8WoMQnaJXL9DTrX6sfh-vQu0DYtZZ9EDwhIgW0f8_qSmoTjBtHFBGzlU_V_htNwmInIWGTB8oEoofwAjR76ejC8ZTE/s1600/20100507-IMG_0045-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVSq2V39RLZCnnFPK_Ji2WMoC9-UAEhfdqtgERlXn9DUFt9mqh8WoMQnaJXL9DTrX6sfh-vQu0DYtZZ9EDwhIgW0f8_qSmoTjBtHFBGzlU_V_htNwmInIWGTB8oEoofwAjR76ejC8ZTE/s320/20100507-IMG_0045-2.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div>Early Purple Orchid and Orange tipGreg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-1973812487454079852010-05-01T18:04:00.001+01:002010-05-01T18:06:50.115+01:0028th/29th April28th April<br />
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One of those days which made me glad to have moved to Norfolk. After a couple of days of steady migration locally, a phone call took me to Sheringham where a fair selection of migrants had arrived including two Ring Ouzels, 50+ Wheatears, several flava wags and odd Garden and Sedge Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, Whinchats and lots of Whitethroats. The <strong>Hoopoe</strong> took longer to locate but showed well enough while icing on the cake were the three Common Cranes and two Red Kites which drifted west.<br />
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More butterflies are about with Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood seen in the last few days while moths on 28th/20th included two Streamers (our second and third locally) and a Herald.<br />
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29th April<br />
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Cley was pretty good on my day there with two distant Wood Sands, several Common Sands, Whinchat, two Blue-headed Wags with a few Yellows, more Wheatears and stacks of singing Sedge Warblers. No sign of any groppers though and moths in the trap were quite poor. Flowering Alexanders were attracting a variety of insect life including plenty of St Marks flies and some distinctive wasps (see below) and bees I’ve yet to identify<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qG4-v9_lSWJ3JGKhv4hQENrf9yS1fs3Zh2-fm3QnXhqYaoIm6e0aQx-2rZG_ywS2RCXcSWqFpJPvklNo1ha2aDXcIaiS_beNw9rv51iFCKbucAIRTBcqCcSZoJulZqFIvSNJFy6AC5c/s1600/20100429-P1050760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qG4-v9_lSWJ3JGKhv4hQENrf9yS1fs3Zh2-fm3QnXhqYaoIm6e0aQx-2rZG_ywS2RCXcSWqFpJPvklNo1ha2aDXcIaiS_beNw9rv51iFCKbucAIRTBcqCcSZoJulZqFIvSNJFy6AC5c/s320/20100429-P1050760.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1r_0-SV_7z66VyhtDYoSDoLnAx7YjwN_1Nq9MnCv0_zqylNC8mfudviCRHnkWvVmKMEGSChj6XzQ1fgIZC6Za9BL-CkmKCGyhDGc0M7zf9sW5kVmGbROXNJwM2O8vVAnXKMy_PczwA4/s1600/20100429-P1050755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1r_0-SV_7z66VyhtDYoSDoLnAx7YjwN_1Nq9MnCv0_zqylNC8mfudviCRHnkWvVmKMEGSChj6XzQ1fgIZC6Za9BL-CkmKCGyhDGc0M7zf9sW5kVmGbROXNJwM2O8vVAnXKMy_PczwA4/s320/20100429-P1050755.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></a></div>St Marks Fly and Wasp sp, Cley<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-57752582895953735832010-04-26T14:16:00.003+01:002010-05-02T11:08:23.438+01:0024th- 25th AprilGood numbers of migrants around locally both days with the overcast SWs and drizzle on 25th dropping stuff, particularly Wheatears, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers in all over. Highlights were <span style="background-color: lime;">Osprey</span>, my first <span style="background-color: lime;">Merlin </span>for two years and at least four Ring Ouzels round Hungry Hill.<br />
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The garden produced our first Holly Blue of the year and a Water Carpet in the trap last night, while all sorts of insects are being attracted to the flowering Alexanders, including hoverflies, German wasps, Harlequin Ladybirds and mining bees.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyp2agMZgSbYJJXWLAHIaPOytxjZ61zu4-3VolMPq7pC1oeh5gZF0xH5xpvY0lCcBElEjzBQZrXIUggYN3Wi5bt443Lcu6ZMO9ZqSWSLTb_EmKs5o4l5O26HcreHjzI-a4Mb1o-rCPc2g/s1600/20100424-P1050662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyp2agMZgSbYJJXWLAHIaPOytxjZ61zu4-3VolMPq7pC1oeh5gZF0xH5xpvY0lCcBElEjzBQZrXIUggYN3Wi5bt443Lcu6ZMO9ZqSWSLTb_EmKs5o4l5O26HcreHjzI-a4Mb1o-rCPc2g/s200/20100424-P1050662.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhF_0FHD_tNOj0dqReG-puC9beviBAhbrDxVdqNXpXv3jW98wuaQjqQtunyCZZu-ouYeuwM2pk6G2MV2VfzF4kudkKAtVj0Wu8u91U7Wnz9mBU9TcM378FEpQnZu6L5edsQd9VupNh80/s1600/20100424-P1050619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhF_0FHD_tNOj0dqReG-puC9beviBAhbrDxVdqNXpXv3jW98wuaQjqQtunyCZZu-ouYeuwM2pk6G2MV2VfzF4kudkKAtVj0Wu8u91U7Wnz9mBU9TcM378FEpQnZu6L5edsQd9VupNh80/s200/20100424-P1050619.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSj-Q1ex8AcJYSMRH95ymU89TaaR_Y6bWyCgojMz_4DEdAZ0eo3wJdqHxz2dh0SCyd1odzT2L-vD1YXhxj9XSr_nzJlE6aXDvx78utElgS0xfC0K1KydovEvQqC_pQoQ23x6-xo9uE1Y/s1600/20100424-P1050602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSj-Q1ex8AcJYSMRH95ymU89TaaR_Y6bWyCgojMz_4DEdAZ0eo3wJdqHxz2dh0SCyd1odzT2L-vD1YXhxj9XSr_nzJlE6aXDvx78utElgS0xfC0K1KydovEvQqC_pQoQ23x6-xo9uE1Y/s200/20100424-P1050602.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2usbOLOmnBnNIuZdGkxpGrEjM8ccIreM3DxWKHC7ZwEn1qgn8ItDW60pvYd2sWABJ0fhIHESGUf_ZtFFewG6RrwsC7TuM84tQWGUA2qjgogXmvnFjhesTJOn_HUK10Z3M7G9WIk0qoBY/s1600/20100424-P1050654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2usbOLOmnBnNIuZdGkxpGrEjM8ccIreM3DxWKHC7ZwEn1qgn8ItDW60pvYd2sWABJ0fhIHESGUf_ZtFFewG6RrwsC7TuM84tQWGUA2qjgogXmvnFjhesTJOn_HUK10Z3M7G9WIk0qoBY/s200/20100424-P1050654.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a>Mining Bee, German Wasp, "Syrphus" Hoverfly, Harlequin and another Mining Bee</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRptLo0XEXaPQ7xwemqAcA42mlSvfCaiJV26ngAA_iiMUy_1DdEgjDXuoJQj9fXDlXKuVlNJgqXf7JdrjE12I5MsibZS6KlYyCQ6SW29t9wRvN6aPxmY1_z_AACSPC6S5n4LEOVPK7VE/s1600/20100424-P1050616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRptLo0XEXaPQ7xwemqAcA42mlSvfCaiJV26ngAA_iiMUy_1DdEgjDXuoJQj9fXDlXKuVlNJgqXf7JdrjE12I5MsibZS6KlYyCQ6SW29t9wRvN6aPxmY1_z_AACSPC6S5n4LEOVPK7VE/s200/20100424-P1050616.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a></div>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-82437028020708653392010-04-24T07:28:00.001+01:002010-04-24T07:28:48.939+01:00The last few daysWith mostly chilly temperatures and northerly winds little exciting has happened. Several commoner summer migrants have come in including a couple of early Swifts on 20th but numbers remain low locally. Moths have generally been the same but we had garden record numbers of Common Quaker (35) and Hebrew Character (15) on 20th/21st. Brindled Pug and Early Thorn have both appeared briefly but are about 2 weeks later than norm and the first white butterflies are on the wing with Holly Blues and Orange tips. More photography opportunities with bees and bugs in the garden though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvkQU2vGuBNBChdLp1kkuGKqMIELiWf2xGBFovx0p5hjf9p1VF6b6RM0YevrCNv3ioqFsSkoFRewxqhZH_K38zoXVh4OgCOwBXYSBCVi1sQLT7bFNo8ek8AIajxTL54hPKyzzirSoQIg/s1600/20100420-B+pascuorum-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvkQU2vGuBNBChdLp1kkuGKqMIELiWf2xGBFovx0p5hjf9p1VF6b6RM0YevrCNv3ioqFsSkoFRewxqhZH_K38zoXVh4OgCOwBXYSBCVi1sQLT7bFNo8ek8AIajxTL54hPKyzzirSoQIg/s200/20100420-B+pascuorum-3.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvhEBpRfQtsulmPXW8y_DlOhsKHhyphenhyphenLttq2lF1qW2wJon6ys_XYCgO84Ih2AT1rigyiDdET4ywHPCRFFPl7Yaw6J9B4VP2_2meI32BZhEZ4LbzY_N1gNg7T4wax_sBtkQEeYo2iL5bjec/s1600/20100421-1852+Brindled+Pug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvhEBpRfQtsulmPXW8y_DlOhsKHhyphenhyphenLttq2lF1qW2wJon6ys_XYCgO84Ih2AT1rigyiDdET4ywHPCRFFPl7Yaw6J9B4VP2_2meI32BZhEZ4LbzY_N1gNg7T4wax_sBtkQEeYo2iL5bjec/s200/20100421-1852+Brindled+Pug.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bombus pascuorum and Brindled Pug</div><br />
Bird migration picked up yesterday (23rd) with the change to SE winds, highlights being another Red Kite, several Yellow Wags and steady numbers of hirundines. The moth trap last night had our second Pale Pinion of the year, so they are obviously getting commoner up here.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-28780673155900318712010-04-16T14:52:00.000+01:002010-04-16T14:52:39.325+01:0014th/15th AprilAll quiet really so I took the opportunity to practice being a photographer locally.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKjp1grYAN7ZDhyXlWkITna4wlTNluQL6bvoDE4TDD25KdgpgtXO5TCX2EX73Pnb56nt3G3PluXYxZFrvYxaRGNggrdpLQCCTzAGoz2hiL7D5l45unoLJdAoc3TQXTXzZi9dF_i22Q8A/s1600/20100414-IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKjp1grYAN7ZDhyXlWkITna4wlTNluQL6bvoDE4TDD25KdgpgtXO5TCX2EX73Pnb56nt3G3PluXYxZFrvYxaRGNggrdpLQCCTzAGoz2hiL7D5l45unoLJdAoc3TQXTXzZi9dF_i22Q8A/s200/20100414-IMG_0002.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3EVnC3wA7JWZdHLcoonVWWMy2txpIvBrrUFDNNLr03LsVO2NZZUcXuiNbdeR1fl0vCAe_eu9wD3cT9034bKstBhJeWHAXALGXtntEC1s271u-xWw8ERHdwml1w1Wa2_R8XLciszq3dk/s1600/20100414-IMG_0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3EVnC3wA7JWZdHLcoonVWWMy2txpIvBrrUFDNNLr03LsVO2NZZUcXuiNbdeR1fl0vCAe_eu9wD3cT9034bKstBhJeWHAXALGXtntEC1s271u-xWw8ERHdwml1w1Wa2_R8XLciszq3dk/s200/20100414-IMG_0014.jpg" width="185" wt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXDa7rMm2MPgPt6WxH5t2R3iYE3HK-C2d59zjjIYuobV7Nm6EHYqOQRBiHSfHrYuDabYB_S_kgKIxElM_KlEkFAbAL8VzcyWevkZJecAhyqsjcACHmBWltNN55ga8Mxe1PhJWVvW24Ns/s1600/20100414-IMG_0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXDa7rMm2MPgPt6WxH5t2R3iYE3HK-C2d59zjjIYuobV7Nm6EHYqOQRBiHSfHrYuDabYB_S_kgKIxElM_KlEkFAbAL8VzcyWevkZJecAhyqsjcACHmBWltNN55ga8Mxe1PhJWVvW24Ns/s200/20100414-IMG_0018.jpg" width="125" wt="true" /></a></div>Wood Anenomes, Forsythia and Alkanet, Overstrand<br />
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Cley on Thursday was quiet and freezing but probably worse for the two Swallows and three Wheatears which must have been pining for warmer climes.<br />
Ominously, ash on the car this morning!Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525701855928647790.post-58021496565365723612010-04-13T09:56:00.000+01:002010-04-13T09:56:34.933+01:0012th April12th April<br />
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After a morning in I went to Kelling Heath after lunch, mostly to do some macro photography. I did however bump into a Dartford warbler chasing a Whitethroat and, while watching these, a <strong>Red Kite</strong> drifted over. Nice start on a cool but sunny day.<br />
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Searching the gorse for photo opportunities eventually proved rewarding with Gorse Shieldbugs, an as yet unidentified spider, stacks of 7-spot Ladybirds and Buff-tailed Bumblebees gorging themselves on catkin pollen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnR8xAxC1k0-3lT32Uuk3xRLWPydDZAC1gnSzFbCmtptpxCUmAFQc-IH3WwjIBfSuUuCjEOJMPLrXS58YJcryPLzUyy4g-9gTAmi3rlzxunx5UVO0VpNU9HdeYNIO9vdMcBjaosi4eME/s1600/20100412-IMG_0032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnR8xAxC1k0-3lT32Uuk3xRLWPydDZAC1gnSzFbCmtptpxCUmAFQc-IH3WwjIBfSuUuCjEOJMPLrXS58YJcryPLzUyy4g-9gTAmi3rlzxunx5UVO0VpNU9HdeYNIO9vdMcBjaosi4eME/s200/20100412-IMG_0032.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPRb9fjNeKsSklGaeVEN35fww0RYrSROETfnDHroXm20PuuJn1lpda5e5vwnCxv0tv11M5SutURX_gXcrGbNt2TPTrYvpDJOsCvNeAODk_hsFrhiKd7mrfATgZuRpdq2lSzgPlnUExGk/s1600/20100412-IMG_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPRb9fjNeKsSklGaeVEN35fww0RYrSROETfnDHroXm20PuuJn1lpda5e5vwnCxv0tv11M5SutURX_gXcrGbNt2TPTrYvpDJOsCvNeAODk_hsFrhiKd7mrfATgZuRpdq2lSzgPlnUExGk/s200/20100412-IMG_0043.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkfnJVoM7FrmdmHgoP39u5bM7NVJ9DaqZf_M-OLvKIbm8DgbQ1PcOY4APEA1pbuS27382XMxYL5GQlAEzi1AGqk_bKSCsCHxUheKh7I64j_OhV5Pu29GAHYAQyYBmtwpNmJ9SxgfcfGk/s1600/20100412-IMG_0060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkfnJVoM7FrmdmHgoP39u5bM7NVJ9DaqZf_M-OLvKIbm8DgbQ1PcOY4APEA1pbuS27382XMxYL5GQlAEzi1AGqk_bKSCsCHxUheKh7I64j_OhV5Pu29GAHYAQyYBmtwpNmJ9SxgfcfGk/s200/20100412-IMG_0060.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMwIx72IVRIptk0drQ2J7TN8xgDWohCC78K-aOTLOwwGABr2wh0fQLsvJoiUIOa39eErJG6FBBHv9dgNUZ_DgJDKzr8AKxTmY3tGQjWPW5bMYONfEmkhCbxgj8Be94ngscDOFbFQC8cU/s1600/20100412-IMG_0089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMwIx72IVRIptk0drQ2J7TN8xgDWohCC78K-aOTLOwwGABr2wh0fQLsvJoiUIOa39eErJG6FBBHv9dgNUZ_DgJDKzr8AKxTmY3tGQjWPW5bMYONfEmkhCbxgj8Be94ngscDOFbFQC8cU/s200/20100412-IMG_0089.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz9gO46wATK_oQzOyIrbvlAHxy3Idx3fJgUKPd-yZXmwv2ZlWzL9Jvy_L4UZ76bnHf5GzqFGNJs_PkKCZcOqbkUEduvjxv95VNRitZFBBG9xLj7d7Qp1Iz5S-dR5MGOxe5AmBPEqSfTc/s1600/20100412-IMG_0098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz9gO46wATK_oQzOyIrbvlAHxy3Idx3fJgUKPd-yZXmwv2ZlWzL9Jvy_L4UZ76bnHf5GzqFGNJs_PkKCZcOqbkUEduvjxv95VNRitZFBBG9xLj7d7Qp1Iz5S-dR5MGOxe5AmBPEqSfTc/s200/20100412-IMG_0098.jpg" width="186" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gorse Shieldbugs, spider sp, Buff-tailed Bumble and 7-spot Ladybirds</div>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448266561594816942noreply@blogger.com0