, increasing 17C - light rain, mod SW-increasing, 17C

Norfolk

Headed off to Norfolk via the Swaffham area to see the Stone-curlews that gather pre-migration.  Conditions were not great but I found 21 together in a pig field and got some short record video

Wells; North Point Pools.

12 Cattle egrets, plus Little Egret and Grey Heron.  12 Brent Geese flew in.  

Lapwings, Curlew, Snipe, Golden Plover.  Teal Mallard, Shoveler, Pintail.

Several Skylarks and c70 Linnets.

Cley - Sea

Very quiet, a single red-throated Diver close in and a few Gannets heading south.

2nd Oct - misty clearing to high cloud, light/mod SW, 17C

Willey; mid-day a Red Kite over the village.

Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon.

Rather quiet.  A couple of Kestrels hunting, a few Teal and Mute Swans on the island pond.  Three Meadow Pipits.

A dead Tawny Owl found by the path next to the lorry park, it was not there a few days ago.  

A Red Admiral.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; late afternoon.

No sign of the Ferruginous Duck (female), that Carl saw yesterday afternoon (possibly the same bird that was last seen mid-August here).

In fact, Duck numbers were quite low, a single Gadwall, 15 Teal, Tufted and Mallard, 14 Mute Swans.

Plenty of Red Kites and Ravens over the landfill, 50+.

1st Oct - short light rain early, clearing to some sunny spells, light SW, 17C

Stanford res; afternoon.

Another long session viewing the reed bed for the Bittern but no joy.  However, a Glossy Ibis was flushed from the muddy pool by the farmer.

Otherwise, plenty of the recent usual, roving passerine flocks, at least 4 Chiffchaffs in one of them.

Red Kite and Buzzard over.

Still good number of Shoveler and teal, although the weed mats are becoming smaller now, which they seem to like.

Two Kingfishers flew across the 'narrows'.  And Cormorant numbers are still quite high.

30th Sept - sunny, 20C, v light/light S-SW

Bittesby CP; afternoon

No Stonechats found, which was disappointing.

A Jay, Buzzard and Meadow Pipit over the meadows.

A single Chiffchaff in the hedgerow.

Plenty Dragonflies, Insects and several Butterflies, including a Speckled Wood and Small Copper.

Loads of berries on the bushes this year around here - ready for the Thrushes.

29th Sept - mostly cloudy, light-very light W-NW, 16C

Willey; morning

Several Ravens heard calling over the fields to the east during the morning.

28th Sept - mostly sunny, 16C, light W

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

c10 each Swallow and House Martins feeding over several times.

Roving Tit flock included 3+ Chiffchaffs.   Skylark and Meadow Pipits around.

Four Mutes, 14 Mallards, four Teal, one Tufted and nine Greylags on the island pond, plus Black-headed Gulls dropping in frequently.

Stanford res; afternoon.

Another 'stake-out' this afternoon for the Bittern, no joy though, of course it showed briefly after I had left.

A couple of Red Kites over, otherwise similar to last visit, still plenty of Chiffchaffs present.

27th Sept - cloudy, light-mod SE-S, 15C

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; morning

Quiet, however the first Wigeon back (3 on south pit), otherwise Duck numbers for Tufted, Teal and mallard all were lowered than recently.  Plenty of Red Kites and ravens over the landfill.  

Two Lapwings at the south pit.

Four Swallows and 8 Meadow Pipits over, well spotted by Carl.

Stanford res; afternoon.

A few Swallows here too.  

Cormorant numbers have shot up, 105 counted on the dam, plus a few more dotted around the res - must be plenty of fish here.

A Great White Egret and several Little Egrets.  Two Snipe, first of the autumn, were noted flying around the res.

Roving mixed passerine flocks included , Blue and Great Tits, Treecreeper, Goldcrests, Blackcap and numerous Chiffchaffs.

Food begging by juv Great-crested Grebes is occurring.

A Speckled Wood was seen.