Thursday, 25th June…I believe it was the hottest day of the year, so far. So, as lockdown eased somewhat and we are allowed to cautiously travel away from our homes, we headed for the beach. Not Bournemouth nor Lulworth Cove…North Norfolk and specifically Snettisham. We saw barely another soul other than an RSPB Warden who was reminding people not to walk on the areas of the beach and shoreline where birds are nesting.
We also saw a handful of other birders and a dogwalker or two and nodded to each from at least 20 metres rather than the requisite two. The virus hasn’t gone away, governments and people visiting Bournemouth think it has…but…no.
Anyway, as we pulled into the car park there was a Sparrowhawk hauling itself into the air with a female Blackbird in its talons (sorry, no picture), and as we parked up, a Red Kit with a missing wing feather circling above.
Peregrine Falcon circling above the shoreline scaring the Oystercatchers with their nests and chicks on the lower ranks of the sloping sea defences as the high tide retreated.
Lovely Turtle Dove turring from a tree on the fishing lakes back inland. Also seen Ringed Plovers, Pied Wagtails, and Black-headed Gulls, all with chicks, Sedge Warbler. On the Lepidopteral front Ringlet, Whites, Meadow Brown (far fewer than Cottenham) butterflies, Cinnabar moth.
There were also huge numbers of ladybirds that seemed to be swarming in from across The Wash, an irruption perhaps?
