August 2024

After sorting out some details with John for future trips I drove to King’s Lynn for some supplies for our upcoming trip to Africa. I was not totally successful and will have to have another trip to Norwich!  Bureaucracy for our trips is getting worse and worse for many of our trips, necessitating much form filling and countless hours of time and money, most of which is totally unnecessary in my opinion. Evidence of Covid vaccinations, PCR and antigen tests and medical forms are still required in some places and as for information for visas/tourist cards, don’t even get me started! A request for yet another form at short notice has caused us both a bit of a headache! Thank goodness for friends who can help us!

I spent the afternoon gardening and was looking forward to a peaceful evening sitting on my hammock admiring my handiwork. It was not to be! Why is it some people assume that we all want to listen to their dreadful choice of music? A hedge trimmer was then started and so I took refuge for some peace and quiet at Snettisham where James Hanlon and myself enjoyed watching the waders as the tide came in. The only noise I could hear was from the Sandwich Terns  as they flew overhead. Bliss!

Dunlin, Redshank, Sanderling, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull and Mediterranean Gulls were all out on the mud as well as a Curlew Sandpiper. Suddenly all the birds took to the air. I looked up and was surprised to see a Goshawk flying over The Wash. I ran for my camera but was sadly too slow for it as it flew towards Sandringham. A Turtle Dove started purring so I walked along the bank and took its photo. It was much more cooperative!

I popped into Hardwick Flood Lagoon this morning and was shocked at how low the water level was considering how much rain we have had this summer. Two Mute Swan and 400 Greylag Geese dominated the scene along with many ducks in eclipse plumage. I counted 14 Shovelers and 3 Gadwall amongst many Mallards. Five Little Egrets and 4 Grey Herons stood in the water whilst a Sand Martin dipped in for a drink.

After picking my last helping of Raspberries, I stripped out my old Raspberry canes and tied in the new ones. I have had an excellent crop this year and hope they will do as well next year.

I had a quick tea and drove down to Snettisham for the high tide. Many Sanderling were asleep on the tideline as Ringed Plovers ran around. A few Golden Plover were resplendent in their summer plumage. As usual thousands of Dunlin, Oystercatchers were present as were Common Redshank.

On the pits Black-tailed Godwits kept many Common Redshank company on one of the islands as I counted  ten Spotted Redshank out with the Cormorants. Four Little Egrets stood with a sleeping Spoonbill at the back of the pit. As I walked back to the car, a Green Sandpiper flew over me and as I neared my car I heard a Common Sandpiper but could not locate it. I suspect it was flying along one of the channels out of sight. It was another wonderful peaceful scene out in The Wash, enjoyed in the warmth of a beautiful summer evening.

John and I were up early and drove down to Dorset where there was a new dragonfly for my British List awaiting to be seen. The Scarlet Darter had been available for more than a week but as I had been on school summer holiday grandparent duties and this particular dragonfly needed it to be sunny, we thought today looked our best opportunity. Trevor Ellery had been really helpful and provided us with a pin drop of where to park and where to access the lake. Thanks Trevor. We had a very brief view when we first arrived but it had clouded over and the beast had disappeared. We watched Emperor Dragonflies and Small Red-eyed Damselflies as well as Common Blue Damselflies and Four-spotted Chasers but there wasn’t a sign  of the Scarlet Darter until after lunch when several others had brief views at various points around the lake after the sun came out.

We wandered up the other end of the lake when a very helpful chap gave is a shout that the Scarlet Darter was sitting on the bank. We hurried round and had excellent views both sitting on the bank and in flight.

We drove to Steeple in the Isle of Purbeck and found our little quarry where we had seen Lulwoth Skipper six years ago. John located one in nearly the same tuft of grass, that we had seen it before!

Driving on we had a potter around Lulworth Cove, where we enjoyed a walk along the cliffs and also enjoyed an ice-cream in the sun before stopping off for a pub meal in Dorset on the way home. It was going to be a late night home!

A very busy day at work starting to get the Welcome Hub at Titchwell back to its former glory and removing some of the temporary cafe equipment back into the refurbished cafe.

John and I drove into Norwich to book flights to Cape Town where my son will be representing England in the Master o40s Hockey World Championships in October. Hopefully after watching all of Jonathan’s matches we will find some time for some birding too! Our evening was spent booking a car and accommodation near the stadiums.

It was John’s birthday and at his request we motored down to Minsmere where we enjoyed a leisurely walk around the scrapes and pools. En route to the sea we stopped to admire a Bee Wolf which the volunteers were ably showing visitors. We watched Little Gulls, Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper and Avocets before making our way to the delightful pub in Dunwich for a celebratory pub lunch.

We visited the old museum before wandering down to the beach in Dunwich and although it was very hot the wind was blowing a hooley!

Later in the evening my daughter and family arrived and bedlam ensued! My granddaughters are just lovely……if only I had their energy!

Kathryn had gone to see a friend and so I had an hour to nip down to Snettisham where I joined many of my friends watching two White-rumped Sandpipers amongst all the Dunlin and Sanderling on the in-coming tide. However in the glorious sun, it wasn’t long before we spotted a Long-finned Pilot Whale in trouble out on a sand bank. Luckily I was with Ryan, another member of staff and whilst I dealt with some Paddle-boarders and Kayakers, he managed to get hold of the British Divers Marine Life Rescuers who came to assist the whale. It was quite sad to see the whale struggling but the tide was coming in and we hoped that it would make it into deeper water.

I left the birders and joined my family for a pub lunch at Massingham before returning to Snettisham later in the afternoon where there was no sign of the whale. I walked to Shore Hide and admired all the Black-tailed Godwits and Spoonbills. It had been a lovely day.

After spending some time sorting out a few necessary forms in the office I spent some time sorting out our pin badges that we sell to raise funds. A visitor reported a problem down the West Bank Path and so Fiona and I went to assess the situation. I took my camera with me and showed Fiona some Bearded Tits that were calling on the Thornham side of the path as we walked back. At lunchtime I had a wander around the car park where I had been told the juvenile Spotted Flycatchers were lurking. However when I got there they were nowhere to be seen! Grrr!

After work I walked down to the Parrinder Hide and after some time managed to find a Little Stint to show some visitors. A Little Ringed Plover and a few Dunlin seemed to be keeping it company.

I spent most of the day at home on some chores and trying to sort out my website with my host after my dragonfly page developed a glitch when I tried to upload some new photographs on it. Hopefully it will be sorted out soon.

As I had been at home all day and it was a beautiful evening, I took a late evening walk at West Newton. The vegetation at the end of the track down to the pool was the tallest that I have ever seen it and it took a while to get through it with my skirt on! A Kingfisher flew out of one of the trees as a pair of Mute Swans were obviously surprised to see me as they gracefully swam by. A Chiffchaff called to three others in nearby trees. Two Reed Warblers called from the reeds but I did not see them but a Wren popped out in curiosity. A Grey Heron flew along the pool as a Teal scuttled over the water.

I walked back up to the mill where Swallows and House Martins were busy catching insects overhead. Two more Reed Warblers called from the cane just after the bridge but I could not see them. In the field a Chiffchaff kept a Blue Tit company as two Goldfinch flew over calling.

A big thank you to Gra Bloomfield who helped me out with some settings on my R7 camera today at Snettisham in preparation for my next holiday coming up soon. The tide was a long way out but it was sad to see the remains of the Long-finned Pilot Whale beached on the mud.

We sat in the hides and watched Avocets, Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Common Sandpipers, two Greenshanks that neither of us were quick enough to get a photograph of, Little Egrets, Golden Plover, Spoonbills, Spotted Redshanks, one of which was still in summer plumage, Cormorants, Black-tailed Godwits, Knot, Pied Wagtails and a variety of gulls.

Later I stayed to watch the neap tide come in and saw Little Terns, Sandwich Terns, Common Terns, Dunlin, Sanderling and Shelduck all evading the in-coming tide. It was extremely windy and I had to take shelter behind a bush along with two other birders who were pleased to see the terns.

It has been a busy few days in the garden, painting garden furniture and gardening.  We were grateful for the opportunity to dine out with friends last night before resuming work in the garden this morning and cutting down overgrown neighbour’s vegetation with their blessing, as they are about to move house. Eventually it gave John and I the opportunity to repaint the back of my garden shed.  As the work continued this morning, we listened to a juvenile Buzzard calling to its parent and watched a lone Swift above us. I suspect it may be the last one that I see over my bungalow this year.

With the work finished, John and I joined Ryan down at Snettisham where the tide was racing in. We counted a total of 30 Spoonbills on the southern pit before watching the the waders in their amazing spectacular displays over The Wash. John and Ryan saw a Little Stint but it was sometime before I saw it, as it kept running ahead of where I was watching. I searched in vain for a Black Tern but it was not to be, as I worked all through the Little Terns, Common Terns and Sandwich Terns.

I was on the work rota for a long day today, working at Titchwell during the day and working at Snettisham in the evening. During the day at Titchwell, I wrote up the Titchwell sightings blog which can be found here:

https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/titchwellmarsh/b/titchwellmarsh-blog/posts/summer-weather-continues-to-bring-out-the-birds-in-mid-august-at-titchwell-marsh-rspb-by-sue-bryan

Carrie and I took a walk out onto the reserve at lunchtime and watched a Great White Egret and a Little Egret on Patsy’s Pool before getting caught in a sudden rain shower………….it was a quick run back to the Visitor Centre before we got too wet! It was a shame as we were enjoying watching the Sand Martins hawking insects over the water.

I arrived at the RSPB car park at Snettisham early and was surprised to find so many people already parked up for our Wader Spectacular Event. I answered a barrage of questions from our visitors, whilst trying to sort out my hi-vis vest and radios, as well as sorting out the car park machine. I was very grateful when Hayley arrived so that I could get the cones and signage in place, before driving up to sort out the parking permit access visitors. For the next few hours I answered many questions from visitors that were arriving along the seabank and explained about tides and the effect on birds as well as identification issues. Carrie, Hayley and I were kept very busy as we too enjoyed watching the spectacle that the birds, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Sanderling were giving as they flew above us when the tide eventually covered the mud out in The Wash.

From Shore Hide, it was reasonably peaceful as visitors admired all the Spoonbill amongst the Cormorants and Little Egrets. Many Black-tailed Godwits with a few Knot had landed on the island and roost bank. I heard a Common Sandpiper calling and Nick located 4 birds on one of the islands. Many Common Terns were flying around before their long journey south back to their wintering grounds quite soon. I walked back along the shore with Hayley answering more questions from visitors and we were treated with a wonderful display of Knot hovering like Kestrels in the wind above us, a phenomenal sight!

After a wonderful evening Nick and I enjoyed some well-earned fish and chips in the cafe!

After some gardening and completing my packing I went for a walk to West Newton where I could get out of the wind. The summer Swallows and House Martins were still swooping around over the mill and fields for insects as a young Buzzard was mewing for its parent hoping to be fed. I stopped by the lake by the track and was shocked that the gate had completely disappeared in vegetation allowing, no access at all. There were many dragonflies on the wing but I had no camera with me and so my phone had to suffice, hence the exceeding poor photos. Many were Migrant Hawkers but there were a few Common Darters and I was surprised to see a Willow Emerald Damselfly. I had to negotiate some tall nettles and a ditch to get a photo!

I returned back home and went around to say my farewells to my neighbours. I shall be very sad to see them go and hope that they will be happy in their new home.

John and I drove down to Heathrow where we caught a flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

After a lazy breakfast sitting by the sea we packed our bags and drove to Ndjole where we had lunch in a hotel where we watched Vieillot’s Black Weavers building nests. We added a few common species in Libreville including: Cattle Egret, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Angolan Swallow. En route to Ndjole we added Little Swift, Palm-nut Vulture and African Palm Swift. After lunch we walked down to the river and Dylan found a Grey Pratincole which was a lifer for me. We admired a Black Harrier Hawkas well as a Giant kingfisher whilst an African Pied Wagtail and an Orange-cheeked Waxbill fed around our feet.

As we approached Lope National Park we saw Bates Swifts and a Black-casqued Hornbill which posed in a distant tree for us. Whilst we were driving Piping Hornbills and African Grey Parrots flew over us.

We were up for 5.30am for a 6am breakfast. We watched a tree full of sunbirds as we waited for breakfast including Reichenbach’s Sunbird which was new for me. A Red-thighed Sparrowhawk flew in which was another lifer for me.

We drove to Lope National Park entrance to find that our ranger that had to accompany us into the park was not there. The driver went to the local village to find him. After a short wait he appeared with our driver and all was well. We drove along the extremely rough track, stopping off at various places in the forested areas to watch birds. The birding was good as I took a photo of a White-throated Bee-eater that sat and posed for me. In the thicker forest areas, I had several lifers including Blue-headed Bee-eater and Shining Drongo.

We returned for lunch and after another shorter session in the park stayed until dusk to watch Bate’s Nightjars over a bridge.

After breakfast we were picked up at 7.30am by the Mandrill trekking company and driven along a very rough track for about 45minutes where the rangers got out the telemetry equipment. After a few tries with the aerial and new batteries in the receiving device, no signal was picked up. We tried another couple of spots and eventually the Mandrill troop was located in the forest. We all jumped out the old 4×4 and we were given safety instructions and told to run if an Elephant charged us! Given that most of our group were retirees, it was going to be interesting! (Before we had left our various countries the participants had to have medical certificates from our doctors to say that we were fit enough to avoid wild and dangerous animals)! We had to walk in silence one behind the other, keeping close to each other and started our descent into the forest. We crossed a tall grassy area when all of a sudden the ranger at the back shouted Elephant. We were told to quicken our pace to get to the trees as quickly as possible. With our hearts beating a bit quicker than is good for us, we made it into the forest where we could hear the Mandrills growling.

After a short trek through the dense forest trees it wasn’t long before we could see an array of female and juvenile Mandrills. Of course all of us wanted to see a fully grown male with the red and blue face. After a while we saw a big male but it was not fully-coloured on its face. Eventually we had one in view but the forest was so thick photography was impossible due to poor light and far too much vegetation in the way. Several of us attempted to try to get some pictures but efforts were very poor record shots. We stayed for an hour before we were told to trek back to the vehicle and taken back to the lodge for lunch, where we watched Congo Pied Hornbills, Red-throated Cliff Swallows and Lesser Striped Swallows from the balcony over the river.

After lunch and a bit of down time we wandered around the lodge and saw a pair of Compact Weavers just before flushing out a Swamp Nightjar that flew over our heads. We watched Vieillot’s Black weavers displaying on their intricate nests before wandering down to the river just before sunset and watched Rock Pratincoles and African Skimmers. What a day it had been! Pure Magic!

We were up early for our long travel day but got stuck along the lodge track when a goods train pulled into the local station and completely blocked our route out over the level crossing. We waited for 40 minutes before sending our luggage through the train and out the other side to one of our other vehicles and sending the driver to talk to the train staff, who eventually moved the train for us a bit further along the track! This is Africa after all!

The next 6 hours were an arduous journey as we bumped along the extremely rough road and stopping for some lunch supplies at a local town only to have another 4 hour journey on some tarmac to Leconi. Here we stopped at a hotel where there was no water and so Dylan quickly found a more suitable hotel with some water but as for the electrics………This is Africa after all! A good job I have a torch and Dylan kindly gave us one of his bedside lamps that did work! En route we saw a Sooty Flycatcher and a Johanna’s Sunbird and an awful lot of red dust that was thrown up by the vehicle in front and passing logging lorries! It was a grim journey indeed!

We were up early and after breakfast we headed for the plateau where Dylan led us to an area where we could find some seriously range-restricted birds or very difficult birds to find. Luck was on our side as the fell one after another before the sun came out. We watched Black-chinned Weaver, Congo Moor Chat, Black-collared Bulbul and saw several Short-tailed Pipits before admiring Sooty Chats and White-winged Black Tits. Photography was another matter though as the birds did not allow close approach and the light was abysmal. We cleaned up with an hour and so looked for other birds. We enjoyed White-winged Black Tits and a Western Black-headed Batis. A Rufous-naped Lark that will soon be split to Plains Lark was also seen.

We drove to the Leconi Canyon and admired the view which was awesome! We took some photos and watched a Little Green Woodpecker which had been calling below us before enjoying a cup of tea admiring more of the scenery in the heat of the sun.

After lunch we enjoyed a bit of down-time back at the accommodation before driving a few minutes along the road and birded in miombo woodland. Unfortunately we were immediately set upon by biting tiny black flies. Most of us had bare legs and arms and were soon bloodied on our legs. There was little we could do to prevent the attack from them as we tried our best to concentrate on the birds. A small party of Green-capped Eremomelas chatted away as I took a photo but most other birds were camera shy! A Wood Pipit gave a courtship display as Dylan located a striped Kingfisher for us to see in the scope. We added a few more birds to our list before a Dark Chanting Goshawk flew over as we gratefully made our way back to the vehicles and out of reach of the flies!

We were up for 5.30am and driven for 30 minutes to bird the road beside a forest. Most birds were distant in the very gloomy light. We watched two Black Bee-eaters and a flock of Rufous-bellied Helmetshrikes before adding Spotted Greenbul, Tiny Sunbird, Cassin’s Malimbe and Afep Pigeon to my life list. A Crowned Eagle flew over after I had taken photos of Blue Malkoha, Black Cuckoo and Yellow-throated Cuckoo. On the way back to the accommodation Dylan was the only one to see the target bird of Black-headed Bee-eater.

We spent the afternoon walking a burnt area behind our hotel whilst our vehicles went for a check up after the appalling road conditions of rough roads over the last few days. We watched Luhder’s Bushshrike, Sharpes Drongo, Bocages’s Bushshrike and a Honeyguide Greenbul.